In the next two and a half years, Addis Abeba is getting a new municipal hall, which will feature architectural designs from various cultural places in the country.
For the design, the Ethiopian Institute of Architecture Building Construction & City Development (EiABC) of the Addis Abeba University calls upon the residents of the city to discuss the conceptual design of the hall. Last April, Addis Abeba City Council (AACC) signed a 1.8 million Br consultancy agreement with EiABC to develop the project and prepare conceptual plans.
EiABC will conduct the consultancy service in four phases including project development, architectural competition, detail design and construction phases.
The meeting, to collect residents comment to be used as input for the preliminary design of the project, was held on June 26, 2018, at Gullele Botanical Garden. The inception of the new city hall began in 2013, with the plan of a conventional building for city council, but later the plan was changed to build a landmark for the capital city, according to Tabor Gebremedhin, speaker of the City Council.
“The existing hall, in the premises of the municipality, is falling short to respond to the need arising from the current political, economic and social activities of the city,” reads the conceptual document of the EiABC, “therefore, the city needs a multipurpose hall.”
The hall would reflect the history, culture and heritage of the city as well as display the diversity of the nationalities of the country. It will also have a public centre.
In a recent meeting, the residents recommended three places for the hall, according to Asmeret Zeratsion, communications officer at the Council.
“Piassa, Arat Killo and Mesqel square are the three recommended areas,” said Asmeret. “They also recommend, the building to be multipurpose having facilities for kids, the elders and people with disabilities.”
“By next year the location for the building would be identified and we will lay the cornerstone,” said Tabor.
Abebe Dinku (Prof), a civil engineer and a university lecturer with over three decades experience, applauds the idea mentioning its significance to the city with a growing population and different activities.
“To be accessible and to be a landmark, the city hall should be built at a central place,” recommends Abebe. “It would have been good if it has a museum, green parks, and places for reading.”
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