Embassy of the Czech republic, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Project idea

The three major pillars of this project are social sustainability, cultural sustainability and operational sustainability.
Social sustainability
The project aims to create a attitude of openness while still achieving security. Most embassy buildings convey an attitude of restriction and secrecy instead of the modern demands of invitation for diplomacy. This project aims to be different in Outlook and operation.
The juxtaposition of brise Soleil and monolithic forms on the facade tactfully creates this balance.
Cultural sustainability
The building materials and construction methods are carefully selected to achieve this delicate but justifiable aim. They can locally sourced and constructed by local workers without much need for foreign imports.
The woven red earth bricks showcase the bamboo woven walls of some traditional Ethiopian architecture while the concrete bricks signify the indestructible stone masonry construction used in the Czech castles of fame.
This creates a perfect blend of the rich cultural history of the two countries.
Operational sustainability
The brise Soleil with the internal wall acts as a double skin facade to passively cool the building while wind-catchers installed on the roofs helps to naturally ventilate the interiors by convection thus reducing the dependence on mechanical HVAC systems.
The buildings are all oriented to take full advantage of nature weather elements for a maximum thermal comfort for the users
Other notes
The site is meticulously designed to meet stipulated zoning requirements for maximum security and layering of operations.

Project description

The architectural design consists of five buildings to serve administrative, official, representative, residential, recreational, maintenance and security functions required in a typical embassy. They include: consular section, official complex, residence for the ambassador, staff apartments and social flats for local workforce. Other facilities include the kid's playground and the sport facilities.

Technical information

The buildings are fitted with brise Soleil on the facades and wind-catchers on the roofs.