The document proposes an urban strategy for Luanda that focuses on infrastructure rather than top-down housing. It sees the existing railway as a way to facilitate natural densification and improve informal settlements. The strategy aims to use the railway and stations as generators for infrastructure like drainage, transportation, water and electricity access that support densification. This approach recognizes the skills and initiatives of local residents and aims to empower informal communities through access to resources rather than large-scale resettlement.

1. URBAN STRATEGY
Reacting on the 1 million housing plan and
the established foreign ideal in Luanda, we see
the need for a more holistic thinking around
the performance of the city.
Using qualities & potential already there, we
have developed an urban strategy with the
railway as starting-base for additional infra-
structural interventions aiming to facilitate
the existing informal settlements and future
densification.

2. INFRASTRUCTURAL STRATEGY: CITY SCALE
WE SEE THE RAILWAY AS
A GENERATOR FOR A
NATURAL DENSIFICATION
ALONG THE RAIL.
Just as Luanda has been growing along the main
transportation corridors up until today, it can be
predicted a certain increase in the densification
along the renovated railway opened in 2010.
The railway provides low-cost public mobility,
connecting the urban core with the urban
periferi. Notably, it moves uninterrupted by the
other means of traffic, which suffers constant
bottleneck due to a combination of overcrowding,
LUANDA low petrol prices, poor road infrastructure and
the dependence on urban amenieties.
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A PREDICTED NATURAL DENSIFICATION
Very high density area
8 - 10 storeys
High density area
8 - 10 storeys
Medium density area
6 - 8 storeys
Medium density area
4 - 6 storeys
Low density area
2 - 4 storeys
Very low density area
< 2 storeys

3. INFRASTRUCTURAL STRATEGY: CITY SCALE
Infrastructure being the generator of natural growth
IFRASTRUCTURAL INTERVENTION INFRASTRUCTURAL ELEMENTS FLOW & STATION
LUANDA SUB-URBAN RAILWAY FLOW OF PEOPLE
efficient transportation system as a base for city development and Stations for on and off
democratic access to systems of basic coverings
BRIDGING FLOW OF PEOPLE
The railway on gound level creates a physical division of space. Stations for meeting, bridging the physical
The Stations are a bottleneck of in- and out-flow of people, creating divide
a natural hub. The crossing has a potential to function both as bridging
the physical divide, and as a sosial attractor with spatial qualities.
DRAINAGE FLOW OF WATER
Flooding water pockets and rain water treatment as a resource base for Stations for storm-water capacity and public
spatial qualities and water usage. program
TRANSPORTATION FLOW OF PEOPLE
Efficient public mobility can be developed in connection to the nodes. Stations for on and off
FLOW OF WATER
WATER
Stations for treatment, provision and public
Access to clean water
program
WASTE FLOW OF WASTE
Proper systems for garbage treatment Stations for recycling and treatment
FLOW OF ENERGY
ELECTRICITY
Stations for collectors and outlet for public
Access to electricity at different levels
use

4. HOLISTIC THINKING
“A sustainable city is the one that integrates housing, work and leisure,
while preserving its history and investing in public transportation.”
Jaime Lerner
www.treehugger.com
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Where the project mainly puts its effort to improve
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Other relevant issues to be aware of
Special qualities existing in the informal
structures, to take care, to facilitate, to strengthen

5. CAPTURING THE HUMAN RESOURCE
“The principal error of the Government is to
not recognize the fact that people can do!
MAURICIO, Architect and Teacher in Architecture, Lusiada University in Luanda (ULA)
ATTITUDE
The human initiatives in the mucceques are necessary
and in the informal structures relatively easily set into
life. There are many small scale successes.
KNOWLEDGE
Most people living in the musseques have a
farmers background, the older generation have
great knowledges and experiences on how to
use the resource of earth.
ABILITY
People in the musseques usually build
EAGERNESS their homes by themselves. The building
is a continuous process, where houses
Own success is dependent on the individual’s or grows and adds on little by little.
the family’s success. Today most children in the
mucceques go to primary school, creating great Sun dried adobe bricks could be
possibilities of bridging the divide. produced on site.
CREATIVITY
Limited resources generates creativity within
the frames of access. These initiatives are
usually very environmentally friendly as well as
activity creating.

6. APPROACH
BUILDING THE HOMES OF 1 000 000 FACILITATING THE HOMES OF 1 000 000
Top-down support of appartments. Top-down support of access to water and urban qualities
INFRASTRUCTURE
INSTEAD OF HOUSING
INFILTRING DENSIFICATION
INSTEAD OF SPREAD
By letting the people be free to build their own
homes and spaces, we allow for a diversity
of spaces and expressions, and hereby also a
stronger feeling of identity.

7. CASE STUDY: VIANA
Viana is a peri-urban area becoming increas-
ingly attractive due to the reopened railway
that runs through it.The area is divided phys-
ically by the rail- and highway, and socially by
an informal and a formal side.
Bridging this divide is crucial for obtaining an
inclusive and diverse urban environment. Our
project works with a cross-section, facilitat-
ing accessibility and inter-active civic spaces.