IBA (Icolo e Bengo)

Nestled around the Dr. Agostinho Neto Angola International Airport, the Icolo e Bengo Aerotropolis is a visionary new urban district strategically located between the expanding city of Luanda and the protected wilderness of Quiçama National Park. Spanning 13,472 hectares, the masterplan encompasses a total built-up area of 16,236,000 m² predominantly low-density, mixed-use urban fabric with select high-density pockets and green spaces covering 14,828,000 m², designed to support a future population of 205,000 residents across 56,000 households.

The masterplan is structured around three distinct development sectors: commerce in the north, education and research in the northwest and tourism along the scenic southern plateau. Influenced by the existing airport’s geometry, the urban grid aligns with the runways to harness prevailing winds, ensuring passive climate control and enhanced comfort in the public realm. A continuous “Green Loop” weaves through the plan, serving as both connective infrastructure and recreational space, linking multiple centres of activity while promoting wellness, mobility and community engagement.

Given its scale, the development will unfold over decades, guided by a phased, resilient strategy that enables long-term adaptability in both architecture and infrastructure.

Two strategic rollout approaches were considered: single-phase delivery to maximise future flexibility, or phased implementation aligned with architectural development. Each offers trade-offs between upfront capital and future adaptability, but both are framed by a commitment to minimising disruption, optimising resource use and future-proofing the masterplan against environmental, economic and legislative change.

The infrastructure strategy for Icolo e Bengo Aerotropolis prioritises long-term resilience by embedding flexibility into its very foundation. Rather than reactively upgrading networks over time, the technical design anticipates future scenarios from the outset, through sensitivity studies and scenario-based modelling, to define robust, scalable infrastructure solutions.

“Foster + Partners has enjoyed a long-standing and successful collaboration with Klaus over many years. Most recently, his expertise in sustainability and his extensive experience across the African continent have been invaluable in the development of the ICB Aerotropolis Vision Master Plan in Angola. We look forward to continuing our relationship with him on future projects.”

Gerard Evenden

Head of Studio, Senior Executive Partner
Foster + Partners