PASTEL PLUMES


PASTEL PLUMES

  The iconic 70 Dereja stairs around Ras Mekonen Bridge are undergoing thorough renovations along with the neighbourhood—a structure built by Armenian architects during Emperor Menelik's reign. Ras Mekonen, then governor of Harar, commissioned the construction of the eponymous landmark that has survived a century. As the City Administration ramps up efforts to finish the ambitious corridor project before winter rains, a new aesthetic has started to bloom, marked by a polished, sleek—cosmopolitan veneer.


In-Picture

DIMMING FLASHBACKS

A retired red BMW and a well-worn sofa still in use sit side-by-side around CMC. Relics of past journeys, their faded forms rich with memories, now they sit as outdoor junk. Addis Abeba generates approximately 750,000tns of municipal solid waste annually with an average per capita household waste of 0.45kg a day. Most of it is dumped in landfills, although illegal open dumping and burning remain widespread practices. Landfills and neighborhoods are increasingly burdened by plastic waste and used...


In-Picture

BACK TO THE FUTURE

A man walks his donkeys around Abrehot Library, Arat Kilo, Addis Abeba's newly upgraded neighbourhood, where sleek asphalt and modern architecture meet the timeless pace of animal transport. With nearly 10 million donkeys, Ethiopia ranks number one in the world for its donkey population, a testament to their enduring role in the nation's economy. Modern corridor developments in Addis Abeba, intended for swift motorized transportation, stand in stark contrast to the continued reliance on donkeys...


In-Picture

FLAT LINES

A man is pouring water on the evenly queued Jerry cans, in the streets of Adey Abeba, around Saris. The city's 5.2 million residents require a staggering 1.3 million cubic meters of water daily. However, supplies stand at around 800,000 cubic meters. This has young men race door-to-door, selling jerry cans for around  40 Br.  While this fills immediate needs, it's just a quick fix to the city's deeper water crisis. Recent road development has resulted in water supply interruptions due to pipel...