“Bertha Beit is an examination of damage caused by the construction of the Grand Renaissance Ethiopian Dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region along the Blue Nile. The silt deposits of the Blue Nile floodplains are a rich source of sustenance, with headwaters in the northwestern highlands of Ethiopia. The Bertha ethnic group has been a historic beneficiary of the floodplains, harnessing mineral enriched soils for agricultural purposes. However, the Nilotic ethnic group, spanning between Ethiopia and Sudan, has been directly displaced by the completion of the GERD in 2021 as the resultant reservoir (spanning +1700km2) flooded their homeland in 10 days.
With a maximum reservoir surface elevation of 145m above the Nile’s surface, a reestablishment of the Bertha community, and agricultural practices through the fluctuation of the reservoir level, was determined to be possible along resultant peninsulas and islands. Using traditional fastening methods and bamboo native to northwestern Ethiopian highlands, Bertha Beit responds to the steep valley peaks, and harsh terrain through a scaffold system constructed with nodes requiring reciprocal support for rigidity. Through structural assembly, vocational activity, and environmental harmony, Bertha Beit aims to address the pragmatic challenges of the site, while preserving and embodying the Bertha culture of reciprocity.”
