BET Architects has once again won another competition in

Hawassa, Yirgalem Campus. Mar. 12.2012

It is to be recalled that two weeks ago BET Architects jointly with its international Partner Sehone Architects and Partners has been awarded for the design, constructions supervision & contract administration of the new Ethiopian Airlines head quarter which is going to be built on the existing compound.

BET has once again won another design competition organized for Hawassa University expansion project in the new Yirgalem Campus. The competition was organized by Hawassa University in collaboration with the Association of Ethiopian Architects [AEA]. There were seven different firms participating in the competition. The competition consisted three different packages: Civil Engineering Laboratory, Administration Building, & Dormitory. Among which BET Architects has won the third package (Dormitory) in the first place, Yohnnes Abay in second place, and Seleshi Consult in third place.

“BET Architects won the competition because it fulfilled the client’s requirement as requested and more. BET had proposed a campus development plan; the dormitory block arrangement had better possibilities for both gender, phasing and also made the new design respond well with the existing block,” says representative and secretary of AEA, Ato Biruk Tefera, on his remark at the awarding ceremony in Hawassa.

‘Unity in Diversity’ though political or religious notion for many nations worldwide, is highly expressive theme when it is seen in the context of Southern Ethiopia where diversity of people, animals and nature is the real character. In the southern Ethiopia everything is celebrating diversity while strengthening unity of existence. A lot is shared in the material and immaterial culture of the people though diversified in their ethnic and local attributes. This is a very strong theme taken as an architectural concept organizing the master planning and design of buildings in Yirgalem campus which consist of Dormitory, Library, Staff and Administration office, Class rooms, and more, which BET design team has exploited.

Individual buildings celebrating their diversity are united by the nature and common characteristics running through all the buildings. The Library and other common functions are taken as a focal point to unite students, who come from different ethnic group and regions, both functionally and physically. Having this purpose the library block is done as a hybrid form sharing colors, forms and character from all the rest of buildings around being under one prominent roof. The site nature characterized by diversified local trees, coffee, and ‘Enset’ is intentionally used as uniting element embracing buildings and open spaces and also passing through most of the buildings.

BET has been working on Hawassa University 4th phase expansion project, Hossana University project, and Civil Service Collage Expansion Projects. BET has recently completed a prototypical design of Health center to be constructed in 92 sites in the country in association with Tetra Tech, known American firm. BET is also the consultant of the Wolkite General Hospital Project which is financed by the Gurage Development Association.

What makes the Hawassa Yirgalem campus competition victory special for BET is that it is announced in the time where BET is on the verge of submitting its previous engagement of the 127 million birr project of the Hawassa University fourth phase expansion constructed in its main campus, Agricultural Campus, Health and Medical Science Campus, and Wondogenet Campus project.

BET recognizes that Hawassa University, its hardworking management group and task forces, has played an exemplary roll in its effort of using its budget for the implementation of future expansion projects throughout the past years through architectural competitions.

BET strives to Make a Change Through Design. Stay with us.

for more info. visit capital news paper:-

http://www.capitalethiopia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=662:bet-architects-snatch-hawassa-university-expansion-design-&catid=35:capital&Itemid=27

Our company is pleased to announce the deal with Ethiopian Airlines Head Quarter design and supervision of the site made on Feb.16, 2011 has been finalized by the signing of the two companies made on Feb.17, 2012. The manager and general partner of BET Architects, Ato Tesfamariam also stated, the implementation process will take an intensive architectural assessment on each application for six month.    Feb. 17, 2012

A 3D depiction of the winning design, made by BET Architect Plc in collaboration with Soehene Partners Architects from Austria, to be constructed at an estimated cost of 350 million Br on a 15,000sqm plot at Bole International Airport. Feb. 16, 2011

Ethiopian Airlines has selected a winning design for its new headquarters in its second competition, on February 16, 2011.

The AEA was invited to facilitate the second competition in which 15 consulting companies competed and again proposed jury members. The airline has allotted up to one million Birr to be used as prize money, payment for jury members, and other processes related to the competition, according to sources privy to the information.

Solomon, Zegeye, and Asnake from the previous jury as well as Biruk Teffera, an architect and secretary of the AEA, and Elias Yitbarek (PhD), president of the AEA, acted as jury members for the second competition and selected BET Architects Plc, which was established in March 2003 with a capital of 120,000 Br by Tesfamariam Teshome and Daniel Alemayehu.

The jury members and the winners are lecturers at the same institution. BET Architects has been involved in both government and private contracts, is also building more that 40 condominium housing projects and a new university.

“The selection was made based on the terms of reference and based on international architectural standards which were objective and transparent,” Biruk told Fortune. “The designs were submitted under codes and ET gave them new codes before the proposals reached the jury, making participants anonymous. The names of the participants were only known to a separate team at the airline.”

“The airline was specific  in its demands about the organization structure, flexibility of use and expansion, as well as forward looking plans,” Biruk said further. “BET Architects Plc happened to fulfill all these requirements.” This assertion was echoed by the airline. “The selection process was free from bias and transparent,” sources at the airline told Fortune.

The company has yet to sign an agreement with ET to implement the design project, according to Tesfamariam, manager and general partner of BET Architects, which is engaged in the expansion projects for Bete Zata Hospital and Ethio Parents School. “BET collaborated with Soehene Partners Architects, an Austrian company, in making the design,” Tesfamariam told Fortune.

The total built-up space of the four-story building will rest on a 15,500sqm floor area located on its present compound at Bole International Airport. It is planned to contain finance and administration departments, a planning unit, archives, a conference hall, and underground parking. The overall project is estimated to cost 350 million Br.

“Soehene will also participate in the implementation process, especially in the transfer of technology,” Tesfamariam originally told Fortune. “The implementation process will start after having a detailed architectural & engineering assessment for eight months.” but it has been reduced to six month after the signing of the two companies.