Sobre(viver) no Musseque. Construções Sustentáveis para a Valorização dos Assentamentos Informais de Luanda

Abstract

"The legal and urban instruments implemented were marked by a neoliberal vision that did not incorporate the dialectic of the mode of production of the musseque´s space." Since Angola's independence in 1975, the urbanization of Luanda has occurred in a rapid and disorderly manner. Over the years, this process has given rise to informally organized settlements lacking access to basic infrastructure, known as musseques. Today, these areas occupy approximately 40% of Luanda's urban fabric and account 77% of its population, amounting to nearly nine million inhabitants. These figures reveal the precarious housing conditions of the capital, where the shortage of adequate housing becomes increasingly alarming in the face of ongoing demographic growth. During the violent Civil War, thousands of angolans migrated to urban centers, further reinforcing informal occupation. In parallel, the growing valorization of the central urban fabric has driven policies of musseque clearance, opening space for large-scale commercial and residential developments. Nevertheless, these settlements also constitute spaces of collective memory and a rich cultural heritage, deeply rooted in social practices and a unique modus vivendi. In Sambizanga, a municipality that encompasses some of the most central musseques, this reality becomes particularly evident through the very streets, constructions, and, above all, the inhabitants, who carry with them a cultural and historical identity that has long characterized the city of Luanda. Given this scenario, it is important to promote constructive, sustainable practices that are adapted to the local context and integrate renewable energias, preserving and redeveloping the musseques. This dissertation does not claim to offer a definitive response to the crisis it exposes, but rather seeks to open the discussion on possible solutions to overcome the limitations imposed on a people whose right to dignified and secure housing has too often been replaced by a constant state of survival.