Ethiopian farmers and international architects have joined forces to tackle the problem of rural exodus. Deep in the African hinterlands, the unequal participants are building a small model town that could lead the way out of the global migration crisis. FASIL GIORGHIS, an Ethiopian star architect is engaged in research on how to sustainably manage the social transformation. 85% of Ethiopia’s population still lives as subsistence farmers, one of them being TILAHUN AYELEW. He is betting on the model city BuraNEST. At the origin of the model city is the idea of FRANZ OSWALD, a Swiss architect who now attempts to fully hand over the project to his Ethiopian partners. HELEN, an architecture student from Addis Ababa, has been following the project since her bachelor thesis.

"Urban Genesis" highlights architecture and urban planning's role in addressing Ethiopia's rapid urbanization issues. Documenting BuraNEST, it showcases a potential solution to Ethiopia's rural-urban shift and evaluates its scalability nationwide. The film aims to inform international projects, inspire global responses to rural exodus, and foster knowledge exchange about architecture's societal impact. It targets cinema, television, and VOD audiences, with plans for collaboration with universities specializing in urban planning (like ETH/EPFL, TU Delft) and development aid NGOs, enhancing its educational and practical application.