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Jul-Oct 2010
  
Virtual Tour
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Cover Story
 
Ethiopia’s urban history: a brief overview - During the past centuries and even today, Ethiopia is a country with an important rural population. Despite this fact urbanization could not be considered as a minor phenomenon and significant studies had been conducted to analyse it as a particular topic or generally as a part of its history. Some of these contributions have listed cities according to their period of development, and others have assessed and categorized them according to their main functions. In this regard, it is not worthy to undertake yet another inventory of cities, however, we will examine these findings through a spatial method to discuss the early existence of an organized urban network in Ethiopia. In doing so, we will submit a chronological presentation of Ethiopian towns development by outlining their territorial distribution and function.
 
Features
 
Inner City Redevelopment - When we consider that slum conditions obtain in 80% of the city, the volume of the required redevelopment is staggering and no rate could be viewed too fast and unjustified. So that, when the head of Addis Ababa city administration tells us his department of Local Development Plan, intends to implement 14 new major projects in six districts (Lafto, Kirkos, Arada, Lideta, Bole, Yeka) in 2010/11, on 280 ha, the plan does sound too ambitious to achieve, given the prevailing shortages of construction inputs and materials, even if funds for them are available.  

But looking at the rate of demolition going all around Addis to make way for redevelopment or more forward looking urbanization, we may be wrong. There is no question whatsoever about the inevitability of urbanization. Looking into public perception and reception of surrounding the matter, neither redevelopment nor new urban development is enticing and something to look forward to with enthusiasm and excitement. Long before the equally inevitable congested living conditions, transport bottlenecks, traffic jams and pollution, getting the old simple and traditional facilities and services and a just compensation for property sacrificed in the process, seems a dream.  

Now, if the redevelopment or new development is preceded by studies, plans and designs, why all these disappointing consequences and disgruntled victims? This indeed takes the whole process with bad public relations and apprehensive prospects. Free
Ethiopian Urbanization: Perceived Challenges and Prospects - Ethiopia has a very low level of urbanization (16%) and is a very poor country. Moreover, the process of urbanization has been relatively very slow compared to many developed countries. And yet, cities or urban centers serve as engines of economic development for a nation, like Ethiopia. Urbanization and civilization and/or economic development through industrialization are complementary; and this complementarity doesn’t seem to have been accorded adequate understanding at policy, strategy levels, and in terms of research and development in practical ways. It is thus vital to bring this crucially important agenda to the forefront as a way of stimulating debate on the process of urbanization and its significance particularly at this peculiar historical epoch of our country. In this respect, we want to cast some light here on this topic to provoke professional debates that may bring about a deeper understanding and thereby contribute to informing the policy formulation.
 
Design, standards and sustainability - International demand for flexible and affordable housing and living space requires entirely new intellectual approaches and highly efficient building technologies. Connected with this is a need to construct and to apply these, at times complex technologies, as simply as possible. Only then do they have the potential to function all over the world. This applies to their maintenance and sustainability also. This article describes a design strategy for flexible house types, the use of innovative building materials and the testing of realised prototypes. It reflects the need for affordable living space in developing countries and in emergency areas around the world. The proposed solution attempts to find new answers to seemingly self-evident questions concerning the essence and purpose of living in houses, and the relationship between people and their housing. The design strategy uses a system of modular units to address the need for flexible, adaptable and extendable house units. The entire approach is based on object – orientated building information technology, making it possible to adapt, control and optimise the design as well as the production process. Based on such design technologies, an in expansion and affordable building solution has been developed. The basic building material is the product of a new and innovative production method that utilises extremely stable panel technology and revolutionises the approach to design and construction. By focusing on highly efficient, relatively cheap but high-tech building materials and the development of a large- scale mass production of modular prefabricated houses, the project is able to satisfy the worldwide demand for affordable houses and low-cost settlements.
 
Interview
 
Dr Yeraswork Admassie - Grounded in a solid academic training in prestigious institutions and having quite a diverse, varied and extensive teaching, research and service experience working for many different national, regional and international organizations with different mandates, missions and requirements, Dr Yeraswork Admassie brings all his wealth of personal expertise to bear in this interview wherein he looks at urban development from many angles and perspectives, for which we are very grateful.