Construction is underway in Ethiopia on what is set to become Africa’s largest airport to date, and its design comes courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects. The studio is no stranger to aviation at a monumental scale, having shaped major transit hubs including Beijing Daxing International Airport and the recently completed Western Sydney International Airport among its latest additions. Now, the newest project to join its global roster is Bishoftu International Airport, located just south of the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. The development marks a significant moment for the region’s global connectivity, set to expand the capacity of the country’s existing main airport by over four times, and once fully realised, welcome up to 110 million passengers annually.
Render: X-Universe
Ethiopian Airlines Group is leading the ambitious initiative, which spans from devising a strategic aviation masterplan (which includes a small city) to ensuring the development of terminals and airfields. The whole tender reflects both the airline’s recent rapid growth and Ethiopia’s evolving demands as it comes into its own as a major global transit gateway between Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
With Zaha Hadid Architects responsible for the terminal architecture and interiors, the project boldly brings the studio’s signature spatial fluidity to a new geographical and cultural context. Sweeping, organic forms come through visually – from the futuristic rounded atrium to the curving canopies and ribbed structural details – while also guiding circulation across the 660,000-square-metre site.
