Torre Maianga

The project is located next to one of the most vibrant historical neighbourhoods of modernist Luanda on a highly visible corner between President Ngouabi street and Comandante Jika avenue on a roundabout that culminates with the prominent Antonio Barrosso avenue.

The starting premise for the project is about dealing with the “corner” architecturally and so the design spring from an attempt to reconcile the diverse directions of the adjacent buildings. From this ambiguity and obstructions, the shape of the tower-like building emerges from a solid and well grounded plinth from which progressively swivels echoing in parallelism and obliquity with the neighbouring altimetry.

Following the 2-storey plinth that relates to an adjacent villa, the second part of the volume relates to the 6-storey building in Comandante Jika. Finally, the 8-storey third part yields a conciliatory form which stands out on its own with a slim and elegant profile. In addition to 4 levels of underground parking, these changes in form are accompanied by changes in programme, as it moves from ground floor street retail (0 and 1), to offices (2 to 3) and residential (6 to 16). A rooftop floor includes a communal area with pool and other shared amenities.

The façade is devised as a curtain wall with a structural system of deep vertical mullions in bronze aluminium that also function as shading louvers which grant the building an elegant and restrained solemnity.