Czech Embassy Building in Ethiopia

Bilkent University

Project idea

Synthesizing the unique quality of the cultural and architectural implications exhibited in Czech and Ethiopian buildings as well as artworks, this project intends to present a representative building complex that subtly serves for Ethiopian community, while providing a secure living and administrative environment for Czech Committee of Embassy.

Project description

With this respect, inspired by Lalibela Church constituting one of the most symbolically significant and culturally valuable buildings in Ethiopia, some of the principle buildings on the overall site, have been proposed to be relatively embedded into the ground as well as referring to the spatial and geometrical building articulation principles of both Czech and Ethiopian architecture. Accordingly, a variety of interior and exterior courtyards of different proportions and hierarchical order regarding security and privacy concerns, have been provided so as to enrich spatial quality of the building complex.

Technical information

To lower the energy consumption of the complex, a repeating courtyard system is created. These courtyards vary in size and depth to create cold air trenches inside the complex and later used by the adjacent buildings with the passive air ventilation systems (stack effect). In addition, the double facade system creates air circulation on the envelope of the building. The cladding material for the outer facade is decided to be cork panels which has very good heat and sound insulation properties. It can be attained from local forests with no harm on the nature. For lowering the water consumption of the site, a bio-retention membrane is placed around the site and rain water collection systems are located on the flat roofs of the buildings. The water on the roofs are then transferred to the bio-retention membranes to be transferred to the main water reservatory tanks for maintenance of the whole building complex.

In consequence, having reference to the aforementioned conceptual, environmental and technical concerns, this project aims at responding the expectations of both the Ethiopia Committee of Czech Embassy and local community.