Concept
Paula Nascimento
Jaime Mesquita
Iris B. Chocolate
Architectural Design
Paula Nascimento
Jaime Mesquita
Iris B. Chocolate
Sound
Kiluanji Kia Henda
Technical Drawings
Raquel Santos
Graphics
Iris B. Chocolate
Photography
Ngoi Salucombo
Claudio Chocolate
Texts
Paula Nascimento
Jaime Mesquita
Technical Advice
Dumbo Design Studio
Raul Betti
Installation Construction
AD krea
Production in Venice
Raul Betti
Context
"This intersitial passage between fixed identifications opens up the possibility
of a cultural hybridity that entertains difference without an assumed or
imposed hierarchy."
Hami K. Bhaba
Our research is focusing on an ordinary
site in the city, it is an interstitial passage between two historical neighbourhoods: on the one hand, the planned colonial residen-
tial area (Miramar) and, on the other hand, what was once considered “indigenous” space which grew organically with informal settlements (Sambizanga).
Marking the distinction between these two, an iconic building, Prédio do Livro, built in the 1970s and one of the many testimonies to the modern movement architecture in the city, transformed over time by its (mis)
use — as an apartment block, as a public building and as a site for looking at the Atlantic Ocean, among other things. On the other hand very little documentation exists for such an iconic building, which means that only the narratives of people living nearby are the primary source of research.
Prédio do Livro is a boundary within the city. One of many boundaries produced by its physical presence and the social dispar-
ities it borders. The Building has ten floors and is erected in a triangular site, facing the wind (east-west), and is composed of two asymmetric blocks.
The long corridors house apartment blocks that are still existing — the apartments on the east facade overlook the informal and self-built neighbourhood, and those on the west facade overlook the formal city. The footprint of the Prédio do Livro’s corridor demarcates a borderline within the build-
ing, providing a different experience of the city for those who live in it and who will not experience the difference; crossing or overcoming this internal border is not an option. The imaginary line simultaneously establishes a borderline and a common ground for a shared spatial experience within the Building.
However, in a city where spaces constantly morph into each other and overlap, the notion of a fixed dividing line, establishing rigid differences, is not possible. In this way, we resist drawing the borderlines and edges and focus on the transient nature of such relations. Prédio do Livro is a massive structure whose materiality establishes its presence. However, it is also a threshold:
a fluid and liminal space that enables all types of appropriation and interaction.
In light of new developments and urban regeneration projects, there was a possi-
bility of demolishing the Building. There is nothing formally planned; however, our project starts at the fictional moment of the WHAT IF Prédio do Livro were to disappear...
Opening up a Boundary
How would Sambinzanga and Miramar relate to each other? How could we mediate between these disparate zones and the in-between that is revealed, activated and performed?
We imagine the demise of Prédio do Livro is a natural event in the context of how the city is evolving. The majority of the build-
ings of the modern movement in the city are in a state of decay until they eventually collapse.
The disappearance of Prédio do Livro
would simultaneously open up the existing boundaries within the Building and reveal the overlaps between different types of territorial, social and cultural borders and the ambiguities in their relationships. It creates a space that is both a void, a cross-
ing space and a connector between the disparate realities. Instead of a dividing line, we imagine the border as an expanded, connecting and relational space.
An idea of a design proposal...
Revealing the boundary raises the challenge of understanding how this new threshold relates to the characteristics of either of its neighbouring spaces. The proposed intervention is divided into
three levels:
— the Green Space: an elevated public
park, including a mirador overlooking the ocean. It provides shadow for the public space below. A ramp leads into the informal Sambizanga neighbourhood.
— the Public Space: the ground level consists of an area with playgrounds and Sports facilities, including a series of small amphitheatres providing areas of together-
ness for the communities. A ramp leads into the informal Sambizange neighbour-
hood.
— the Cultural Space: the lower floor consists of a multi-funcional area which can host diverse cultural activities, as well as small markets.
The intervention addresses disparities of both formal and Self-building neighbor-
hoods. It mimics the characteristic red sand of the site and of the city of Luanda and turns into a sculptural symphony, a promenade that invites people to cross it and discover new public space, a soft zone that promotes encounters and inter-
cultural dialogue. (Paula Nascimento)