FERTILE FANCIES


FERTILE FANCIES

A corrugated tin fence is painted over with greenery and trees around Arat Kilo as the corridor development project snaking through the neighbourhood nears its end. The high fences have become ubiquitous across Addis Ababa, hielding locations incompatible with the city's reimagined aesthetic. Mayor Adanech Abiebe revealed two weeks ago that the ambitious project tallied up to around 33 billion Br with meticulous spending.The project, closely overseen by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD), is reviewed every 100 days for performance and progress. While the majority of the architectural concepts stem from a city-wide structural plan devised nearly seven years back, novel elements were introduced by the current administration toward realizing 'smart city' goals. A concerted effort has been launched by authorities to replace combustion engine vehicles with electric alternatives, endorse cycling and promote waking

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In-Picture

UP AND DOWN

Makeshift wooden ladder bridges on duty due to ongoing corridor development works around Goro Square, offering a precarious route for pedestrians and shopgoers. As part of the city's corridor upgrade, sidewalks are being rebuilt, but delays and the absence of accessible detours have forced residents to improvise. Business owners have been left to create temporary access for customers, while construction crews continue grading and excavation without marked pedestrian pathways...


In-Picture

BUSTED MYSTERY

As part of the city's beautification project, a collapsed metal-sheet fence around the Kkare building in Mexico Square reveals dusty roads and disorganised structures behind the polished façade. While intended to conceal construction zones, the fences have also become canvases for muralists adding bursts of colour and creativity to the transforming cityscape...


In-Picture

SHY FASHION

Shielded by sun, hidden from view, mannequins around the stadium stand veiled as new corridor rules ban storefront shades. A young shopper steps inside, guided more by curiosity than display. The restrictions are part of a broader city plan to standardise shopfront aesthetics along major corridors...