Architecture, a social art or artful science catapults its pursuers to a greater height if one has an unending passion to such an extent that it can be your calling! Similar, yearning came to fore while talking to Architecture and Urban Planning’s outstanding graduate, Kiflemariam Getaneh Bisetegn, who clocked 3.61 CGPA and nurtures desire to be an unconventional in his approach.
Kiflemariam is a native of Raya-Kobbo in North Wollo. His father, Mr Getaneh Bisetegn, is a farmer, who cultivates cereals like teff, maize and sorghum etc. on his small piece of land and at times serves as a church assistant to eke out livelihood for his family.
Of his two brothers and four sisters, one brother is an engineer based in Addis Ababa had graduated from Mekelle University, two sisters are married to farmers and a younger brother is a school student.
‘‘Since childhood, I would sketch anything that come to my mind and wanted to be good at it, but didn’t know that one day I would land in this arena. Only one thing set in my heart then was to be creative at the later stage of life,’’ he said.
And having acquired the first degree in architecture and urban planning with flying colors, he sets his goal to be an innovative designer by being unconventional in his approach. Present day architects don’t fascinate for they give prominence to job rather than their art or work ethics.
On future plans, while attributing the credit of his success to parents and elder brother, he said, all had sacrificed a lot for me and whatever I achieved is theirs. Therefore, it’s my bounden duty to work and support them first for which, I am ready to be a teacher or join a good firm to hone my designing skills.
Emphasizing further, he said, satisfaction of clients’ needs may be sublime but it should not override key factors that make house a complete home. So, we got to be careful of few things while going into a floor-plan like budget and environment elements as they increasingly impact minds of its inhabitants.
He is a product of Raya-Kobbo Preparatory and High School. On his achievement, he said, ‘‘I am satisfied, and while learning around six to eight subjects every semester; design got my fancy specially, rural and urban architectural design, I was deeply fascinated with.’’
During his four months attachment at Abba Architects in Addis Ababa, he learnt how they satisfy the customers and deal with key government and other stakeholders and design etc.
Ruing lack of infrastructure in AMU, he said, though now things are pretty well, but we had faced challenges, however, I didn’t allow them to bog me down.
On study approach, he said, I slogged 15 hours at stretch, but it used to vary. In our study, especially practical, shapes everything and lay the foundation, which I liked very much.
On teachers’ contribution, he added, I always valued teachers’ potential because one might be best in lecturing, others in practical, so, I never underestimated them. Especially, former department head, Mr Hagos Aman, is my role model who had lion’s share in my achievement.’’
(Corporate Communication Directorate)