NAD DESIGN SOLUTIONS
Architecture: Andrew Shore
Design Team: Nuno Ramos, Bruno Costa, Luís Salgado, Pedro Ribeiro, Ana Pedro, Paulo Guveia, Carlos Janeco
Photography: Jeronimo Coelho
2010-2012 (Project)
BRIEFING
The recently privatized second major telecommunication company in Angola intended to unit it's various administration offices as well as it's telecommunication centre into a single building to be located in Talatona, on the outskirts of Luanda that with workspace for over a 1000 emplyees.
The high concentration of staff in a relatively isolated part of the city required also certain level of self-sufficiency of the new headquarters that had to include a number of complementary services like dining facilities, a library, a flagship store auditoriums as well as other functionally flexible areas and a vast car-park.
Given the unreadability of energy supply to avoid any black-out in the telecommunication services the building had to be capable of generating it's own energy requirements for long periods of time and with several levels of redundancy.
Total built area: 30'000 sq.m.
CONCEPT
The still semi-rural character of the context as well it's discontinuous urbanity formed by vast walled residential units as well as the particular north south orientation of the plot formed the starting point for the development of the concept for the headquarters.
To provide natural lighting as well as controlled views a series of exterior open patios are positionned on the western and eastern side of the building. These patios will form a a sequence of shaded green micro-environments that filter light and views, provide clear references to all circulation within the building and ensure that all natural light penetrates the building on it's more easily controllable southern and northern sides.
A vast square connects the building to the only street that gives access to the plot and provide the building with an urban gesture that underlines the institutional corporate character of the building. The main facade provides the physical illusion of lifting of the ground and allowing for a clear continuity between the external square and the interior reception hall.
On the ground floor an internal street connects the entrance with three vertical halls located between the patios where stairs and elevators provide access to suspended receptions located on the three upper levels.
Below the main entrance level three more levels will house all the technical space of the building as well as the main call centre and the underground car-park. Two side streets will follow the topography of the site providing, this way, direct external access to levels -1 and -2.
The final perception of the building will be that of a solid mass that has been cut and stretched to respond to different environmental and contextual requirements and that has thus acquired a very sculptural and angular form that intends to invest the headquarters with a strong iconic identity.
