Lecture 6 Addis Ababa style Architecture
- 1. Addis Ababa City Development and its Architecture Prepared by Ephrem N.
- 2. • 1775-1875, is a comparatively empty period as far as Architectural development is concerned in Ethiopia • Introduction of modern technique by immature method, ex. un successful ambition of emperor Tewodros to have a giant mortar /Sebastopol/ • An Italian builder, G. Naretti, worked as Architect and builder in Mekelle. During this time the town was the capital of Emperor Yohannes IV who reigned (1872-1889) • He designed the Emperor’s palace and Enda Kidane Mihret church in Mekelle The 19th century
- 3. Sebastopol Debretabor city during Emperor Tewodros
- 4. The palace of emperor Yohannes IV
- 5. ANKOBER • Ankober was the original seat of Emperor Menilik following his father Negus Haile Melekot and his grand father Negus Sahile Silassie. • Some of the earliest architectural types of the ‘Addis Ababa style’ were first built in Ankober. • Most of the palace and church builders were coming from Gondar, as a result they introduced the use of lime mortar as a building material The birth of Addis Ababa
- 7. The birth of Addis Ababa ENTOTO • Menelik selected Entoto as his new residence and capital, following the old tradition of earlier monarchs. • Selecting a capital based on a prophecy or the reestablishment of an old imperial seat was an act that Ethiopian Emperors often used to secure their legitimacy. • The earliest structures built in Entoto are the churches of St. Mary and Raguel, and Menelik’s palace.
- 8. Raguel church built by the Swiss Alfred Ilg Menelik’s original palace in Entoto Entoto Mariam church
- 9. Tents at the side of Entoto hills
- 10. The birth of Addis Ababa • The hot springs of Filwoha were a major attraction to Menelik and his wife Taitu • Because of the hot spring and the deforestation of Entoto for the use of fire wood the new place became more appropriate for a permanent settlement. • In 1880 Addis Ababa became the new capital of the Empire. • The structure of Addis Ababa at the beginning of the 20th century was that of a multicentred settlement, with the GEBBI, the ARADA and the Church compounds as the main landmarks later the Train station. • The great famine(1889-92) and the victory of Adowa also made a great impact on the increasing of the population of Addis Ababa.
- 11. The birth of Addis Ababa The hot spring of Filwoha at the foot of the imperial palace at the beginning of the 19th century. The hot spring of Filwoha have curative properties
- 12. The birth of Addis Ababa TRADE • Despite the fact that there were political, geographical and military reasons for the selection of Addis Ababa as the capital of the empire, it was trade that played the major role in the consolidation of its future. • Main commodities, the likes of salt, coffee, grain, ivory, gold, cattle, sheep hides, honey butter, cotton and incense, used to come from different parts of the country to Addis Ababa. • Some goods were also imported, including textile, metal products, weapons, medicine and luxury items.
- 13. The birth of Addis Ababa The open air market of Arada at the foot of the Entoto hills in 1898 View of addis ababa from the imperial palace showing the scattered aspect of the settlement 9 (c.1895)
- 14. Mixture of nationalities • Because of the strong trade relation between Addis Ababa and other countries the city started to become a home of different foreigners and local ethnic groups. • The Swiss born Alfred Ilg was one of the most influential one. • Other nationalities including from Arab, India, German Greek and Italy were participating in lots of construction works as well.
- 15. Ethio - Djibouti Rail way
- 16. The heavy style • The early public buildings of direct European influence were often heavy and stiff intended to be grand and solid – looking • One of the influential architects in a heavy style with much of trachytic stone was Rudolf Haertel /German architect/ who designed Menelik II school.
- 18. St. George cathedral designed by the Greek architect Orphanides
- 19. The Addis Ababa style Characteristics • Fanciful roof shapes • Roofing material, thatch and corrugated iron sheets • Green painted balconies and roofs • The verandahs and balconies are richly decorated, mostly with wooden ornaments and sometimes with flat metal sheets (which is decorated by cutting out of it)
- 20. Ground floor plan • Material-heavily with thick masonry walls • Few and small openings • Surrounding the heavy ground floor with a light exterior (verandahs) Upper story • More light and open and Sometimes entirely of wood and glass • Plenty of open or glazed balconies The Addis Ababa Style
- 21. The Addis Ababa Style Bitwoded haile Giorgis palace
- 22. The Addis Ababa Style Ground floor plan First floor plan
- 23. The Addis Ababa Style
- 24. The Addis Ababa Style The apartment of the imperial couple, connected to the prayer pavilion(1890) The modified prayer pavilion(1910s)
- 30. The Addis Ababa Style
- 32. The Addis Ababa Style Origin of the Addis Ababa style • Arabic influence was the strongest in the beginning through craftsmen who often came from Aden. • Emperor Menelik employed an Indian master builder, Hajji Kawas who build the Raguel church, Gabriel church and palace inside the old Gibbi. • Decorated long balconies also appear in India especially old Bombay.
- 33. Plain forms of the 1930’s Before world war II radical ideas were applied by Italian architects in Ethiopia some of the characters were, • Plain and smooth and almost undecorated surfaces • Straight lines dominating, circular and semicircular lines allowed but free curves avoided • Visible building volumes of ‘abstract geometrical’ kind achieved with smooth plaster and paint rather than with textured natural materials • Certain horizontals or verticals or frames emphasized by projecting strongly but with a plain form • Exterior colors ranging from light yellow and beige through warm shades to dark red and brown.
- 34. Addis Ababa
- 35. Asmara
- 36. Gondar
- 37. The Italian Fascists influence Planning • Several versions of a master plan for Addis Ababa were prepared during the Italians occupation. • Some of the ideas which continued until now are • Moving the big market out of the centre and westwards • Moving the main centre of the city downwards to level ground • Having an industrial zone in the southwest • To have recreational areas in the southeast on the Filwoha plain.
- 38. The Italian Fascists influence The master plan proposed for the town by the Italian Architects
- 39. The Italian Fascists influence Sketch by Le Corbusier proposing a plan for the centre of Addis Ababa (c.1936)
- 40. Architecture of the 1960’s • Approximately the years 1955-68 were a boom period for the construction industry in A.A. • New technology was applied, with pile foundations, vibrated concrete, factory finished surface materials, using cranes and the likes. • Most of the buildings were designed by different foreigners • All the buildings show the styles of the individual architects rather than the styles of their countries.
- 41. Architecture of the 1960’s • The common design factors were, functional requirements, adaptation to the gradually more industrialized building methods, and use of materials which are competitive for price and availability in the Ethiopian market. • Also multistory buildings automatically enforce more discipline in the design than small and low structures.
- 43. Architecture of the 1960’s The leading architects and firms of the time includes, • H. Chomette ------------ French • Z. Enav and M. Tedros ----------Israeli and Ethiopian • G. Hentz ----------- German • Z. Kovachevic and I. Straus ---------Yugoslav • A. Mezzedimi ------------- Italian from Asmara • Norconsult ------------- Norwegian • P.E.A. --------- Italian from Milano • Technoexportstory ---------- Bulgarian
- 44. Some works from the 1960’s A. Mezzedimi
- 45. A. Mezzedimi
- 46. Henry Chomette