The nation’s air transport administrator is soon to get a new headquarter complex at the cost of 322 million Br paid from the government’s coffers.
The new construction will house the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority. The Ministry of Urban Development & Housing has hired two local firms for the design and construction of the project. K2N Architecture & Engineering Consultancy Plc, a company established a decade ago, was hired for 1.06 million Br to design the building and supervise the construction of the new complex.
Beha Construction is engaged for 321 million Br to construct the building complex. The building will sit on a 2,070sqm lot inside the current premise of the Authority adjacent to Bole International Airport. The project is expected to be completed within two years after the contract is awarded.
“The current building is very crowded,” said Hana Tegengworq, director of Aerodrome Safety & Standards at the Authority, explaining the necessity of having the new complex. “In a single room, there are at least eight employees.”
The Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority has three main directorates operating under it including Aviation Regulation, Air Navigation Service and Support Service. These departments are tasked with ensuring safety, security, adequate air transport services, registration and inspection of all civil air craft’s, identification of air routes within Ethiopia, and providing secured, efficient and economical air transport service to customers.
The latest technological advances in the aviation industry will be used in the new complex, according to Tekeletsadik Teklearegawi, director of Government Construction Projects under the Ministry of Urban Development & Housing.
Upon completion, the new complex will replace the current old building. The new seven-storey building will house offices, various recreational facilities including a swimming pool, gymnasium and play station areas for its employee.
The new building will also have classrooms and dormitories for employees in-training, according to Samuel Engda, team leader of the Aerodrome Engineering & Safety department at the Authority.
K2N, the firm selected for the design and supervision of the construction project, has previously worked on designing the Oromia International Bank Headquarters, Semera Airport Terminal and Bati Watiye Real Estate Development. The firm had competed with six other consultancy firms – Afri Consult Consulting, Edge Consulting, Habtamu International Consulting, Gebeta Engineering, Wossen Woldekidan Consulting, and Virtual Consulting – to win the contract.
On the construction side, Beha Construction, a grade one building and water works contractor, founded by Ephrem Eyassu, won the bid after competing against 11 other companies that included Flintstone Engineering, Zamra Construction, Etete Construction, Midroc Construction, Janjix Water & Hydropower Construction, and China Communications Construction Company (CCCC).
It would be good if the complex is equipped with technical facilities, according to Argaw Asha (PhD), deputy director of the Ethiopian Construction Management Institute.
“IT materials, mechanical and electro-mechanical system, and advanced communications system should be considered in the design of the building,” said Argaw.
The construction is expected to commence by September this year, according to the general manager of K2N, explaining their aim of avoiding the rainy season, which could present challenges for construction activities.
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