Informality Meets Formality: Luanda's Urban Transformation

Global urbanization is occurring at an unprecedented rate. While the West is mostly urbanized, the majority of urban growth in the upcoming decades will occur in Africa and Asia. In Sub-Saharan Africa, where 72% of urban dwellers already live in informal settlements, it is crucial that continued urbanization be managed with effective urban planning. In Luanda, Angola - designed for a population of 500 000, home to 6.5 million and set to accommodate 13 million by 2030 - the consequences of rapid, unplanned urban growth are already acute. Focusing on the transition from lower- to middle-class households, prototypes for low-rise, higher-density housing were developed to accommodate the evolving needs of individuals and families. Drawing on case studies, built projects, and failed attempts of social housing in Luanda and elsewhere, the project provides an economically and socially sustainable roadmap for the phased redevelopment of Luanda's Cazenga district.