A House in Luanda

Luanda, Angola

Category Social Housing
Job type International Architecture Competition
Date 2010
Size 100 m²
Client Lisbon Architecture Triennale
Status Competition | Honorable Mention

Context

Luanda, founded nearly 500 years ago by Portuguese settlers due to its natural port, was heavily impacted by the civil war following Angola's independence in 1975. The war led to the rapid growth of informal settlements, or "musseques," which now house about 70% of the city's population, lacking basic infrastructure like water and electricity. Despite these challenges, Luanda is paradoxically one of the most expensive cities in the world for foreigners, driven by its rich natural resources.

The public space is virtually non-existent, with little being shaped by the informal practices of the inhabitants. The city's landscape reflects the complex, often spontaneous evolution of these spaces, where the boundaries between public and private are fluid, and urban growth is driven by necessity rather than proper planning.

Community

The Angolan social fabric demands that we understand the complex social networks and cultural dynamics that revolve around these communities. We could say there is not just private and public notions, but also a strong social engine which is the collective. This premise involves a ritualistic energy that should be reinforced and motivated by the design.

Economy of Means

The project relies on a straightforward CAD command: "mirror". Applying this procedure to the scale model transformed a single house into two. Adding another mirror resulted in four houses, and with a third and final mirror, we created an infinite city.

Collectivity

The design addresses diverse human scales: public, private, and communal patios that embody the social, economic, and cultural specificity of Luanda.

At the back of the house, an L-shaped patio, when mirrored, creates a large communal space shared by several families. A similar arrangement is found at the front porch, but shared with opposite neighbors. This layout strengthens the social fabric, fostering solidarity and collaboration among families.

Collaborative Household Economy

The communal patio serves not only as a social and cultural hub but also as a collective economic alternative managed by multiple families. In low-income communities, social networks are essential for communal survival.

Real Sustainability

Single-family housing should support a spatial model that helps sustain each family economically (through renting, teaching, selling, etc.) while also enriching the public space.

Productive Space

This space is designed to be completed based on each family's economic situation. It can be transformed into a store, a bakery, a small apartment, or integrated into the rest of the house over the short, medium, or long term.

Progressivity

Housing is an ever-evolving process, not a finished product. It should allow for staged construction, transformation, and personalization over time. Different construction stages may be carried out in the short, medium, and long term.

The pavilion is designed to offer maximum flexibility while maintaining proper illumination and ventilation throughout future expansions.

Identity and Materiality

Known, familiar materials such as concrete blocks and metallic sheets are to be used for maximum economy. Proper waterproofing, insulation, ventilation, and illumination complement these primary supplies. They are materials that already comprise a landscape (associated with poverty), but have become traditional in that the community knows how to craft and handle adequately.

It's not a matter of expensive or economic materials, it's a matter of space: the patio and the pavilion.

Detail

The construction methods are thoughtfully selected to enhance long-term environmental sustainability.

The design emphasizes local architectural systems, practices, and materials to create a structure that is both contextually fitting and sustainable.

Lisbon Architecture Triennale Exhibition | 1:20 Model

A 1:20 model was constructed for the design exhibition at the Electricity Museum, showcasing the winners of the "A House in Luanda" competition. The process of building the model allowed us to experience the project’s design qualities firsthand before sending it off to Portugal.