Embassy Ethiopia / Bjarne Mastenbroek and Dick Van Gameren

Jan 2012

Uploaded by Victoria King — Filed under: Featured ,Institutional Architecture ,Selected , Addis Ababa, Bjarne Mastenbroek, Dick Van Gameren, Ethiopia

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Architects: Bjarne Mastenbroek and Dick Van Gameren
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Design: Bjarne Mastenbroek, Dick Van Gameren
Assistants: Lada Hrsak, Wilmar Groenendijk, Jack Hoogeboom, Jeroen van Mechelen, Matteo Fosso, Miguel Loos, Michael Davis
Client: Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Completion Date: 2005
Photographs: Christian Richters

The compound of the Dutch Embassy consists of a five-hectare wooded area that slopes steeply towards the city. The design task was to situate the five individual buildings in the compound while retaining and enhancing the quality of the site’s landscape. The strict horizontal volume of the main building cuts into the hill with the sloping terrain naturally dividing the building into two programmatic units; the ambassador’s residence and the chancellery.

The Embassy roof is a shallow pool, an element that combines Dutch tradition in water management and landscape technology, with the natural craggy countryside of Ethiopia. As in the Netherlands everyone lives and works under water. The building is visible at both ends and as the landscape slopes gradually upwards it disappears temporarily, transforming into a pool among the eucalyptus trees.

elevations

The other elements of the programme are articulated in a similarly ‘camouflaged’ way; the gatehouse peeks above the entrance wall, wrapped in the colours of the Dutch flag, the extension to the house of the deputy ambassador is slid underneath an existing villa and the three staff houses are built between the north double-wall of the compound.

: © Christian Richters

: © Christian Richters

: © Christian Richters

: © Christian Richters

: © Christian Richters

: © Christian Richters

: © Christian Richters

: © Christian Richters

: © Christian Richters

: © Christian Richters

: © Christian Richters

: © Christian Richters

: © Christian Richters

: © Christian Richters

: elevations

: render elevation

: section

: situation plan

* Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.

Cite:
King , Victoria . "Embassy Ethiopia / Bjarne Mastenbroek and Dick Van Gameren" 13 Jan 2012. ArchDaily. Accessed 22 Feb 2012. <http://www.archdaily.com/198254>

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godryk says:

This is beatiful!

# January 13, 2012 at 06:24

H.A. says:

AGREE. QUITE UNIQUE AMONG THEIR WORK THOUGH, I WAS EXPECTING TO FIND MORE OF ITS KIND ON THEIR WEBSITE

# January 13, 2012 at 06:58

agf says:

This looks like a startled warthog, but in its monumentality is kind of sweet and humble, like the Bruce Armstrong Eagle. All this horizontality could have appeared faddy, but here, with the choice of materials, is calming.

# January 13, 2012 at 08:04

K says: