Program: Commercial
Size: 66.540 sq m
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Status: Concept
Time: 2012

The site of the project is located in the growing financial Avenue of Lideta district in Addis Ababa. It has a very characteristic location defined by a corner of two important streets. The design stands from the other buildings, perpendicular or parallel to the main street, by taking advantage of the characteristics that define the plot.

We started thinking about the shape and structure of an ordinary tower and podium. We divided and shifted the volume to improve natural light and ventilation conditions. Thinking about the sun and singularity, we rotated the volumes to orientate the main spaces North-South, creating a thermal difference that benefits cross ventilation and significantly reduces the main wind structural load from the East-West direction. Natural sustainable strategies are complemented with active engineering systems, such as solar photovoltaic panels on the porches and a general recycling water system to re-use both rain and grey water. The skin is a curtain wall of transparent glass protected by horizontal aluminum brise-soleil composed with plates that are tighter in the south side and wider in the north to keep regular interior light levels.

Credits:
Director: Xavier Vilalta
Project Leader: Maria Rosaria Favoino
Project Team: Aliosman Gürbüz, Izabela Tomczak, Ismail Bezci, Ivo Azevedo, Annie Michaelides