Streetscape Design in Addis Ababa

The case of African Avenue (Bole Road)

Unity University
Department of Architecture and Urban Planning

Advisor: Tewedros G/Tsadik

By: Daniel Asrat Abebe

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

February 2021
Chapter 1

1.1. Study Background

Addis Ababa endowed with diverse social, political, cultural, historical and natural assets. It still
struggles to create a better place to secure the wellbeing of the people and to be livable city. Improved
and healthy environment is imperative to ensure quality of life for a given society. They help to create
socially beneficial, ecologically viable and aesthetically pleasing. However our cities lacks proper soft
and hard scape planning and implementation.

Streetscape plays major role to improve the environment and make it user friendly. It used to describe
the natural and built fabric of the street and defined as the design quality of the street and its visual effect
on users. It is the collection of elements within and along the street right-of-way that define its identity,
appearance, and functionality, including street furniture, buildings, trees, sidewalks, adjoining open
spaces, public art, and pavement treatments, among others.

The purpose of this paper is to probe the streetscape of Africa Avenue commonly known as Bole Road. It
is one of the major streets of Addis Ababa with many governmental and private offices, business and
apartment buildings. The street has gone through major changes in recent years that affect both its
physical and social aspect significantly. The study will try to identify the built and existing features on
the exiting road and look for areas of improvement to enhance the amenity of the streetscape so that the
physical environmental and the social activities will improve.

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1.2. Problem statement

Good streetscape will improve the physical, environmental and social aspect of a city. It gives good place
attributes and part of quality urban design. It is one of the good things that every cities needs to have.

Lack of proper streetscape design on Africa Avenue forced the street to be in constant design change. It
couldn’t server better the users. Due to this constant changes of streetscape design and setup it lose its
character and place attributes. There are less people activities on the street than it used to be.

The street need improved streetscape design with good physical setting and quality public oriented urban
design. That makes the street easily perceivable, walkable, worth visiting. In order to achieve that it
needs regular maintenance, better green areas, provide space for people walking and connecting, place
right type of street furniture place strong landmarks.

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 1.1. Objectives of the study
1.1.1. General objective

The general objective of this research is to assess the streetscape design in Addis Ababa in general
with special focus on Bole Road; and to forward recommendations and suggest alternative solutions
for the betterment of the street and the future streetscape development in Addis Ababa and the
whole Ethiopia.

1.1.2. Specific objectives

 To explore the main principles of streetscape design that makes a street user friendly,
sustainable, socially active and aesthetically pleasing.
 To assess the general and recent streetscape development in Addis Ababa with a focus
on Africa Avenue and its physical, social and environmental impacts.
 To explore sustainable methods of streetscape design for better health and wellbeing of
the users.

1.2. Research Question

Based on the background statements the following are the research questions that this paper tries to
answer:

1. What are the streetscape design elements that are incorporated in the design of a street?
2. What are the physical, social and environmental impacts due to the ongoing streetscape
development our city?
3. How better can be done to improve the streetscape design of Africa avenue and the current
streetscape development in Addis Ababa?
 1.3. Scope of the Study

The aim of the study is to assess the streetscape development of Addis Ababa Streets in recent
years. The study will focus on the streetscape design of Africa Avenue (Bole Road) and its social,
physical and environmental impact.

1.4. Limitations of the Study

This study has shortage of time at it is a semester course with a period of only 10 weeks. There
is also shortage of getting materials like reference books that are relevant for literature review.

1.5. Significance of the Study

This research is significant in that it investigate the streetscape design and implementation in Addis
Ababa street and find out its contribution to the city physical, social and environmental setup. It
particularly study the street furniture, plantation, pavement and its maintenance on the Africa
Avenue Street. It will help to enhance the awareness of the city developer on the importance of the
streetscape to create a better place and for their wellbeing and health of the society. Based on the
finding it recommends direction to planning and design approaches to the advancement of
streetscape of the street.

1.6. Research Methods

The research methodology uses theoretical and analytical study. In theoretical study in-depth
literature review will be made at the start of the study to get better understanding the concept of
streetscape design and elements of sustainable streetscape. That will help to get idea and develop
questionnaire and do further case studies. Then case studies on other cities, interview to experts in
relevant field and stakeholders to gather data. Observation and survey will be conducted on the
street to gather primary data.

1.7. Literature review

Design of a place affects the choice of people at many level.

Legibility is a quality of a place graspable that is the ease with which people understand the layout
of a place.

As in most cities the most important place are occupied privately.

To understand the layout of a city of people make mental map. According to Lynch the mental map
is the a network of elements that includes path, edge, district, nodes and landmarks. The study of
Lunch for most people interview paths were the predominant city element based on their familiarity
about the place. Puplic participation is important for legibility analysis.

1.7.1. Interview
1.7.2. Case Study
1.7.3. Survey
1.7.4. Observation

Streetscape must create a good environment for people to visit and gather. Social and
economic interactions are communal goals of a good streetscape design.

Improve environmental quality by “improving air quality, reduce heat island

effects, improve water quality, and reduce light pollution” [4].
– “Sustain social well-being by making the streets fit enough for public walking
and gathering places where social interaction can occur on a regular basis” [5],
and encourage outdoor activities

Sustain limited natural resources regionally by reducing energy use, water use, and
stormwater runoff by increasing permeable surface area and landscaping.

