Project idea

Main idea for the design of embassy was promotion of wall as security element to something more. We did not think about it as a barriere and neccesary evil, but a tool for creating different types of space. This pricipe re-fused to a grid, supported by alleys of trees and water areas. In the sense of sustainabilityy we used local materials, shading techniques and passive ventilation in the form typical fo Africa, "windcatcher", in other words aa chimney catching wind and distributing it to various areas of building. Also we designed small product gardens for everybody to be a little bit closer to sustaining ourselves.

Project description

Solved location is in residential part of the city Addis Abeba. There are not any important point or flows which are needed to be answered to so we focused on solution of microurbanism within our parcel, which is extremely important with all functions and operation requirements of embassy. For public only accesible object, visa and consular department is located from the east side of landed property, where we created representative foreground, worth of the embassy. This department is located in administratíve building, which, such as residence of embassador and residential building is connected to colonade in the centre. With the help of perforated brick walls which are the part of the grid, we sufficiently separated different function spaces, such as representative one, or space for embassador' s f amily or workers from administratíve buldings. Social housing for local forces is located on the west part of the parcel and is separated from the rest with service road.
Volume of objects is creted on ortogonal principle, already mentioned grid, atriums and last but no leastare perforated walls, which serve as shading, dividers of a space and esthetic element. Colour of f acades is deternined by choice of material, brick as the most accesible material in thic climate zone. We had a need to "lighten up" complex of buildings by adding a light steel colonade, which is connecting all the buildings. lt provides much needed shade and centr al representative space. All of residential buldings have doubled roof, complemented with a gallery with perforated brick walls.

Technical information

Bearing structure is identical within all objects. Wall longitudinal structure, in administratíve bulding and residence of embassador there are added bearing concrete columns and beams. The main construction material is local brick, from which are built all the structres within all the fasades. Security wall around whole embassy area are from bricks as well. Ceilings are made of ceramics. In our project we designed also architectonical detail of enterance to administrative building, which is a tunnel structure for people waiting to visa department.

Co-authors

Jana Hájková