Embassy of Czech in Addis Ababa

Project idea

Concept:
Since each zone in the embassy has its own privacy, safety, and occupied by different users, the block is divided into four buildings assembled into a circular form where it gives and impression of a fortress and a strong united structure. Resembling the Ethiopian construction, the circular form expresses the cultural level of the state and the traditional construction there, as the tukul. To create continuous, curving facades that offer panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. Spaces in the buildings overlooking the central part are the public spaces that doesn't need much privacy as long as the private spaces overlook the front part.
Each building has its own private outdoor space in the front and they all meet in the center where all social events, circulation between buildings, talks, occur. The location of each building is placed according to the hierarchy of privacy and entrances to the site. It is necessary to know who is the occupant, visitor, user of the space and thats how the circulation inside is based. where each part is accessible, accessed by permission, with lockable doors, or checkpoints in the site.

Project description

Zoning:
- Visa and consular building: One floor high, located in the south with its primary parking behind the fence and secondary one in the triangular part in the south east, the front part is only accessed by visitors and the access of the employees is from the side and connected to the central part.
- Official part (Embassy): two floors high with an outdoor terrace in the first floor for the offices, Located in the east, split into two parts with two different entrance one for the representative with its special drop-off and another for employees (the Representative part connected with the residence and separated from the offices part with a wall, the second part with a separate access for the employees for the offices on the ground level and all offices in the first floor), assembly hall connected to outdoor terrace. Basement floor has the technical part and power supply and accessed from the spaces of local workforce with a staircase on the ground level.
- Residence: two floors high, located in the north with its private drop-off and parking plots, ground floor for the representatives with a a shaded welcoming entrance and a huge shaded terrace overlooking the central part, first floor is the ambassador's flat with its special double height staircase that leads upwards.
- Staff's Apartments: two floor high, located in the west, ground floor plan with a shaded outdoor area that has the pool half shaded and easily seen from the first floor, second floor accessed from the front and back corridors and the entire building has a central atrium that lighten up and increases the ventilation inside each apartment.
- Local Workforce: one floor high, located in the west plot, separated by a street from the rest of the complex

Technical information

- Materials: Bricks, Cobble stone in pedestrian walkways in the site to resemble Prague's most famous street stones.
- Structure: Flat Slab structure
- Openings: Long strips of windows to give the form its strength.
- Sloped roof with supporting columns sloping towards the south due to the rainy weather
- Surrounding fence with all safety regulations included: 15m setback all around, Gatehouse on each entrance, Anti-climb walls and fences, Anti-ram barriers, Blast-resistant construction, controlled access

Co-authors

Prof. Thomas Loeffler, TA. Mina ishac