Ethiopian Modernism: Mid-Century Architecture of Africa's Capital | ArchDaily

Save this picture!United Nations’ Historic Africa Hall after the renovation by Architectus Conrad Garget. Image © Rory GardinerWritten by Mohieldin GamalPublished on March 03, 2026 Share ShareFacebookTwitterMailPinterestWhatsappOrhttps://www.archdaily.com/1039211/ethiopian-modernism-mid-century-architecture-of-africas-capital Clipboard "COPY" CopyIn January 2026, the World Monuments Fund/Knoll Modernism Prize was awarded to Australian firm Architectus for their conservation of the Africa Hall in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The award recognizes that Modernist buildings, once seen as a vanguard of architecture, are falling into disrepair and are underappreciated by the public. The situation in Africa is typical of this global sentiment, and this was the first time a building on the continent was graced with this award. The prize also spotlights Ethiopia's rich Modernist inventory, which marks its continental role in the mid and late twentieth century.+ 13 Modern Ethiopia has a unique place in African history as the only country to successfully resist colonization (apart from a brief period of Italian occupation before the Second World War). Its capital city, Addis Ababa, was established by Emperor Menelik II in 1886, further south than previous capitals, as a method of unifying the country. A period of modernization in the early twentieth century brought the railways, as well as craft and engineering skills from abroad. The Italian occupation later continued this process. The rei...