Paper long abstract:

This paper will put the question of adequacy through cultural acceptability in the Ethiopian context. Therefore it will try to expose how the majority of the citizens of the rapidly growing capital Addis Ababa want to live. Condensed from an extensive participatory study, the presentation will highlight the bottom-up definition of ‘adequate’ housing and will argue for the consideration of the particular culture. First the population of Addis Ababa will be characterized socio-economically as well as referring to their self-perception as ‘modern’ and ‘urban’. In a second step the potential beneficiaries’ target shall be demonstrated by elaborating what features of their dwellings they want, do not want, and what they just don’t need. These findings will be contrasted with the actual main strategy in Addis Ababa, the construction of multi-storey, privately owned condominium apartment houses. Condominium housing is regarded as a chance to meet the highly increasing demand for accommodation units in African cities due to rapid urbanisation, and might even retard the urban sprawl. Deriving from the comparison of what people want and what they actually have as an option, the construction of condominiums on a large scale will be examined critically, and the question will be put up for discussion, whether living in owner-occupied apartments creates a new African urban culture.