Traditional/vernacular Ethiopian

architecture
Yemisirach G.
Vernacular architecture
• Vernacular architecture is a term used to categorize method of construction
using traditional knowledge and ingenious locally available resources to
address local needs.
•  It is closely related to its context and is aware of the specific geographic
features and cultural aspects of its surroundings,
• two major attributes associated with vernacular architecture:
• Tradition ; that it originates from specific ethnic groups and is a result of a long
process over time, always based on familiar forms established by previous
generations.
• Contextualization; respects local conditions, highlighting its great sensitivity to
the geographical context of the surroundings, including climate, vegetation, and
topography.
 Benefits of vernacular architecture

• Capitalizing on local knowledge and traditions.

• Taking advantage of local materials and resources, meaning
that they are relatively energy efficient and sustainable.
• Providing a vital connection between humans and the 
environment in which they live.
• They can be designed specifically with the loca climatic 
conditions in mind, and often perform well.
Ethiopian vernacular typologies
• the characteristics of supporting
framework Ethiopian house can
be divided into three
• Rigid element
• Flexible element(planted to the
ground at one end)
• Flexible element (planted to the
ground at both)
Ethiopian vernacular typologies

Construction material
• Structure – stone , wood , adobe
• Twining/ typing ; rope, plant twigs
• Weaving ; bamboo and grass
 Dorze house
• The Dorze are a small sedentary ethnic group living in
the Arba Minch area of southern Ethiopia
• Their architecture is built almost entirely with split
bamboo
• The diameter and height of these structures easily
attain 8 m.
• The Dorze are renowned for their weaving
craftsmanship, shown even in their dwellings,
resembling round woven baskets
• The vertical bamboo sticks are simply embedded in
the ground, and the elaborate weaving pattern is
designed for a peaked dome shape.
 Tigray house
• there are two major
types of traditional
house.
• One is a conically roofed
circular house(chife
house),
• and the other is a flat-
roofed rectangular house
(Farmers house)
 Tigray house
Farmers house
• the midirbet; all purpose living and sleeping area where the family eats,
communes and sleeps.
• the wushate ; an area for storage and cooking. there are well defined
partitions using kofo: a string of built in grain stores
• Material; the abundance of various types of rocks and the scarcity of other
materials caused Tigray.
• monkey head system of construction large well dressed stones at the corners
and small stones joined together with chika(mud).
The tigray- chief’s house
•  residences for the rich, governors, high priests and soldiers.
•  two storied cylinder is topped by a very wide almost flat cone like roofs
with extending eaves.
• Blackstone (basalt, found in abundance in the northern provinces) is used
for foundation.
• Trachyte, a soft ,greyish rock is used for the main wall. chika (MUD) is
used as mortar.
The tigray- chief’s house
• the windows, doors, lintels, floors and ceilings are carved out of wood
and make up the main expenses for these houses.
• Construction; The foundation trenches are dug with generous
dimensions and filled in with basalt which doesn’t absorb water
• Simple masonry construction is used for the walls with ends at every
floor with a shelf to stop rain from washing down the walls and
damaging the chika(MUD) mortar.
Sidama House
• The Sidama house is a unique beehive shaped
structure that is finished by fixing a layer of
undifferentiated woven bamboo onto the
structure
• Most of the houses have two entrance. The
back entrance is meant for use by the cattle and
sheep while the front entrance by the people.
• Traditionally the house has 3 parts; the
residential, the cooking space and the ‘Arkata’
for a cattle and crop store
 Afar house
• Their life style have Nomadic structure
• Use of light weight material that are easy to transport
• These houses used by the nomads in Afar are erected,
dismantled and loaded on to the camels by the women.
• The construction methods are not labor intensive only
three up to seven people can assemble the ‘Ari’.
• Their economy is dependent on animal husbandry which
force them to give higher emphasis to their cattle. The
spaces is arranged in a way the central plat is devoted to
their cattle in order to protect them from unknown harm.
 Oromo House
• their cultural values affect their 
functional organization of space
• doors open toward the center of the
complex the most important space in house
• to the left of the entrance there is an area
reserved for calves
• the entire room is not subdivided but is felt
as one room with low partitions
• the bed is kept close to the center adjacent
to low partition walls.
 Oromo House
• Highly textured using wood and grass and somehow
smoothing the chika (mud)mortar
• Has a cylindrical shape hut with the conical roof on top
• Material use for construction is wood, chika/clay, grass -
sembelet- a preferred type of grass for the project
• Tusha- a rope made of sembelet used to tie grass to the roof
frames.
• Central pole carries all the detaching beams to the outer
columns.-a framework of split eucalyptus poles set in the ground
(quami).
• Horizontal and diagonal braces are ten tied to the vertical
member(mager ) thus creating a very sturdy wall
• Utensils are used not only as kitchen but are also placed on top of
the hut at the end of construction as decoration.
Konso house
• Konso possess the skill of stone terracing.
• the ground is divided into two levels, the lower called alhatta and the
upper,oida
• On the lower level there are huts (kosa and laaga) for the livestock and
for storing sorghum and other harvested crops
• Living quarters are built on the upper level
• older children and unmarried daughters stay in a separate aleeda.
• Konso vernacular houses are divided into three major parts
• (1) those which serve as a storage housing
• (2) Dewellings
• (3) social service housing
History of Modern Ethiopian cities
and Architecture
Yemisirach G.
•History of Addis Ababa city
Character of Addis Ababa historical building
Character of Addis Ababa historical building
Character of Addis Ababa historical building
Building construction method and material

• Wood
• Stone
• Adobe
• Thank you