In its early decades the young city of Addis Ababa has witnessed a very specific form of local architecture. At the beginning of Ethiopia's first urbanization-process a mixture of vernacular knowledge and a new cosmopolitan mindset led to an architectural type that local professionals call the „Addis Ababa House". Today those buildings are under threat to be swallowed up by short-sighted economic interest.

In a cooperation between the Institute of Architecture of TU-Berlin and the Institute of Architecture in Addis Ababa (EiABC)  the typology of the Addis Ababa House has been studied in regard to its embeddedness in local resources, climatic conditions and local craftsmanship. As such the architectural principles that are transmitted via selected case studies inspire to think of a non-industrial urban building type that is compatible with a cosmopolitan urban life in Ethiopia.

At the center of the exhibition are eleven fine architectural models of Heritage buildings, accompanied by precise drawings and stunning photographs of 17 case studies. An interactive map and extracts of local experts interviews give context to the documented heritage and show their stance in the Addis Ababa of today.

The exhibition wants to create awareness on the endangered heritage of Addis Ababa and wants to invite visitors to contribute the marvelous book that will be published end of the year by DOM publishers. To support the project and to secure your own copy of the book please visit: https://www.startnext.com/en/new-book-the-addis-ababa-house/more-info

"The Addis Ababa House" was developed at the gte Building Technology and Design Department at the IfA (TU-Berlin) in collaboration with Fasil Giorghis and Tadesse Girmay from the Ethiopian Institute of Architecture (EiABC) at Addis Ababa University.

Scientific lead: Piet Nieder

Models: Gabriel Banks, Christos Dalakouras, Laura Alexandra Gonzo, Lea Rosemary Hirschmann, Sophia Jemaneh, Salma Maria Khobalatte, Manon Ponthieu, Yonas Alex Tukuabo, Md Esfaqur Rahman, Amirhossein Rezaeicherati, Shams Prottoy

With contributions from: Rami Anis, Henock Ashagre, Maroua Ben Kiran, Bachir Benkirane, Yoseph Bereded, Federico Castracane, Klajd Cullhaj, Christos Dalakouras, Onur Degirmenci, Arita Dreshaj, Lia Duarte Rodriguez, Christine Feistl, Eden Fikrmariam, Feed Furaiji, Fasil Giorghis, Tadesse Girmay, Fabian Gutheil, Nagham Hatem, Sophia Jemaneh, Adele Lebaudy, Sara Leoni, Martina Lustina, Kamal Maharjan, Piet Nieder, Rumi Okazaki, Livio Sacchi, Ebrar Sayan, Fkereselase Sifir, Selen So?nmez, Robert Stahlschmidt, Ruben Amorim Vasques and Addisu Yisma