EMBASSY OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN ETHIOPIA

The University of Melbourne

Project idea

Can regionalism be practised as a diplomatic approach for the embassy buildings? This thesis project is an exploration of regionalism to create new typologies of embassy architecture. When we think this embassy project as a “cultural projector” for the Czech Republic, how do we merge that with Addis Ababa’s local culture and establish a retroactive concept for the site?

Regionalism is not merely a design methodology that seeks to mediate between the global and the local languages of architecture. As many architects take local materials and building methods into account, is there a better design approach rather than create an iconic form concerning assumed regional prototypes?

Project description

Embassy buildings are often isolated from the entire city because of their security requirements. The result of this kind of enclosed relationship is often the unplanned introduction of spatial norms and architectural language from Western culture. Meanwhile, vernacular architecture does not mean that this refers to the existing architectural style and heritage.

Nowadays, the culture of each region tends to be more pluralistic and complex. In the 1980s, OMA proposed the strategy based on inherit but latent characteristics thinking that architecture is a contemporary pattern of the result of use. Therefore, we believe that the new Embassy should not be an isolated island in the city, which should be more involved in the daily life of residents.

When we look at the public space of the Addis Ababa, we will find that people use lots of open space for multiple purposes. When such an embassy building occupies the original free space of the area, we must consider how to give back to the venue in public space. Judging from the characteristics of the Embassy architecture, this is both a constraint and an opportunity. For security reasons, we have to separate the area of different attributes. At the same time, we can use this as an opportunity to connect the interior of the Embassy with the outside world.

In terms of vernacular architecture, we found in the historical sites of Ethiopia the way to carve the architectural body out of the rock, which is very common and unique in Ethiopia, so I tried to apply this natural form as a metaphor to architectural design to gain familiarity with local visitors. The strategy of carving also reminds me of the “strategy of the voids” proposed by Rem Koolhaas, “they do not have to be ‘built’”. When we study the characteristics of contemporary Czech architecture, we find that the democracy and communication of space have become an essential part of the architectural space organisation, which is about the high public space and pure volume. It is quite interesting to find something in common between relatively new architectural theory and ancient things, which gives us a new perspective. When we try to establish the interaction and connection between the venue and the building itself, we don’t have to shape each space tangibly, perhaps voids that are in-between the features we need can create a new connection that can be controlled at the same time.

We should not hide the Czech part negatively under the localised shell.
Another good example is OMA’s Netherlands Embassy in Berlin. The void strategy is both an active treatment of space and a new response to the historical heritage that people are familiar with at the cultural level. Therefore, an embassy’s typology came into being.

Technical information

- Research and Concept summary
- Site Plan
- Plans
- Sections 1:100/ 1:200
- 1:50 perspective section
- Construction Methodology including material samples
- Views
- Physical models

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