This single family housing was developed within the limits outlined by the existing building, making use of the roof span, achieved by slight reducing the height of the ground floor and by changing the roof, thus creating sufficient height for this floor to be used for housing also.

The builidng is developed on two floors, with the following distribution:

The ground floor comprises the entrance hall of the dwelling, kitchen and pantry, living room, a bathroom, two bedrooms and an access to the upper floor. On this floor there is also a small garden that will be maintained and expanded through the demolition of the existing laundry which has now been transferred to the garage. On the upper floor, there is a small room, a bedroom and a bathroom.

This single family housing was developed within the limits outlined in the initial sketch. The daring volumetric composition is formed by an apparently closed volume that rests on a base and a plan that intercepts it. This volumetric arrangement is emphasized by the use of different materials: stone and wood, which respectively compose the upper volume/wall and the recessed lower floor.

This closure from the street is contradicted by the opening to the inner side of the lot. In terms of programmatic distribution, the space is divided between ancillary areas (basement), social areas (ground floor) and private areas (1st floor). The upper volume, with a single slopped roof, rises above the street emphasizing its dimension and creating a dynamic volumetric composition, with tension and, simultaneously, stability in the composition of its forms.

1. LOCALIZATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE SITE 

The existing house is in a predominantly habitation area, next to the Thames River. It can be characterized as being an excellent zone, with good car access and public transportations. The parcel where the house is implanted has about 985m2. 

The existing construction is made of brick walls and wooden floors and roofs. It’s a characteristic construction with traditional materials.

2. THE SOLUTION

The main objective of the project is to restore the existing building and make a small extension to the rear garden, respecting the existing trees, and maintaining as much as possible the old house.

3. DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONSTRUCTION 

In this restoration we searched for continuity in the interior spaces and in the existing functional areas. The idea was to provide generous areas and to usufruct in the totality the qualities of the existing house. 

The project develops in all the floors, with the following distribution: Basement – a playroom, a home cinema room, toilets and stairs (to the garden and to ground floor); Ground floor – the entrance of the habitation, with a small hall and corridor, where is located the main stairs to access the superior floors, and we have the accesses for the library, a living room, sanitary installation and an entrance of service with a space for closets; 1^st floor – with a gallery with glass floor, is were is situated the private area of the habitation, with three bedrooms, having one of them a privative toilet and closet, and still a toilet for use of the other rooms; 2nd floor (attic) there are four bedrooms and two toilets. 

The facades were studied to keep the original look except in the rear where the new extension is with a modern language.

4. CONSTRUCTIVE OPTIONS 

In a general way, the exterior walls of the building will be kept, proceeding only to its physical recovery, towed and painted. 

The exterior wooden frames will be the same to the existing ones, and will be painted, keeping the original drawing. The interior doors and panels will be wooden and painted.

The interior separation walls will be in brick masonry and painted. The ceilings will plaster painted.

The sanitary installations and kitchen walls will be in washable material. 

In all project we had the concern to characterize the spaces in accordance with the necessities of the future owners, keeping the essential structure of the building, given its integration in an area of patrimonial interest.

The project was the answer to a competition for the construction of 164 apartments destined to rehouse the people from an area of slum housing.

The problems involved with designing a collective housing for this social group raised a series of question that, once recognised, needed to be studied and answered. Factors such as the different ways of inhabiting, the different family core, the several ethnic groups and their respective ingrained patterns of life, all called for a diversified use of space and demanded alternative spaces that should be integrated into the scheme, whilst arriving at a common denominative.

The construction of a collective group of housing in a deprived urban area is capable of raising the environmental standard of the whole locality. The site in question is excellently located near the National Highway 109, surrounded by green areas and with views to the sea. The design demanded care and attention in order to develop a language and a relationship between volumes, worried about not creating “social ghettos” that disadvantage the whole development and through association negate the remaining favourable spaces of the habitation, a threat urban social housing projects have fallen victim to in the past. There was an identified need to build the social housing and accompanying urban spaces with a strong regard of durability, in recognition of the fact that a non-descript act of degradation soon generates more significant decay.

A intervenção apresenta-se como uma oportunidade de incitar a revitalização urbana, como sinal de mudança e um mote para o início de uma operação mais alargada.

A concepção deste espaço como pólo gerador de regeneração e centro de atractividade e conexão entre áreas com potencial relevante prevê a reestruturação desta área com uma estrutura verde unificadora e a criação de uma unidade habitacional de destaque na região.

A realização de uma estrutura habitacional sob um sistema de verde contínuo possibilitará a estruturação do território e o reforço da coesão social e urbana, assim como a implementação de dinâmicas urbanas de notoriedade, importantes para o desenvolvimento da cidade.

Neste sentido, este projecto tem uma escala, que só por si supera o domínio da área da intervenção, resultando de uma visão global, diferenciadora e única na região.

A estratégia de intervenção contempla:

– Habitação. Prevê-se a construção de três edifícios de habitação, com uma cércea máxima de 12 pisos, num jogo volumétrico 8 e 12 e que se prevê num total aproximado 334 fogos, cujo desenho se deverá pautar pelo máximo de flexibilidade, podendo ser readaptados face a situação sócio cultural económica do mercado permitindo uma polivalência funcional de modo a tornar-se um elemento de referência no actual contexto e evolução da cidade de Luanda.

– Comércio e Serviços. Prevê-se a ocupação dos três edifícios ao nível do R/C, em contacto com o espaço verde, e piso mezanino, com comércio e serviços, dotando todo este empreendimento de uma grande dinâmica, atractividade e versatilidade ao nível das propostas de ocupação. A solução contempla um total de 12 espaços todos com um piso em mezanino, e de áreas diversificadas.

– Zona Verde. Propõe-se a criação de uma área envolvente de predominância verde, singular e única, com elevada qualidade ambiental e paisagística e diferenciadora. Funciona como uma plataforma que molda o terreno. Os limites do terreno terão muros com 60cm de altura e até 2m em cerca verde. É privilegiada a utilização de espécies autóctones. Todo o espaço verde exterior de estar e lazer será alvo de um estudo paisagístico mais específico.

– Espaço de estacionamento. Abaixo da plataforma verde, que constitui o miradouro privilegiado com vista para o mar distribuem-se inferiormente e já subterrâneo, os vários níveis de estacionamento para apoio a todo este empreendimento, bem como aos utilizadores da praia e de todo o espaço verde que se pretende de referência. Este estacionamentos subterrâneo está subdividido em três plataformas de dois pisos abaixo do solo cada uma, abrangendo assim toda a área de intervenção.