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Kinshasa's Zando Market Reborn: From Filth to Sustainable Gem
15 Jan
Summary
- Historic Zando market in Kinshasa has undergone an award-winning sustainable redesign.
- The renovated market will house 10,000 stalls and 630 shops, vastly increasing capacity.
- The project aims to be a blueprint for urban renewal across the African continent.
Kinshasa's Zando marketplace, once infamous for its poor conditions, has been reborn through an elegant and sustainable redesign. Awarded for its eco-friendly approach, the revitalized market is slated for reopening in February after a five-year hiatus. This project signifies a major urban renewal effort for the Democratic Republic of the Congo's capital city.
Originally inaugurated in 1944 and rebuilt in 1968, Zando faced severe issues with overcrowding, sanitation, and waste disposal. The new design, developed by Paris-based Think Tank Architecture Paysage Urbanisme, features perforated brick facades for ventilation and shade, using local materials like terracotta. It will accommodate 10,000 stalls and 630 shops, significantly improving functionality and safety.
This ambitious development, a public-private partnership costing approximately £56 million, seeks to serve as a blueprint for similar projects continent-wide. Despite facing initial criticism and corruption allegations, the project's lead, Dieudonné Bakarani, hopes it will attract international partners and showcase opportunities for development in the DRC.
