The cultural bridge

Bauhaus University (BUW), Faculty of Architecture, Weimar, Germany

Project idea

Our project is the Czech embassy in the Ethiopian capital, the city of Addis Ababa. The main functions of any embassy are the presentation of the country and culture and the creation of a dialogue with local residents through integration and cooperation. The embassy is a point of cultural exchange between the two countries, in this case - a small island of Europe in East Africa. Since the standard of living in Ethiopia is significantly lower, the mission of the European man, among other things, is to help the local population. In our project, we implement this idea through the collection, storage and distribution of rainwater, the use of local materials and resources. In our project, we were guided by the principles of eco-friendly design and sustainable.

We see our task in uniting two completely different worlds. To create a bridge from one culture to another. The bridge is a very important symbol for the Czech Republic. For example, the most famous Charles Bridge over the Vltava is the heart of Prague, and the key historical events of the Czech Republic are associated with it. Water also plays an important role in Czech, which is famous for its thermal springs. Moreover, Ethiopia, which suffers from a shortage of drinking water. Also in the culture of Ethiopia, the Blue Nile plays a big role, with which many legends are associated. Thus, we decided that water would be the connecting elements that motivate dialogue between countries.

Our next metaphor is the monasteries on Lake Tana. This lake is the largest in Ethiopia, it flows from the Blue Nile, it is among the monuments of UNESCO and now there is very developing eco-tourism due to foreign investment. In addition to the beautiful nature of the tourists, there are attracted traditional Ethiopian monasteries. They have a three-part structure. First, the outer boundary is accessible to all. For the second border, access is available to pilgrims and believers. In addition, the third border protects the holy room, where there is access only to priests.
Both the building of the Czech Republic and the building of Addis Ababa are characterized by high density. However, unlike the chaotic Ethiopian buildings, the Czech is quarterly. This historical image of the Czech city we rethought and transferred to the Ethiopian land. What is reflected in the plans, such as the presence of a courtyard in a residential building, the general shape and structure of the complex. To further emphasize the image of a European city, we were inspired by such elements of the architectural environment as arches, paving of roads and forged parts, namely lanterns and fences.

Project description

Based on the structure of the monasteries on Lake Tana, we have identified three conditional borders in our project.

The first border is the fence. As in the case of the monastery, everyone has access to the fence and its function is not only the protection of the embassy, but also the presentation of the embassy and the image of the Czech Republic to the outside world. For its design, we were inspired by embroidery from the national Czech costume. The national costume is in all cultures a tool for its own presentation and vividly reflects national identity. We decided to use brick as a material, because brick is an inexpensive material available in Ethiopia and Ethiopia has its own traditions in brick construction. Thus, the fence will not look aggressive to the local population, alien and will be associated with familiar images. Among other things, it carries an important function of storing rainwater, which is then transferred to the local population. This symbolizes a friendly attitude and readiness for dialogue and cooperation. The second boundary in our project is a chain of public buildings. People interested in the services of the embassy and diplomatic guests come here. It is in these rooms that the entire workflow takes place.

The third frontier is the apartments building of the ambassador staff and villa ambassador. As in the case of the third border in the monastery, this is a kind of heart of the complex with the highest degree of privacy and protection. Access to this area is strictly limited.

All technical requirements for the structure of the complex, premises, areas and functional relationships between architectural volumes are made in accordance with the task.

Technical information

According to climatic analysis, the summer months in Addis Ababa are characterized by high rainfall, while the winter months are arid. Thus, the biggest problem is not the lack of water per se, but the question of its storage. We solve this problem with a patented Canadian system called Water Fence. This system is that storage takes place inside the fence. Main advantages: cheaper than underground storage, large capacity, high degree of protection, which is important for the embassy. The system consists of a chain of interconnected tanks that are hidden inside the fence. These tanks are made of recycled polyethylene and are sealed, which protects water from contamination. Rainwater from the sloping roofs and surfaces of the site is collected with the help of drainage trays and is diverted to the fence through aqueducts into tanks. Later, water can be used as gray for domestic needs or, after filtration, as drinking water.

The project used a strip foundation of local stone blocks. The supporting structure of the walls is made of bricks. Where possible, ready-made concrete panels are used for the floors, and in atypical places, floors of complex-shaped concrete are poured in place. The roof structure is made of metal elements. Moreover, lined with metal sheet. The brick is also a facing material, but the facades of official representative buildings are lined with stone panels. Entrance groups are underlined by brickwork in a different direction.

To reduce the cost of ventilation, in rooms where possible, natural ventilation was arranged due to the special masonry with partially removed bricks.

Co-authors

Anastasiya Voshchina
Alexandra Zakharova
Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dipl.-Des. Bernd Rudolf
Bauhaus-Universität Weimar

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