A New Urban Destination in the Center of Ethiopia’s Capital City
La Gare Addis Ababa
Overall District Master Plan
Centered around the historic train station, La Gare is a vibrant new urban district in the heart of Addis Ababa. The district connects the rich traditions of Ethiopia with contemporary African design in a thriving, sustainable, and cosmopolitan neighborhood. The adaptively reused La Gare Station is a central feature of the plan, celebrating the city’s past and creating a historic backdrop for contemporary civic life. The surrounding development builds on the cultural, spatial, and historic context of Addis Ababa to create a new center of gravity for the city.
The development concept is structured around three core components. First, a vibrant commercial heart combines small-scale retail with larger entertainment attractions that serve as anchors to the development. Covered and arcaded pedestrian streets protect visitors and residents from the city’s monsoonal rains and channel the energy of a marketplace into the public realm. The architectural styles, street grid, and integrated residential living combine to infuse the urban district with vibrance.
Second, the central avenue creates a distinction between the lively retail heart and two self-contained residential areas, each anchored by a neighborhood park. Finally, a network of pocket parks, plazas, and pedestrian lanes stitch together these diverse character areas into a cohesive public realm. From the grand lawn at La Gare Station to the dynamic Media Plaza to quiet neighborhood parks, these public spaces provide a variety of amenities for community gathering and daily life.
The La Gare Station provides a distinctive backdrop to the district
The historic La Gare station
New uses compliment the historic architecture of the station & customs house.
Careful building massing respects the historic train station
A multitude of uses comprise the new district
Creating Character from Context
A fixture in the city for over a century, La Gare Station is a historic anchor to Addis Ababa’s rich past and a driver of the city’s vibrant future. The development builds on the cultural, spatial, and historic context to create a new heart for the city. The historic landmark’s location along Addis Ababa’s central axis positions the La Gare district as a recognizable public destination. Welcoming public spaces and active streetscapes reinforce the importance of this district and create civic spaces for the city. The La Gare district’s materials, plantings, and opportunities for public art all intentionally reflect Ethiopia’s distinct culture.
La Gare Lawn is a formal open space that frames the historic station and reinforces the view corridors of Addis Ababa
The Arrival Plaza accommodates pedestrian traffic entering the district from the metro, while also accommodating the grade change between the site and the existing sidewalk, utilizing the topography as a landmark feature
A Vibrant Mixed-Use District
From international hotels to Ethiopian coffee shops, the intentional development program and pedestrian-centric urban design creates an integrated neighborhood where retail, residential, hospitality, and entertainment activate the public realm and provide energy at all hours of the day.
Centering another historic structure, Custom House Square is designed as a cool, green oasis within the retail core
The historic Custom House is framed by a flexible hardscape with moveable chairs and tables for casual outdoor dining
The layout and form of the buildings in the Central Core are designed to allow a rich pedestrian experience with an array of shops, restaurants and other public venues
The main public programming of the district is all situated around a central retail core, with each neighborhood organized around a distinct open space feature
The Central Axis of the retail core connects the Welcome Plaza to the district’s internal shopping destinations,serving as the primary public space of the district. The streetscape has active edges with flexible, ornamental pavement, and outdoor dining spaces. Moveable chairs allow for dining under the colonnade or beneath the flowering jacaranda trees.
Fostering Contemporary Culture & Lifestyle
A covered pedestrian retail zone at the center of the district connects public spaces and creates a focal point for eating, shopping, and socializing. Providing shelter from heavy seasonal rainfall, the covered retail street transitions to arcades along the facades of the buildings along neighborhood streets. Along these edges, smaller scale retail venues foster entrepreneurial diversity and contribute to a unique sense of place supported by local crafts, cuisine, and international brands.This integrated and varied network of public open space celebrates community programming, creates opportunities to showcase artists, and honors the historic character of the district.
The media plaza bookends the retail core with an interactive art installation that adds a contemporary contrast to the historic components of the site. Elegant lighting with artistic touches create an inviting district for nighttime activities.
Opportunities for lively programming at the Media Plaza include larger gatherings, performances, outdoor movies, and art installations
The urban design for the Media Plaza neighborhood reflects a dynamic and vibrant public realm, with ground floor commercial activities that open onto public space
Sustainable and Pedestrian-Centric Neighborhoods
La Gare Station, the Custom House Plaza, the Media Plaza, and the neighborhood parks are knit together through lushly planted streets that prioritize bicyclists and pedestrians. A comprehensive stormwater management strategy is embedded in the street network and public open spaces that infiltrates, filters, and stores stormwater for irrigation. Robust streetscape plantings and stormwater infrastructure serve critical roles during the rainy season by managing runoff and improving local water quality.
Residential neighborhoods were designed to prioritize pedestrian and bicycle circulation. Ground floor retail and residential gardens create a vibrant street level.
Rain gardens lining the streets throughout the district serve as areas to capture and filter stormwater runoff
Due to the high volume of seasonal rainfall that Addis Ababa receives and the city’s susceptibility to flooding, public spaces were designed as water-receiving landscapes
During the rainy season in Addis Ababa, rainwater harvesting is an effective, affordable, and sustainable strategy for irrigation. Rainwater is funneled from the development’s roofs, stored underground, and pumped into irrigation lines as needed.
Sustainability guidelines for La Gare were created to contribute to the existing environmental and wellness goals outlined by national scale landscape-restoration projects in Ethiopia
For more information contact Michael Grove.