Kinigi, Rwanda
Finding the heart of the story
“Joel has a gift for finding the stories that build empathy and shaping them into a meaningful journey people can feel as they move through a place.”
- Patricia Gruits, AIA, LEED AP
Co-Executive Director, MASS Design Group
Narrative Research
& Story Workshops
Developed while Joel Krieger served as Chief Creative Officer at Second Story
The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in Kinigi, Rwanda, was designed by MASS Design Group in collaboration with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
The campus supports gorilla conservation and community empowerment through research, education, and public engagement—bringing together scientific study, local knowledge, and visitor experience within a landscape dedicated to restoring biodiversity and strengthening regional resilience.
MASS engaged our team to conduct narrative research and facilitate storytelling workshops to inform the Conservation Gallery. Rather than beginning with exhibits, we began with people—their lived experiences, field knowledge, and cultural perspective.
Through this process, we surfaced the emotional, scientific, and ecological threads shaping conservation in this region: Fossey’s legacy, the daily work of trackers, and the deep interdependence between community wellbeing and thriving ecosystems.
The story frameworks developed through these workshops informed MASS’s interpretive approach and design for the gallery, grounding the experience in real voices and lived relationships.
