Xavier Vilalta ´ s major project in Ethiopia , Lideta Mercato , has finally topped out in Addis Ababa and is set to open this year .
The Lideta Mercato was intended to be a shopping mall just like many others in the city of Addis Ababa . A rigorous analysis has identified the main issues of the existing malls in the city , which are commonly built using glazing structures . As a result , the buildings suffer uncomfortable thermal conditions and over-illumination in the interiors . The observation of the Old Mercato , the largest open air market in Africa , was an inspiration to redefine the program of the building , conceiving a multi-story contemporary market instead of a conventional shopping mall based on large shops .
The carved volume connects two parallel streets that define the plot of the project . This diagonal connection creates a short-cut for pedestrians and concentrates all the entrances of the building . This path extends to the inclined atrium in the middle of the building , where all floors are connected . Around this void , a different layout of small shops is placed in each floor .
The skin of the building was designed considering the local climate conditions and traditions . The façade acts as a protection from the sun , controlling the natural light and ventilation in the interior spaces . It was
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