Experiences in Ethiopia with Building Typologies and Culture

Volunteers traveled through Ethiopia to Dongoro, location of the Wollega Academy AWB-Oregon is redesigning, rehabilitating, and completing the master planning of to study existing typologies and conditions of typical schools in the area and the surrounding landscape of the site. The Academy sits on over 40 acres, will be completed in phases and will be one of the only schools in the region to provide full education to grades 9-12.

Sketching Modeling and Redesigning Wollega Academy

All of the work for the project; from flying to the site to study conditions, building virtual models to study the spaces, and creating sketches to collaborate on the design with locals are the results of Oregonians and Architects donating their time, skill, and creativity to make the rehabilitation of the school possible. Expansion of the Wollega Academy will include two new classroom buildings, two new lab buildings, a new library building, two new student dorm buildings, a dining facility, a new gymnasium, and apartments and single-family residences for faculty. Dance Dongoro is a fundraiser through AWB-Oregon and Halocene to raise funds for the project. Dance your way to the event Thursday August 9th.

Sketches of the open air study area for Wollega Academy by AWB-Oregon volunteers (upper right) and sketches of the library area (lower right) along with pinups of the design at BOORA; local architecture firms such as BOORA provide volunteers with places to meet, pinup, and collaborate. Find out about firms donating 1% of their time for the betterment of others theonepercent.org/