Architect Debuts Platform to Digitally Model Ethiopia’s Structural Heritage

An Ethiopian architect has launched a platform that preserves designs of buildings with historical significance in a digitally curated archive. Gmja, applies Building Information Modelling (BIM) tools to map out the designs and create interactive 3D models backed by stories of their construction.

Daniel Temesgen, Co-founder and CEO of Gmja, hopes to introduce ancient building techniques and tools to the contemporary construction industry. The recent graduate from the Ethiopian Institute of Architecture, Building Construction and City Development (EIABC) hopes to equip design professionals with a rich repository of ancient construction resources.

“We want to become a go-to source for architects, contractors and students,” he told Shega.

The Company is looking to create a digital bridge where insights from Ethiopia's construction heritage can be integrated into contemporary projects while ensuring that their unique features are recognized and learned from. Gmja has already uploaded six heritage sites in Addis Ababa with Free 3D assets and downloadable architectural components. The three-story Hakim Workeneh building around Piazza which was demolished last year was one of the first sites to be mapped by the Gmja. Everything ranging from doors, windows and handrails to minute details like carvings on structures are encoded onto the models that rely on the Revit software.

More recently, Gmja has modeled the Fitawrari Atnaf Aseged (Gen) home, which was built in the early 1920s. As massive renovation and development projects increasingly occur across much of Ethiopia’s urban and rural landscape undocumented structures could be exposed to being forgotten from history. Reports from last year suggest that nearly 56 sites that were previously deemed as heritage sites in the capital had been either fully or partially demolished. Some of these sites had scant information on their construction history and overall layout.

Daniel says free downloads will continue to be available for students, while access for corporate clients could entail fees for detailed document formats. Enabling students to extract insights for research and assignments will remain one of the Company's primary goals, according to the CEO.

A registration process that requires detailed information on occupation and professional status precedes access to Gmja.

The Company was launched last year by the architect in hopes of inspiring fellow professionals to source design ideas from Ethiopia’s ancient heritages.

“We finished the 3D updates just two months back,” Daniel says

Several data sources are included in creating the 3D models with the Company’s staff conducting on site visits and digging through records to discover major alterations.

“Reflecting on these ancient sources inspires innovation and strengthens historic roots,” the CEO says.