Addis Ababa is preparing to welcome the Grand Fendika Cultural Center, a project by CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati in collaboration with Melaku Belay, founder of Fendika. Located in Kazanchis, a neighborhood once rich in ‘azmari bets’ (venues for improvised music and poetry), Fendika is the last remaining outpost of these Ethiopian traditions, revived by Belay in 2008. The initiative aims to transform the institution into a vital hub for art and community, safeguarding cultural heritage and promoting Ethiopia’s traditional and experimental arts.
CRA’s design emphasizes porosity and openness, allowing music to spread into the street and passersby to glimpse the activity inside through large, street-facing windows. A central element is a gently sloping stair-ramp that connects the four stories, from the street-level courtyard to a panoramic rooftop terrace, uniting spaces for performances, classrooms, rehearsal studios, artist residences, a café, and an open-air stage. This innovative architecture, which includes a hotel, integrates the street into the performance, blurring the lines between inside and outside, a principle dear to Carlo Ratti and his team.
With the support of the Addis Ababa Municipality and TrustAfrica, the Grand Fendika will celebrate local traditions and become a center for international exchange. It is an example of architecture that looks to the future, firmly rooted in its history and urban fabric, contributing to a dynamic new Addis Ababa.
