studio other spaces (SOS) takes to ethiopia to design a vast park for meles zenawi

olafur eliasson + sebastian behmann learn from ethiopia

Studio Other Spaces (SOS), founded in Berlin by artist Olafur Eliasson and architect Sebastian Behmann unveils images of ‘Meles Zenawi Memorial Park,’ an ongoing ten-year architecture and landscape project in Ethiopia. The park spans a vast and diverse terrain, linking seven pavilions and five buildings along a footpath that meanders 2.4 kilometers though postcard nature, its scattered architectural elements built by merging traditional local craft and materials with contemporary technology. SOS has designed the expansive project as an open invitation for visitors to participate in shaping its intention and significance, while reflecting on the history and future of Ethiopia.

Vogt Landscape joined the project in 2016, designing gardens along the sprawling walking path and developing landscape concepts across the area which surrounds each building. The path follows the site’s topography and showcases a harmonious blend of flowers, trees, and stones gathered from various regions of the country.
research center, photo: Studio Other Spaces | header image © VOGT Landscape

honoring the country’s late leader and its people alike

The Meles Zenawi Foundation initiated the Memorial Park in 2013 to honor the memory of Meles Zenawi, who served as the president and then prime minister in Ethiopia from 1991 until his passing in 2012. The team at Studio Other Spaces (SOS) has broadened the definition of ‘memorial’ by creating a socially inclusive space that encompasses the memories of numerous individuals — beyond a single leader — irrespective of their age, social status, or geographic origin, who have lived the country’s history and together make up Ethiopia.

The park is situated on the northern edge of Ethiopia’s capital city of Addis Ababa, a strategic and accessible location. Its layout aims to promote interaction through leisure and learning, while also providing a venue for reflection and discussion of the country’s past and future. The team explains: ‘The hope is that the memorial park can accommodate the many, often complex feelings and reflections around Meles Zenawi’s legacy – from celebration and optimism to grief and reckoning.‘

research center | photo: Studio Other Spaces

‘I’ve had a long-lasting relationship with Ethiopia,’ says Olafur Eliasson. ‘I was a visiting professor at the Ale School of Fine Art and Design at Addis Ababa University for many years, and I gave several workshops and initiated many exchange programs between Addis Ababa and Berlin. A collaborative project was a natural next step.’

‘The memorial park design builds on several layers. Walking in this recreational spot entails taking in history actively — walking makes history felt and embodied. We hope that visitors will experience it as a generous public space that welcomes people with diverse backgrounds and opinions – friends, supporters, and political adversaries alike.’

guest house | photo: Studio Other Spaces

‘Our starting point was to research the potential of the site with its proximity to Addis Ababa,’ continues Sebastian Behmann, ‘the availability of materials, the craftsmanship, the social context, the distinct climate – all of these elements merge in the unique structures of the park, which together reflect Ethiopia’s past, present, and potential future. We aimed to combine a globalised experience of how things are built with a deep knowledge and understanding of local conditions. One of the references we incorporated in our work was the contemporary adoption of Ethiopian culture through modernist buildings, namely, their specific materials and spatial organisation.’

The park hosts a Research Center, located along a terraced landscape and comprises circular workspaces that encircle a central meeting point. Facilitating communication among researchers, the building’s unique architecture creates a sculptural presence amidst the surrounding landscape. Like sculpture defines space, the building provides a frame for the public terraces that extend from beneath it.

The perimeter of the Guest House is marked by a series of concentric rings composed of brightly painted, freestanding walls. These walls provide privacy for the individual residences while allowing the landscape to penetrate the communal spaces in between them, making the building more permeable. The rough-plastered wall segments are finished with vibrant colors which tint the living spaces with a distinct chromatic atmosphere that varies with the intensity of the sunlight both inside and outside the building.

The Meles Zenawi Foundation offices are designed to be both structurally dynamic and transparent, with a unique spiral organization that wraps walkways around the interior and exterior of the building. The use of glass throughout the building allows for a clear view of the different levels and sections. The team notes that this design embodies the foundation’s values of collaboration, introspection, and transparency.

offices, photo: Studio Other Spaces

The most prominent panoramic point of the campus is occupied by the exhibition and reception area, dubbed the Outlook, which serves as the campus landmark that is easily visible from Addis Ababa. The structure houses several conference and exhibition functions under a single spacious roof. The expansive rooftop terrace of the Outlook provides stunning views of the city below and the adjacent botanical gardens.

The Meles Zenawi Foundation Library takes shape with a spiraling concept that ascends and expands that symbolizes the potential for the growth and expansion of knowledge. The radial trajectory is divided into alternating areas for collecting and reading, with quieter spaces contrasted by communal areas for interaction located around the central spiral staircase, which is illuminated by sunlight from above. The building’s exterior appears solid and enclosed, reflecting its purpose for reading and studying, while an outdoor patio located at the top of the spiral provides a wide view and space for outdoor activities.

library | photo: Studio Other Spaces

The western side of the park features a memorial trail that spans across seven commemorative pavilions. This trail is dedicated to Meles Zenawi and it showcases his childhood, education, and services. The purpose of the trail is to provide insight into the upbringing and political climate of Meles Zenawi’s generation, while also giving visitors an idea of what it was like to grow up in Ethiopia during that time period.

‘constitution’ pavilion | photo: Studio Other Spaces

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park diagram

park site plan

research center interior | photo: Studio Other Spaces

research center | ground floor plan

research center | first floor plan

office interior | photo: Studio Other Spaces

office | ground floor plan

office | section

outlook interior | photo: Studio Other Spaces

outlook | ground floor plan

outlook | section

library interior | photo: Studio Other Spaces

library | ground floor plan

library | section

guest house | ground floor plan

project info:

project title: Meles Zenawi Memorial Park

location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

architecture: Studio Other Spaces | @studiootherspaces

landscape: VOGT Landscape | @vogtlandscape

status: ongoing, initiated 2013

site area: 65 hectares 

collaborators: Fasil Giorghis Architects, Vogt Landscape