Shiro Meda Commons

COMMONS: SHIRO MEDA A TO O L K IT FOR COMMUNIT Y LED D ESIGN

CONTENTS 01

02

03

04

POSTURE

CONDITIONS

MARKET

SYNTHESIS

CREDITS

PROCESS

WORKSHOP

IMPLEMENT

PRINCIPLES

HOUSING

POSTURE Shiro Meda is built from a dense network of socio-cultural threads. These linkages are the basis from which the region’s cultural, spatial and manufacturing identities are born.

As a team of interdisciplinary researchers, we aimed to interrogate these connections through social-spatial approach. Through an iterative cycle of research-based design, we have developed a repository of propositions that reinforce Shiro Meda’s assets, and rethink ways to strengthen the neighborhood identity as a weaving community, increase economic productivity, and support livelihoods.

Recognizing the local coop structure at the Kebele, or neighborhood level in Shiro Meda, we intend for our resource guide to provide a series of architectural and planning based recommendations that can be implemented through a series of community-led participatory engagements. Rather than suggest what is best for the area, we hope our catalogue can provide community members with the agency and resources to strengthen the conditions of their neighborhood.

Our critical resource is people. Through our imaginative proposals, we hope to reinforce this logic in the community.

As locally sustained artisan enclave, the Traditional Weaving Industry that has bolstered the region’s economy, has limited market access. While Shiro Meda’s Micro and Small Business enterprises offer equity, ownership, and employment within the community, their low production capacity ultimately limits market competitiveness.

Thus, our approach considers how design intervention can stimulate economic readiness for local weavers and business owners, reengage an increasingly disinterested youth in traditional weaving practices, and encourage a more

connected, creative community.

We contend with the rich history of Shiro Meda, and rethink what the neighborhood can become over the coming decades.

Developing several schemes related to the market, streetscape, workshops, and housing, our suggestions posit a series of commons ranging from hyper-public to hyper-private, which consider the totality of linkages in the community.

We examine and prototype the ways design facilitates equitable processes and outcomes, for people and place.

POSTURE TE A V I PR

IC

P

TE A V I PR

L UB

CONDITIONS Gulele

Sh i ro Meda

sp at i al co n d i t i o n s so ci al co n d i t i o n s manu fact u r i n g co n d i t i o n s

Sh i ro Meda Bre akd own

S t akeholder s and Social T hreads

Tr ansit

Commerce

Weaver s

Weaver s

Gov t . h ou si n g

PROCESS vertical spaces

commercial spaces

E N G AG E

village building blocks

DESIGN

R E S E ARC H

open green spaces

We examined

11

key principles for rethinking design in Shiro Meda.

PRINCIPLES

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

Ident i t y

Hous ing

Mar ket

Employment

Public Space

Environment

Safet y

Mobilit y

Gover n an ce

Educat i o n

E tc.

Sm a l l sca l e w i t h h i g h pove r t y

Infor m al d welli ng s

Conf ined to l ocal sal es

Unj u s t l ab or conditions

Little open or green space

F lood ing potential

Protection and labor laws

Inaccessible terrain for some

Limited access of Kebel e and co-op

Few wor kshops or tr ainings

Communit y concerns

Tou r i s t s v i s it bu t d o n’ t s t ay

D oes not m e et d ens i t y need s

Trail ing behind B ol e Lem i m arket

Com petitive Wag es

Tig htly woven spatial footprint

Ter r acing on landscape

Pedestr ian crossings

Difficult parking and street scap e

Semi-formal governance

Manufacturing visib ilit y

L a c k i ng l e i su re i n f ra s tr uct u re

Bro adban d co n n e c ti vi t y

Need for indu s tr y grow th

Disin terest a mo ng youth

No tourist recreation space

Small d ig ital presence

Need for traffic flow regulation

L acking public transit links

Co m p r ise d o f di sco n n e c te d n e i gh b o r h o o d s

So c i a l bar r i e r s to h ousi n g ve r ti cali t y

Need to preser ve ar tisan q u al it y

Sm al l co-ops l imit work capacit y

Maintenance

Polluted river cond itions

L i tt l e d ig i t a l p re se nce

L acki ng i nte rg e ne r at i onal am eni t i es

Wo r k fo rce a nd wor k sho p space

Few relations with nearby school No common space for knowl edge

01

02

03

Ident i t y

Hous ing

Mar ket

11 PRINCIPLES 04 05 06 07 08 Employment

Public Space

Created by Stuart McMorris from the Noun Project

Created by Gerardo Martín Martínez from the Noun Project

Environment

Safet y

Mobilit y

Created by Juan Pablo Bravo from the Noun Project

Created by Bakunetsu Kaito from the Noun Project

Created by Misru from the Noun Project

09 Gover n an ce

Created by Prashanth Rapolu from the Noun Project

3 SITE RECOMMENDATIONS SOCIAL MARKET

WORKSHOP COMMONS

HILLSIDE HOUSING

10 Educat i o n

11 E tc.

Created by Gerardo Martín Martínez from the Noun Project

STRATEGIES

THE MARKET THE MARKET THE MARKET

01

EXISTING CONDITIONS

Neighborhood Plan

Site Composition

D

TE

S GE

KS

AL

W

DE

SI

N

CO

O

T TO EN

S

T EE R T

TR

EE

NO CA

PY

S

ET

D

IL BU

NG DI

E RE

S

TE

S

L TP

E ST

E TR

N CO

AN

E

AC

ST

D

NE

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NS

CO

I RA

SP

Assets & Issues

Site Constraints 1

Shiro Meda’s informal market is marked by contested sidewalk space, pushing sellers and their artisanal goods to Entoto street margins.

