Michael Tesfaye Mentorship Awards recipient

Michael Tesfaye is an architect based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Michael works with bamboo as a construction material that could address the current challenges of a rapidly urbanising Ethiopia. His work includes research into Ethiopian bamboo species, development of bamboo construction techniques, prototype development, commercial projects, and academic publications. Michael has worked on projects ranging from bamboo sculptures to university buildings. Part of his published work is a 127-page bamboo construction manual, co-written together with two fellow peers, that shows details on how to build structures of various types using simple tools.

Currently, Michael works with fellow academicians, practitioners, and students at the Ethiopian Institute of Architecture Building Construction and City Development to bring the topic of sustainable bamboo construction into the mainstream.