[Art+Design] The Rwandan Heraldry Project

The Rwandan Heraldry Project was created by French Architect Guillame Sardin, co-founder of George Pericles, a think-tank with an advocation for Cultural Design. They aimed to find a locally-inspired, modern way to brand the country.

“Two years and a half ago I moved to Rwanda and saw a nation recovering from its past. It is a very motivating and inspiring place for a designer.

I began researching about Rwandan heritage and its traditional patterns from Imigongo (cow-dung murals) and wickerwork. I saw an opportunity to link Rwandan Traditional arts and heritage to the Local Administration.

We wanted to show and demonstrate that this heritage is not gone and can be re-interpreted.”

George Pericles have designed over 100 hundred emblems based on the graphic-system they developed. A proof that the system, deeply rooted in the Rwandan heritage, is versatile and offers endless possibilities.