A join venture between Treurniet Architectuur, Michiel Clercx Architectuur, Addis Mebratu and S7 Architects PLC recently won the international design competition for the new building complex for the Ethiopian Parliament. The project represents the wide variety of 85 million people living across a fascinating landscape of 1,000,000 km2. The new building is of significance for every individual, every ethnic group, its thoughts, its interests and its own way of living. By creating a recognizable shape whith a strong symbolic value, the architects make full use of the site located on the hill in the middle of Addis Abeba. More images and architects’ description after the break.
The question is how to give expression to the great variety, and which instrument can be used to achieve this. Therefore the team opted for a clear design. At the top of the hill a square is created that contains a subtle ensemble of three volumes that refer to the Negarit drums. These traditional drums were played in the past after a new law went into effect. Besides the symbolic value, the strong rhythm of the drums stands for communication and continuity. Each drum represents a symbolic value we also can find in the Ethiopian flag: Hope (green), peace (yellow) and passion (red).
