Africa Hall: Restored Modernist Landmark of Pan-Africanism Wins Top Prize
- Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – February 17, 2026 – Africa Hall, a landmark of modernist architecture and a pivotal site in the history of African political unity, has been...
- Completed in 1961, Africa Hall quickly became a symbol of optimism and pan-African ambition.
- As Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie stated at the time, the hall represented a turning point: “Only a few years ago, meetings to consider African problems were held outside...
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – – Africa Hall, a landmark of modernist architecture and a pivotal site in the history of African political unity, has been awarded the 2026 World Monuments Fund/Knoll Modernism Prize. The award, announced today, recognizes the decade-long restoration of the building, originally designed by Italian architect Arturo Mezzedimi and completed in .
Completed in , Africa Hall quickly became a symbol of optimism and pan-African ambition. It served as the headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and, crucially, hosted the founding meeting of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in – the precursor to the African Union. The OAU meeting brought together leaders such as Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah and Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, representing newly independent nations eager to chart their own course free from colonial influence.
As Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie stated at the time, the hall represented a turning point: “Only a few years ago, meetings to consider African problems were held outside Africa, and the fate of its peoples were decided by non-Africans. Today… the peoples of Africa can, at long last, deliberate on their own problems and future.”
Mezzedimi’s design, characterized by functional clarity and spatial openness, incorporated elements of both international modernism and local Ethiopian artistry. The building’s interior featured Carrara marble, Ethiopian stone, and custom-designed furniture. Notable artistic features included a 40-metre mural depicting African flora by Italian painter Nenne Sanguineti Poggi, and a striking triptych of stained-glass windows created by Ethiopian artist Afewerk Tekle.
Despite its initial prominence, Africa Hall suffered from decades of neglect and disrepair. A restoration project, costing £42 million and spanning ten years, aimed to revitalize the building while preserving its original character. The project, undertaken by Australian studio Architectus, involved reinforcing the concrete structure, reinstating mosaic surfaces, and meticulously restoring the stained-glass windows.
The restoration also addressed practical concerns, including seismic resilience given Ethiopia’s geological activity. Approximately 13 million new mosaic tiles were fabricated to replicate the original exterior, and over 500 pieces of Mezzedimi’s original furniture were restored and reinstalled.
The World Monuments Fund/Knoll Modernism Prize, established in , celebrates innovative efforts to protect modernist architecture. Africa Hall is the first building on the African continent to receive the award. Bénédicte de Montlaur, CEO of the World Monuments Fund, emphasized the importance of preserving these structures: “Modern architecture captures some of the most ambitious ideas of the 20th century, but its innovations also render these buildings vulnerable to the passage of time.”
The prize will be awarded at a ceremony during Modernism Week in Palm Springs on . Architectus’s work on Africa Hall, according to architectural historian Barry Bergdoll, who chaired the prize jury, “has allowed the clarity of Mezzedimi’s design to speak again, revealing the ambition, craftsmanship and symbolic power that have made the building a landmark of modernism and a continuing stage for African diplomacy.”
The restoration of Africa Hall also highlights the enduring artistic legacy connected to the building. The stained-glass windows, originally crafted by Atelier Thomas Vitraux, were restored with the assistance of Emmanuel Thomas, a descendant of the original artisan. The building continues to inspire contemporary artists, including Ethiopian American artist Julie Mehretu, who has drawn inspiration from Afewerk Tekle’s work for a project at the Obama Presidential Centre.
Africa Hall’s renewed prominence underscores its continuing significance as a symbol of African unity and a vital venue for diplomatic and cultural exchange. The award serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preserving modernist architecture, not only for its aesthetic value but also for its historical and cultural resonance.