Matiyas Fantaye
Dr. Matiyas B. Fantaye, PhD, an assistant professor at Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, is an academic, a researcher and ICOMOS International Expert Member. He is actively involved in several International Scientific Committees such as ICOMOS CIVVIH, PRERICO and CIF, dedicated to furthering the research and protection of historic sites and conservation training and education. He has since 2014 participated in international and local projects at various capacities, including consultancy, teaching, academic researches and policy recommendations. Dr. Fantaye earned his PhD in Urban and Regional Planning, in 2024, and MSc in Conservation of Urban and Architectural Heritage, in 2017, both from Addis Ababa University. In 2022, he founded ICOMOS Ethiopia together with his colleagues, while served as its first Secretary General until 2025. Currently, he is serving as a board member of ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Historic Cities, Towns and Villages, CIVVIH (2024-2027). His main research interests include the study of architectural history and heritage conservation in the broader geographical and philosophical context, including Medieval Art History, Urban (planning) Theory, and History of Science and Religion
Recent publications:
Fantaye, M. (2024). International politics and the political economy of city image building: Decoding the paradox of radical urban modernization in Addis Ababa. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4921923
Fantaye, M., & Assefa, T. (2023). The Fibonacci rectangles in Lalibela and their significance for the reconstruction of the vanished Cathedral of Aksum. Nexus Network Journal, 25(2), 231–251.
Fantaye, M., & Assefa, T. (2023). Urban conservation frameworks under a compact city policy: The 2017–2027 Addis Ababa’s Structure Plan in the light of the Valletta Recommendation. ICOMOS CIVVIH.
Fantaye, M., Beaman, A. G., Patruno, A., & Echter, C. P. (2022). Some aspects of medieval historic town management tradition in the Book of Aksum. Ethiopian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (EJOSSAH), 18(1), 145–156.
Fantaye, M., & Patruno, A. (2022). Restoring the health of the Lalibela sacred landscape for a resilient future. African Journal of Landscape Architecture (AJLA), 1(2).