This new Dutch embassy is a long horizontal volume in steep, wooded terrain outside Addis Ababa. Penetrated and structured by the landscape, there is a strong connection here between inside and outside. Rough-shuttered concrete walls, the colour of red earth, underpin this effect. From the canopied entrance at the east end, the various functions are accommodated either side of the central axis, rising with the slope. Steps lead up to a roof-top walkway, connecting to the ambassador’s residence at the eastern end. The entire roof landscape is sculpted in in-situ concrete to look like a dried-up river bed. The charm of the building derives from its spatial complexity and rough textured concrete surfaces