2

There are no established crosswalks or pedestrian safety measures on Entoto Street, which is only 6m wide from East to West.

3

Over abundance of street side parking.

4

Accessibility and seating concerns.

5

Opportunity to bolster neighborhood identity through sidewalk intervention.

Principles

Point of Intervention

01

Ident it y

Make Shiro Meda’s identity as a weaving community more outward facing

05

08

Mar ket

Public Space

Mobilit y

Increase market productivity through neighborhood identity

Designated and designed social space for community exchange

03

Redesigning saver streets for safer pedestrian and auto mobility.

09

Gover n an ce

Kebele sponsored programs to support weaving community, marketplace, and Entoto street conditions

11

Mi scel lan eou s

Other needs encompassed at the street and market levels

02

INTERVENTION

1

Rethinking

Entoto Street

Street extended from 6m to 13m with the addition of a 1.5m median to aid residents walking to the market

1 2

Parking lot replaced with public commons

1 2

Slowed traffic to increase pedestrian flow and support existing commerce

Shared Spaces

Public Commons

ACTOR S: Kebele

GOAL:

R ESOURCES:

The goal of the marketplace social commons is to provide a place for residents, weavers, and tourists alike to linger in Shiro Meda.

The site’s bustling nature is currently one that you may be inclined to visit and shop in, but not stay.

Yet, this constructed, permeable space envisions a strategy to disrupt that norm.

FUNCTION:

Resi d ents

Private

T o u ri sts

COST:

CONSIDERAT IONS:

LOW

Bamboo is easily sourced in the area, grows rapidly, and can be efficiently transported. It is also extremely durable.

LOW

Compressed earth can be made on site and is attractive due to low cost. Special design considerations are necessary to ensure product durability. However, this may present opportunities to partner with universities or design firms.

MID

Concrete is durable, strong, and reliable, yet can be cost prohibitive.

Local cement producers are sprouting up around Addis and may present partnerships or workforce training opportunities in Shiro Meda.

HIGH

Steel is very costly and imported from overseas. Small quantities can be used for reinforcement, rather than major building supports.

Private

Public

NG O s

Community Stalls Market Identity

ACTOR S: Kebele

GOAL:

R ESOURCES:

CAFE

Through communityled construction of new market stalls and pop-up booths, Shiro Meda can position itself as a tourist site for its apparel and appeal. Sellers who once had to sell fabric and other artisanal goods on the ground can now work within their coop to sponsor and attain their own booth or stall.

FUNCTION:

Resi d ents

CONSIDERAT IONS:

LOW

Bamboo is easily sourced in the area, grows rapidly, and can be efficiently transported. It is also extremely durable.

LOW

LOW

NONE Private

T o u ri sts

COST:

Private

Public

Co nstru cti o n

Wood is a commonly used material in the neighborhood due to its durable and cost effective nature.

Yet, it is less durable relative to alternative building materials like bamboo.

Weaving is one of Shiro Meda’s greatest assets. The portable market stalls and social common space allow sellers to showcase their fabric through new displays, increase signage, and more pedestrian flow off the main street.

People are essential to the identity of this community. From weavers to craftspeople and tourists, each actor can be involved in the creation of the social commons.

WORKSHOPS WORKSHOPS WORKSHOPS

01

EXISTING CONDITIONS

Site Composition ITY

L MA

OR

F IN

NT

L

TT

AR

E EM

SE

L GU

RE

IR

S

OP

H KS

C

RI

G

E EN

OR

W

Site Constraints 1

2

3

Shiro Meda’s cooperatives is a strong asset in the textile industry.

4

Low tech and traditional weaving.

5

Bad conditions in the workshops may limit capacity and quality.

5

Lack of identity.

Lack of infrastructure for higher production.

Disconnection between textile producers.

Principles

Point of Intervention

01

Ident it y

03 Mar ket

04

05

Employment

Public Space

Created by Gerardo Martín Martínez from the Noun Project

Make Shiro Meda’s identity as a textile producing community more outward facing.

07

Gover n an ce

Kebele cooperatives need better workshops and facilities to develop their textiles.

Places of social interaction are esential for Shiromeda-s community.

Mi scel lan eou s

Created by Gerardo Martín Martínez from the Noun Project

Created by Stuart McMorris from the Noun Project

Increase market productivity through neighborhood identity

11

Created by Prashanth Rapolu from the Noun Project

Kebele sponsored program to support weaving community, market place, and Entoto street conditions

Other needs that can improve the working conditions and facilities.

02

INTERVENTION

Elevated Workshops

Irregular urban fabric

+

Columns when possible

+

Platform

+

Possibilities of workshops and commons

=

Elevated intervention

Elevated Workshops Alternatives

A

elevated workshops

Line

B Ir re gular

C.1 Circle

C. 2 elevated workshops

Per for ate d Circle

C.1 Circle

Private

concrete platform and columns

metallic columns

division walls

metallic beams

metallic cover

social commons

Materials and Resources

elevated workshops

Elevated Commons

Hillside Husing + Street Market + Elevated Commons

Elevated Workshops

Elevated Workshops + Public Spaces

Elevated Workshops + Public Spaces

Elevated Workshops + Public Spaces + Existing

Existing market and Elevated Workshops

Connecting Corridor

Elevated Workshop

Elevated Public Space

Bole Lemi

Section on Commons

Shiromeda