In the heart of Addis Ababa stands a building that has witnessed some of the most consequential political moments in modern African history. More than six decades after its inauguration, Africa Hall has received global recognition for both its architectural significance and the meticulous restoration that has brought it back to life.
The project was recently awarded the World Monuments Fund / Knoll Modernism Prize, a biennial award recognizing outstanding efforts to preserve modernist architecture around the world.
For 2026, the prize specifically honors projects that have restored or renovated modernist buildings within the past decade, especially those that overcame significant threats including deterioration, obsolescence, or inappropriate alterations while also improving the site’s environmental and economic sustainability and benefiting the local community.
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Designed by Italian architect Arturo Mezzèdimi and inaugurated in 1961, the building was conceived as the headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). Commissioned by Emperor Haile Selassie I as a diplomatic meeting place for African nations, Africa Hall quickly became one of the most significant political venues on the continent.
Just two years after its completion, leaders from newly independent African states gathered inside the building to establish the Organization of African Unity in 1963, a milestone widely regarded as a defining moment in the continent’s post-colonial history and a precursor to the modern African Union.
Yet Africa Hall is significant not only for what happened within its walls, but also for how it was designed. From the beginning, the building was conceived as a synthesis of architecture, art, and symbolism.
Dominating the plenary hall is the monumental stained-glass mural “Total Liberation of Africa,” created by Ethiopian maître artist Afewerk Tekle. Spanning roughly 150 square meters, the luminous artwork transforms the chamber into both a diplomatic forum and a cultural landmark, reflecting the hopes of a continent emerging from colonial rule.
By the early twenty-first century, however, the building’s infrastructure had begun to show the strain of more than half a century of continuous use. Materials had deteriorated, technical systems were outdated, and the structure required significant upgrades to meet contemporary safety, accessibility, and conference standards.
The restoration project, initiated by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and approved by the United Nations General Assembly, set out to rejuvenate the historic building while preserving its architectural and cultural integrity. The renovation, which carried an estimated cost of 60 million dollars, involved extensive conservation work as well as major upgrades to the building’s infrastructure.
Working in collaboration with UNESCO, the African Union, and the Ethiopian government, an international design team led by the Australian architectural firm Architectus Conrad Gargett undertook what would become a complex, multi-year conservation effort.
At the center of the restoration in Addis Ababa was Mewded Wolde, senior project architect, who joined the initiative in 2014. Engaged as the primary architect coordinating work on the ground, she worked closely with the international design team and UNECA to oversee documentation, site assessments, and the broader conservation process. Her role required balancing the building’s architectural significance with its continued function as a modern conference facility.
“I started working on the project in 2014,” Mewded recalls.
From the outset, she focused on ensuring that both conservation priorities and operational requirements were addressed with equal care.One of the major challenges was the condition of the building’s materials after more than six decades of use.
“Elements such as concrete, finishes, glazing systems, and roofing had reached the end of their lifespan and required extensive repair or replacement,” she explained. “Concrete carbonation in particular required careful remediation to protect the structural integrity of the building while preserving its architectural appearance.”
Given the scale and complexity of the undertaking, establishing a strong local presence was essential. A project office was set up in Addis Ababa, creating a collaborative environment where architects, engineers, conservators, and contractors could coordinate daily decisions and respond quickly to discoveries during construction.
“Restoration projects often involve unexpected challenges, particularly when working with older buildings,” Mewded told The Reporter Magazine. “Having a team physically present allowed for continuous dialogue and problem-solving.”
Collaboration extended beyond just being on-site.
“Collaboration was one of the most important aspects of the project,” Mewded explains. “International architects and conservation specialists brought experience with heritage methodologies and technical systems, while Ethiopian professionals contributed invaluable knowledge about local materials, construction practices, conservation methodologies, and cultural context.”
This exchange of expertise helped ensure that the restoration respected both international conservation standards and the realities of building and preserving heritage in Ethiopia.
To guide the work, the restoration followed a Conservation Management Strategy developed early in the project. The framework identified which parts of the building carried the highest heritage value and established policies for preservation, repair, and adaptation.
Many technical upgrades were discreetly embedded within existing walls and structural elements so that the visual experience of the building would remain largely unchanged.
“The goal was to upgrade the building to contemporary standards without altering the architectural character that defines Africa Hall,” Mewded notes.
In practice, this meant retaining Africa Hall’s spatial organization, material palette, and architectural language while integrating modern systems.
“The aim was that visitors would experience the building much as they would have in the 1960s, even though its technical performance has been completely modernized,” Mewded says.
Africa Hall was originally conceived not simply as a conference building but as a unified architectural composition in which architecture, art, interior design, and landscape were integrated into a single vision. Preserving that unity became a central objective of the restoration.
