Inner City Redevelopment and Architectural Heritage The Case of Urban Traces in Central Piazza, Addis Ababa
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Date
2016-10
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Addis Ababauniversity
Abstract
The recent redevelopment activities in the inner city of Addis Ababa have led to the
demolition of built heritage and historic neighborhoods. To this end, an in-depth study on a
particular architectural heritage located in the historic inner city along two of the old streets
of the city and the context around was selected as the focus of this study. Qualitative
approach was employed in data collection. This study documents the architectural heritage
and urban traces along these streets through direct observation, physical mapping and
photographs. It also seeks out to understand the balance between the fast paced
redevelopment oriented urban renewal endeavors and heritage preservation in the inner
city through researching the process of preservation on the selected case.
The findings show that residents and business owners in the study area consider both
tangible and intangible heritage as urban traces, which is a completely different perspective
as compared to the heritage selection and registration employed by the relevant
government offices that only focus on the former. Urban traces found through the study
belong to four different categories: Architectural heritage, heritage activities, heritage
personalities and marks of historic occurrences. The level of awareness on and contribution
to the heritage and urban traces among the current residents and business owners that are
predominantly tenants is higher than the building owners and rightful heirs that live else
where due to one major reason. The current residents and business owners base their
livelihood on the heritage and have grown attached to the heritage over the years playing a
major role in the protection and preservation of the same, while the actual heirs have lost
attachment with the heritage with this regard. Demolished heritage buildings are still
considered as urban traces and architectural heritage among the community in the study
area. Gap is also identified in the basic definition and understanding of heritage and
heritage preservation among different stakeholders resulting in hindrance of the latter.
Coordination also lacks among different government offices involved in heritage
preservation, city renewal planning and implementation.
The study recommends: the establishment of a framework in government offices to involve
the community in historic neighborhoods in the identification, inventory, assessment,
protection and preservation of heritage to achieve sustainable outcomes; the registration
and preservation of heritage in the inner city that includes intangible heritage and the entire
historic context; the establishment of an accountable authority dealing with urban renewal
and heritage preservation; the redirection of renewal endeavors towards conservation
approach focusing on expansion areas for development and revitalizing the inner city
through conservation endeavors, this would prosper Addis Ababa in the long run
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Keywords
Architectural Heritage