The “beauty” of Meskel Square

Pretty doesn’t always mean good and there is no better example of this than the Meskel square renovation project. I have always loved going to stadium. As a child, it used to make me feel like an adult. Like I’ve been invited into the inner sanctum of adult existence. I loved the old buildings that surround the square, they felt like a physical representation of history. I loved the different functions hosted at the site and I loved how versatile and open it was. Now it is a true example of ruined perfection.

While Meskel square is as open as it has ever been (only in the physical sense), it has never been more closed off. It once stood as the site of congregation. It represented expression of opinion. It was a show of power and the will of the people. Now, I can’t think of a less attractive place to spend my time. Even if I had wanted to sit on the new concrete steps and enjoy the improvements, there is no way I could do that because this ‘public space’ is now under surveillance by armed guards for most of the day. If I had by some miracle been allowed to sit on the shiny benches there would be nothing for me to observe but frustrated drivers leaning on their horns and traffic jams that stretch out as far as the eye can see or I could simply stare at the barren ground that was once a muddy, active field. The community the space once hosted is now effectively dead. Once in a while there will be a fancy event of high ranking officials there to celebrate one thing or another but the square feels even more devoid of emotion at such events. With such an open view of the surrounding, one can’t help but notice the squadron of police vehicles standing-by. I will admit that the space now looks cleaner and more polished than it has ever been but I cant help but wonder when was that ever a priority for this place?

The appeal of Meskel square was not its aesthetic qualities. People gravitated towards it because of what it offered: a place to come together. I once saw a group of complete strangers come together on the small field for the first time in their lives and play a wonderful game of football like they have been friends since childhood. What it offered wasn’t glamour but camaraderie. It was a promise of equality. I don’t believe that anyone went to the old Meskel square hoping to sit on the ground and get up without being covered in dust. People knew exactly what they were going to get. They gathered because not only it was conventional but also because it was accessible and comfortable. Not to diminish the efforts of the government, but what good is new and improved if aesthetics takes precedence over functional and culturally relevant design? In its current state it reminds me of a pretty cake in a glass window. It is simply window dressing. I feel it would have spared so much taxpayer money to just hand every citizen a picture of the beautiful construction instead of building it so we can all glance at it once in awhile and be awed by its beauty. Lord knows none of us are going to be doing anything other than look and admire.