Design for the Grand Fendika Cultural Center. Render by . Image © CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati
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https://www.archdaily.com/1033098/carlo-ratti-associati-presents-new-cultural-center-and-open-air-stage-in-addis-ababa-ethiopia
CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati has unveiled images of its design for a new cultural center in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. The project is located in Kazanchis, a cultural, musical, and historic neighborhood currently undergoing transformation as part of a government-led urban renewal program focused on corridor development. This neighborhood was home to the traditional compound of the Fendika Cultural Center, a hub for Ethiopia’s traditional and experimental arts, which was demolished on October 23, 2024, after the site was designated for redevelopment as part of the systematic clearing of the area. In recognition of Fendika’s cultural significance, the Addis Ababa Municipality offered the institution the opportunity to remain on-site and rebuild in a way that aligned with the city’s plans for the neighborhood. CRA‘s project responds to this context with an open stage and a four-story civic space.
Design for the Grand Fendika Cultural Center. Render by . Image © CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati
Historically, cultural life in Kazanchis took place in informal venues known as “azmari bets.” Over the past decade, however, these venues have been gradually closed or demolished as a result of rapid urban development. Since 2008, Fendika Cultural Center has been preserved by its manager, Melaku Belay, with the aim of serving as a living testament to this local culture. The center has earned international recognition, receiving honors such as the Prince Claus Award, the European Union Schuman Award, the Star of Italy Medal, and the French Medal for Arts and Letters. In addition to music performances, Fendika hosts visual art exhibitions, literary readings, and community education initiatives.
Design for the Grand Fendika Cultural Center. Render by . Image © CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati
According to the architects, the new building design was developed in collaboration with Fendika’s local and global communities, with the goal of sustaining indigenous Ethiopian performance traditions in a rapidly changing city. The four-story structure features a rooftop stage connected to a street-level courtyard by a gently sloping stair-ramp that begins at ground level and rises to the open-air stage. Along the way, it links performance halls, classrooms, rehearsal studios, artist residences, archives, and a café.
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The design combines a hotel with a cultural venue, incorporating double-height spaces, interwoven staircases, balconies, and landings to allow visitors to move organically between areas. The central concept of the project is expressed through the building’s open structure, deliberately accessible from the street and delimited by porous boundaries that invite passersby to look in and engage with activities inside. The architects describe the complex as a “mixed-use design” intended to create a cultural hub for international exchange in Ethiopia.
Design for the Grand Fendika Cultural Center. Render by . Image © CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati
We took inspiration from the way Fendika has been naturally engaging with the city around it. Our design reflects this openness, creating a building that blends the boundaries between outside and inside; it encourages interaction and invites the energy of Addis Ababa in. – Carlo Ratti, founding partner of CRA-Carlo Ratti Associatti
Carlo Ratti, founding partner of CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati, is also the curator of the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale, open to the public until Sunday, November 23, 2025. CRA recently won an international competition for the urban and architectural design of X-Change, a major multimodal logistics hub in Alessandria, Italy. The studio also unveiled images of AquaPraça, a floating gathering space for global climate dialogue set to anchor COP30 in Belém, Brazil. According to the architects, these projects are based on the shared belief that architecture best serves cities when it remains open, porous, and rooted in public life. Additionally, CRA co-designed the French Pavilion for Expo Osaka 2025 with Coldefy, and Carlo Ratti created the official torches for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.