II. Luanda, Angola

Luanda, Angola

Luanda, Angola — Zach Stewart

Luanda is the capital and largest city of Angola. Founded in 1576 by Porteguese explorers, it today has become the largest Portuguese speaking capital city in the world. Located on the northern coast if the country, it serves as its primary port. The city is a notable exporter of agricultural products, beverages, textiles, cemet, car parts, diamonds, and oil. The city is frequently ranked as one of the most expensive cities for expats.

Left: Musseques (informal settlements) Right: Oceanfront view of Downtown Luanda

Population:
Urban: 2,571,861 people
Metro: 8,069,612 people

Area:
Urban: 116 square km
Metro: 1,876 square km

Population Density:
Urban Average: 22,171.22 people/km2
Metro Average: 4,301.49 people/km2

Politics:
The city of Luanda is one of 18 provinces that compose the country of Angola. The province is composed of 9 municipalities, 5 of those composing the urban area of Luanda. The province is govened by a state appointed governor who holds most of the political power (along with the rest of Angola’s executive branch). Of the govenment funded projects in Angola, roughly a third of the country’s money is put into projects in Luanda. In recent years, high prioritization has been placed on the construction of new social housing projects in the city as a means to control the growth of slums, which are described by the governement as hotbeds for disease and crime.

[01] KILAMBA COMMUNE DEVELOPMENT IN VIANA [02] MARKET AND RESIDENCES IN CAZENGA
[03] CAR TRAFFIC IN KILAMBA KAIXA [04] VERTICAL SLUM IN MAIAGNA

Luanda, Angola. High Density Buildig Typologies

Luanda, Angola. Means of transportation

Luanda, Angola. Traffic hubs and nodes

Luanda, Angola. Urban Void Spaces

Luanda, Angola- Maianga Neighborhood:

Area: 30.2 square km
Population: 338,762 people
Population Density: 11,217 people/km2

Luanda, Angola- Kilamba Kiaxi Neighborhood:

Area: 6.2 square km
Population: 247,000 people
Population Density: 41,200 people/km2

Luanda, Angola- Rangel Neighborhood:

Area: 19.3 square km
Population: 740,326 people
Population Density: 39,280 people/km2

Rangel Marketplex, Luanda, Angola

The Rangel Marketplex builds onto the already diverse programmatic variety that defines the Rangel neighborhood in Luanda. Anchored by the largest market in the city, the neighborhood is known for its vibrant retail scene as well as all-around culture. However the neighborhood is also stricken with poverty, lacks adequate green space, and is home to the highest density of individuals in the city.

The Rangel Marketplex is designed on the site of the existing market to supplement an already thriving market and provide additional amenities to the neighborhood. Without displacing any existing housing, the building builds skywards above the market. Five stories up are two public greens dimensioned to be the size of a soccer field. These fields can support sporting events, concerts, community festivals, and well as market overflow. Surround the fields are additional recreational facilities and stadium-like seating. Five towers connected by a sky bridge, are arranged around these two fields. Ranging from 10 to 22 stories high, hach tower sectionally starts with retail on the ground floor, then office space, ending with residential units at the top.

The building is also very cognizant of the existing demographic of the neighborhood and also aware of its rapidly changing face. In reaction to the predominantly informal nature of the housing in the neighborhood, the building takes on similar build-as-you-need qualities, where each residential portion of the towers are only built with built in the core and slabs in place. Each residence is then completed by each resident under their own time and means. Over time the residents complete the building as they build out their homes. Additionally, some parts of the building are able to change function over time, parking can become market, residential space can become commercial or religious/educational institutions, etc.

Rangel Marketplex, Isonometric

— AQQ