Among the most significant interventions was the conservation of Afewerk Tekle’s monumental stained-glass mural. Specialist art conservators restored the 150-square-meter work, reconnecting the project team with the same studio that had originally collaborated with the artist in the 1960s—Atelier Thomas Vitraux.
Beyond the mural, numerous other elements of the building were painstakingly restored. More than 500 pieces of original furniture designed by Arturo Mezzèdimi specifically for Africa Hall were conserved and returned to their original locations within the building, while approximately 13 million ceramic tiles were fabricated to match the original materials and finishes.
Other artistic elements were also reinstated, including the mosaic floor created by Italian artist Nenne Poggi Seguinetti in the rotunda space, which had been lost over time. The surrounding landscape was likewise restored to reconnect the building with its original setting within the compound of the UN Economic Commission for Africa.
For Ethiopian architects, Africa Hall represents a defining moment in the continent’s architectural and diplomatic history.
Dawit Benti, an Ethiopian architect with more than two decades of professional experience, says the building played a crucial role in shaping Addis Ababa’s position as Africa’s diplomatic capital.
“It cemented Addis as the diplomatic center of Africa,” Dawit told The Reporter Magazine, referring to the early 1960s when newly independent states were seeking spaces to gather and chart a common political path. The signing of the OAU Charter inside Africa Hall in 1963, he notes, marked a moment when the continent’s leaders assembled to formalize a shared vision for African unity.
Architecturally, Dawit points to the building’s spatial design as one of its most distinctive features. The plenary hall was conceived with an open and seamless plan that allows movement without disrupting proceedings.
“Open plan on the hall,” Dawit explains. “One can get out during the meeting and enjoy the cafeteria service without ever getting outside of the hall.”
Despite its importance, modernist architecture in Ethiopia has not always received the recognition or protection afforded to older historic structures.
“Modern architecture is a distinct genre in its own right,” Dawit says. “However, in Ethiopia, we have not fully recognized or acknowledged this, and as a result, this style is not receiving the protection it deserves.”
The restoration of Africa Hall culminated in international recognition when the project received the World Monuments Fund / Knoll Modernism Prize in February 2026.
Established in 2008 by the World Monuments Fund in partnership with the design company Knoll, the biennial award honors individuals and organizations working to preserve significant examples of modernist architecture around the world.
Previous recipients include landmark restoration projects in Europe, North America, and Latin America, making Africa Hall the first project on the African continent to receive the distinction.
Africa Hall’s restoration has been recognized by multiple prestigious organizations. In addition to the 2026 World Monuments Fund / Knoll Modernism Prize, the building won a 2025 International Architecture Award in the Restoration and Renovation category from The Chicago Athenaeum – Museum of Architecture and Design and the European Centre for Architecture Art, Design and Urban Studies. It also received a Heritage Architecture Commendation from the Australian Institute of Architects.
These accolades underscore the international significance of the restoration effort and the enduring value of Africa Hall as a modernist landmark.
According to Javier Ors Ausín, a program manager at the World Monuments Fund, the project stood out for its careful respect for the building’s historical meaning. In a video released by the organization, he noted that the restoration recognized Africa Hall not only as an architectural landmark but also as a political symbol of decolonization and African unity.
For the restoration team, the recognition carries particular significance because it marks the first time the prize has been awarded to a project on the African continent.
“It is also particularly significant that this is the first time the prize has been awarded to a project and a building in Africa,” Mewded says. “That recognition sends an important message about the value of modern architectural heritage on the continent and its place within the global story of modernism.”
“When people enter Africa Hall today, I hope they first sense the sheer weight of the history that the building holds. This was not restored simply as an architectural exercise; it was restored because it represents something much larger.”
Visitors, she adds, should be able to feel the optimism and ambition that defined the early years of African independence.
“I hope people feel the optimism, the dignity, and the collective ambition that the building was designed to express,” she said.
For Mewded, the significance of the restoration ultimately goes beyond architecture.
“Within the walls of Africa Hall, ideas were debated and decisions made that reshaped the future of the continent… I hope people notice the richness of the design, the integration of art, materials, light, and space. If people leave with a deeper appreciation of how architecture can embody political ideals and shared aspirations, continuing to serve its original purpose while welcoming new generations, then the restoration has truly succeeded,” she told The Reporter Magazine.
At the award ceremony in Palm Springs, California, Mewded reflected on the building’s symbolic legacy, invoking the words of Emperor Haile Selassie I: “Even as we stand here, we move from the past into the future. The task on which we have embarked, the making of Africa, will not wait. We must act to shape and mold the future and leave our imprint on events as they slip past into history.”
Her reference reminded attendees that Africa Hall is not only a restored architectural landmark but also a living symbol of African unity and aspiration.
With its restored interiors, luminous artworks, and carefully preserved architectural character, Africa Hall now stands as a bridge between past and present, a testament to the enduring relevance of modern architecture and to the power of thoughtful conservation to safeguard cultural memory for future generations.
