The House for Five Women is a co-living space in Northern Bosnia designed to provide permanent housing for five single women who have been displaced by war and experienced systemic neglect. The project is a symbol of design for dignity and solidarity. The women each have private units, but share communal areas for cooking, gardening, and gathering—spaces designed to encourage autonomy, connection, and care and healing.
The exterior of the building features a vibrant façade by Artist Shirana, a vivid, rippling canvas of aluminium panels in rich pinks, reds, greens and blues. The striking feature was custom-painted by a local car-body shop, the cladding reflects the light and landscape, creating a structure that shifts with time and weather.
Beyond the colourful exterior, the residence is grounded in the local context—integrating native vegetation and garden plots curated by landscape architect Daniel Ganz.
The House for Five Women is a bold model of architecture as activism; design in service of care, resilience, and community.
