Lakeside Housing Development At Bishoftu Town, The Case Of Hora Arsadi, For Oromo Irrecha Revival

Abstract

Waterside has different purposes such as recreational, transform vacant docklands in the city for commercial use, residential use or public open space. Hora Arsadi Lake is a historical and cultural site, which the great Oromo Irrecha celebration ceremony takes place. Bishoftu town is a historic place of Oromo Irrecha ceremony place since 6th century with a few numbers of a participant, now the population of the festival participant from different direction of Ethiopia is estimated to 4 - 6 million. Even, the site was a great historic place and the population of festivalgoers is increasing, the site doesn’t gate any development. Lack of road access and open space is the main problem of the site. The objective is to analyze and plan sustainable Lakeside housing development for a revival of Oromo Irrecha. The paper analyzed relevant journal papers on sustainable waterfront restoration, and it finds out ten sustainable principles for waterfront development. The study uses these principles contextually in site analysis. Site analysis, questionnaire, and the interview has been applied in the data collection method. In the questionnaire, Judgmental survey sampling technique was adopted. The questionnaire and interview focused on cultural assessment for the integrity of the development within the social culture. The data analysis result indicates contextual is primary attention. Accordingly, water access and open space as primary criteria, and sustainable principles was for sustainable site restoration. Based on the analysis result, the paper proposed adequate road access plan, footpath alongside water body, artificial ponds, organized public open space, rainwater collection to the lake and Sustainable house development. Lakeside house development at Hora Arsadi lake revitalizes Oromo Irrecha through creating a suitable site for Irrecha celebration, Lake conservation, enhancing Oromo cultural practicing places, and advertising through media. These give popularity and awareness about the culture that helps to revive the Oromo Irrecha festival.