Contribute to improved public health by facilitating and encouraging walking and other
recreational activities

Definition of sustainable streetscape

“Streetscape is a term used to describe the natural and built fabric of the street, and defined
as the design quality of the street and its visual effect, particularly how the paved area is
laid out and treated. It includes buildings, the street surface, and also the fixtures and
fittings that facilitate its use – from bus shelters and signage to planting schemes” [1]. “The
unification of the elements of streetscape can help in the success of visual experience” [2].
“Sustainable streetscape ensures that spaces are long-lasting and function as a part of the
greater ecosystem employing technologies that manage stormwater runoff and reduce
carbon footprint. And it helped create better places for present and future residents” [3]. So
the sustainable design of the streetscape is one of the determining factors in the success of
the city.

Elements of sustainable streetscape

Sidewalks

Pavement is an essential component of any streetscape. “Sidewalks should be designed to

provide safe, attractive, interesting and comfortable spaces for pedestrians by providing
well designed and coordinated tree planting, lighting and street furnishings” [8]. To achieve
sustainable streetscape paving materials should be selected for reflectivity, green
manufacturing, local sourcing and permeability”

Street corners

“Street corners provide increased pedestrian space and opportunity for social interaction
through the placement of benches and site furnishings as well as a safe refuge while waiting
to cross the street. They also provide shorter crossing distances for pedestrians”

Trees and landscape strips

“Landscape strips are an effective treatment between sidewalks and streets to create a buffer
from moving vehicles and street noise, and help pedestrians feel more comfortable walking
along the street” [10]. They help streetscape to be sustainable by establishing raingarden.
Planters: Planters are added to provide texture, color and interest to a streetscape. It helps to define and
separate spaces also helps in determining primary building entrances, and boost esthetic value.
Street furnishing: Street furniture shall be compatible and harmonized in design, colors, styles and
materials, which will be supportive to the architectural style.
Benches: Benches are one of the significant public resources that contribute to build the city an amusing
space for pedestrians.
Lighting: Lighting is a vital component in streetscape, as it should grant in creating safe, secured and
esthetically appealing public spaces usually in the night.
Trash receptacles: Dustbins can be the most useful streetscape element and should be necessarily situated
for pedestrian traffic near benches, bus stops, and other activity nodes to minimize the pollution.
Signage: Signage plays a major role in designing a pleasant urban environment by creating an orientation
tool and visual guide for both drivers and pedestrian.
Bus shelter: Bus shelters are structures situated at some bus stops to secure passengers from weather. All
bus stops should be marked by bus stop signages and provided with benches and dustbins.
Street corners: Street corners provide enhanced pedestrian space and opportunity for people to interaction
and communicate through the arrangement of benches and site furnishings
Medians: Medians are an effective method of making a streetscape more pedestrian friendly, to dramatically
alter the visual character of street for both pedestrians and motorists.
Crossing: Crosswalks are an essential part of the pedestrian network. Increased crosswalk paving can create
motorists more aware of pedestrian activity.
Public art and Café space: Public art can valuably contribute to local identity, and providing multiple and
layered expressions. It can become a local landmark, or simply add richness to a building or landscape.
Outdoor cafe´s provide an active street frontage and natural locations for arranged and spontaneous social
interactions.

Raingarden

A raingarden is a garden bed which is designed to treat stormwater. As water falls onto and
enters the garden it is passed through a filter media which is planted with vegetation.
Treated stormwater is then fed back into the drainage system or left to infiltrate into the
ground below. When integrated into streetscapes, raingardens can provide a greener
solution to treating stormwater and reduce the demand on potable water to water the plants”

Abstract

Streetscape for better image of a city

Elements and principles of streetscape design for the betterment of a city

If streetscapes are good more people will walk and that would be good for people health, reduce
vehicle movement, more people activity

RECOMMENDATIONS

 More seats are to be put where they are available and unmistakable.

 Seating should be provided in the zones of high walkers.

 Low quality of street surfaces in different spots must be improved.

 Litter ought to be overseen well in the paths where there are food sellers.

 Small trees or planters can be put in the open zones for better nature of air in the region.

 Legibility of the territory can be enhanced by putting signage and information boards.

 A couple of dim lanes in the night make a feeling of shakiness in the psyches of users, henceforth
every one of the avenues ought to be lined by the lights.

 Main objectives of urban design

 To create a place for the society which is

o Healthy settlements that ‘make life more safe,
o Convenient and pleasant’, which care for the total well being of their citizens
o Comfortable space for the day to day activities
 To create a ‘sense of place’ and ensure that an area has identity, where public and private
spaces are clearly distinguished yet integrated
 Helps revitalize historic structures/places instead of replacing them with short-term/throw-
away structures, visual blights…
 Promotes ‘citizens surveillance’ of places, reducing crime and enhancing urban livability
 Reduces the need for travel - the distance and number of trips - and increases transport
choices
 Reduces air, noise, Visual… pollutions
 Makes all including disadvantaged people feel safe and independent in their world and
making
 Walking feel more enjoyable

How places are design and their quality significantly impact our experience. The place if
fundamental for our physical and mental health, our well-being, economic productivity, social and
cultural experience, environmental change,

When we plant trees the streets will be more attractive and more people will walk and do exercise
then will have better health.

Health, society, economy and environment

A well designed street will contribute to the health, social, economical and environmental value of a
city. create healthy, socially rich, economically productivity

Well design streetscape to

Health: related to physical and mental health, walkability

Social: street layout and crime, traffic safety, inclusiveness, play and learning

Economy: property value,

Environment: carbon reduction, thermal comfort,

What design have negative impact on design quality

Street activities, quality of architectural design, low traffic speed, walkability, public Good
neighborhood connected, walkable, green, mixed uses, compact, low traffic,