CASE STUDY ON CONDOMINIUM HOSE

2013

Case study on condominium

house

Designed by: MH ENGINERING PLC Consulting engineers and architects

in association with PACE consulting architects and engineers plc.

Client: Oromiya housing development project office
Location: ADAMA
Date: 14/02/2012
Building type: condominium house type, M1 G+4
Project: Cost efficient housing project
Construction system: precast beam, hollow block .
Climate: dry hot
Context: urban
Style: modern
Function: purpose dwelling
Economy : low cost
Form: rectangular
Movement of circulation: easy
Lighting and ventilation: natural lighting and ventilation
Drawings: see next page

CASE STUDY ON CONDOMINIUM HOSE

2012

CASE STUDY ON CONDOMINIUM HOSE

2013

CASE STUDY ON CONDOMINIUM HOSE

2013

CASE STUDY ON CONDOMINIUM HOSE

2013

The program is a large-scale approach to addressing the current housing deficit,

the poor quality of the existing housing stock, and the future housing needs due
to continued urbanization.
The program allows low- and middle-income households, who typically live in
precarious housing situations to access improved housing. on.
Through the construction of durable, fully-serviced housing units the program
greatly improves their living conditions, security of tenure, and access to basic
services.
The program recognizes the opportunity for housing to stimulate the economy,
create employment, and improve the capacity of the construction and financial
sectors.
The adoption of cost-effective construction techniques and systems, notably
pre-cast concrete elements, have reduced construction costs (by up to 30 per
cent) compared with conventional systems, improved the speed of construction,
and facilitated the development of small and medium enterprises to produce
construction elements.
Furthermore, effective quantity surveying and construction management
systems have helped reduce construction costs and material wastage, resulting
in a program that is extremely cost-efficient.

Beneficiary finance
Condominium unit beneficiaries are required to make a down-payment out of
their own savings to secure their unit. The down-payment percentage varies
according to unit type. Beneficiaries enter into a contractual loan agreement
with the CBE on the basis of monthly interest and principal repayments.
The project finance structure aims to cross-subsidize the studio and onebedroom units as a pricing strategy to increase affordability for low-income
households.
Studio and 1-bed units are sold lower than their individual construction costs
and 2- and 3-bedroom units are sold higher than their individual construction
costs. The subsidy percentages are: studio -30 per cent, 1-bed -10 per cent, 2bed +5 per cent, and 3-bed +10 per cent of unit construction cost.

CASE STUDY ON CONDOMINIUM HOSE

Unit type
Studio
1-Bed
2-Bed
3-Bed
Commercial

Downpayment
10%
10%
30%
30%
100%

2012

Interest
rate
0%
2%
7.5%
7.5%
-

Grace
period
6 months
3 months
-

Repayment
period
20 years
10 years
15 years
10 years
-

Condominium housing typologies

There are four unit typologies incorporated into each condominium block: a
studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and 3-bedroom unit types. Each unit includes a
bathroom, which includes a shower, flush-toilet, and basin, and a separate
kitchen. Each unit has water, sewerage, and electricity connections.
Unit type

Floor area (m2)

Studio
1-bed
2-bed
3-bed

<20
20-30
30-45
>45

Percentage in each
block
20
40
20
20

Infrastructure provision and servicing

The city administration coordinates and finances the construction of
infrastructure and services. Infrastructure elements include the roads, car parks,
footpaths and grass areas and services are water, electricity, and mains sewerage
connection for each unit.
One major infrastructure challenge facing the program is the inadequate and
small-scope of the Adama sewerage system.

CASE STUDY ON CONDOMINIUM HOSE

2013

Target beneficiaries and unit allocation

The different unit sizes were envisaged to suit households of differing income
levels. Table 5 outlines the initial (in 2006) unit costs and target beneficiaries
(according to their income). The studio unit was targeted at the lowest income
group, with an average monthly income of ETB 300
Unit type price in ETB
(m2) in ETB Selling
Unit type
Studio
1-bed
2-bed
3-bed

Monthly income in ETB

Monthly income in
ETB
300
600
1200
1800

Average price(m2)
in ETB
800
900
1100
1200

Average price

Selling price in
ETB
16000
18-27000
33-50000
>50000

Merits
Gender inequalities are slowly improving. The unit types are distributed
evenly across each story, rather than each story having only one type to
encourage a mix of income groups.
The site layout of the condominium blocks, commercial units, and
communal buildings depends on the specific site, responding to available land
area, land typography, and required densities.
The condominium blocks are constructed from a frame of reinforced
concrete (a mix of in-situ and pre-cast) with masonry infill walls, plastered both
inside and out
The modular design reduces construction times and allows for the
repetition and adaptation of designs across projects
The design utilizes standard sizes of materials therefore reducing costs
further (for instance standard hollow brick dimensions are kept to remove the
need for cutting them to size).
The provision of commercial units aims to ensure mixed use occupation of
condominium sites, which have several benefits over purely residential
developments.
The program has tight costing and quantity surveying mechanisms that aim
to minimize construction costs.
The stair is placed at average position this leads the dwellers to use it
quickly and easily.
It has a common commercial space.
The commercial spaces are placed far from the apartments which make it
acoustically good.
Demerits

Infrastructure and basic urban service provision is low. The majority of

Kebeles have access to water and electricity but they have limited access to
adequate sanitation systems.
There is a distinct absence of a diversified and flexible housing finance
sector.
At studio apartment type toilets are found at the main entrance instead of
living and dining area.
In three bed room apartment the following difficulties are observed
1) Master bed room does not have its own toilet
2) The toilet is found at the main entrance of the house.
In one bed room apartment type the following difficulties are observed
1) The toilet is situated far from the bed room.
2) The toilet has no privacy because it is placed in the living and dining room.
3) The smell from the toilet has a probability to diffuse to the living and dining
room.
The condominium hose have no enough parking spaces.
A major challenge facing securing affordable housing for low-income
Ethiopians has been access to housing finance.