The Embassy of Czech Republic in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

UNAM, Facultad de Arquitectura, Mexico City

Project idea

The complex of the Czech Embassy in Addis Ababa is a representation to revere the Czech Republic. Its architectural objective is to express the culture, traditions, way of life, iconic spaces, it is a complex in which users can enjoy this experience, thus transporting a part of the Czech Republic in Ethiopia.

Project description

The project is inspired by the characteristic color of the roofing urban landscape of the Czech Republic, this being the red color one of the main elements and transforming it into the material that is to be used in the complex. This has made in turn a connection between the buildings and the existing context being that allows us to return to this premise of the roofs in the buildings of the Embassy, ​​creating and remembering this Czech environment in the Ethiopian context.

Four volumes are projected that represent each of the important and characteristic buildings of the embassy, ​​which in turn are controlled and specifically directed to a type of user. The position of each of these buildings is traced back to an important concept of the Czech Republic: The astronomical clock, iconic of its capital, where that buildings occupy a quarter of the clock and in turn are divided by a large mirror of water, functioning as the hands of the clock, and in turn the principal guiding axis of the project.

The image projected by this complex is taken up by taking part of the Czech Republic and in turn combining it with the architecture of this century and finally contemplating the most representative materials of the site (Ethiopia).

Technical information

The master plan is based on the creation of a complex that allows adapting to the urban context of Addis Abeba without creating a social distinction and at the same time being something characteristic of the city.
The complex is designed with the climatic intentions of the site and is based on this as has been projected the main axis of the complex (water mirror) and also the buildings.

The mirror of water, in general, helps to receive rainwater, besides creating a climatological environment that, with the help of the winds, conditions the interior spaces of the buildings, this through the facades; The facades of all the buildings are created by means of long plates of corten steel, which allow to open and close the mobility of these, and allow lighting and natural ventilation.
In this way, the buildings are oriented in such a way that they have a central open space that allows having this natural air conditioning system.

One of the main objectives is the fact that the project is sustainable, in this way we have created buildings that are powered by photovoltaic cells (electricity) and solar panels for the heating of drinking water, on the other hand, we have an alternative system in which we have rainwater collection and it is reused for certain services, and this same service is treated to be used in other services, thus creating a sustainable system for each of the buildings and the complex.

The materials used: steel, concrete and glass, are distancing part of the materials from the site, as well as the contemporaries, creating a fusion of these.