Zando Central Market in Kinshasa was built for 3,500 traders in the 1970s. Its replacement, designed by Paris-based Think Tank Architecture, has space for 20,000 vendors behind a skin of perforated brick, and it stands as a bold example of kinshasa market architecture.
The old market was demolished after insufficient maintenance and a steady rise in vendors left it unfit for use. Holcim Foundation project materials describe a site with no adequate sanitation or waste management, where congestion spilled into the streets. Think Tank Architecture was brought in after the original building was already gone, which gave the studio room to rethink what a market should do.
The studio did not want a copy of the old building. It kept visual cues from the original and from other markets in the city, but it redrew the footprint from scratch. “We wanted it to be an African market, and not an interpretation of it,” the studio told Dezeen. It treated the project as a test of kinshasa market architecture rather than a simple rebuild, and it based the design on academic and historic research, client dialogue and visits to other Kinshasa markets.
The new complex covers 82,000 square metres on a 3.7-hectare plot. Its rectangular plan measures 245 metres by 150 metres. According to Dezeen, the building holds 650 shops, and the studio says it accommodates space for 20,000 vendors. Storage, a fire station, a police station, a medical centre, a veterinary clinic, offices and a food court share the site.
At the core sits a covered central market over two double-height levels, with three large entrances. A three-storey ring of support facilities wraps around it. Landscaped patios break up the plan and leave room for public squares and informal trading.
Passive cooling and a brick skin
The building relies on passive measures rather than mechanical systems. Its perforated brick facades allow natural ventilation and shade the walkways. Together with the thermal mass of the concrete, they help cool the interior, which reduces the need for technical cooling equipment and keeps costs down, according to Dezeen.
The structure uses a mushroom-slab system, in which columns flare at the top. The studio says this references the original market’s design. Holcim notes that the varying heights of the concrete sunshades let hot air escape.
Interior finishes are plain, partly for cost reasons. The facade perforations add the only real ornament. They evoke moucharabiehs, which are projecting oriel windows enclosed in wooden latticework that appear in traditional Islamic architecture. ArchUp says the facade patterns draw on Congolese textiles.
Local materials and kinshasa market architecture
The material choice follows local capacity. Concrete is available in the Democratic Republic of Congo and suits the loads and durability a building this size needs. Brick has long roots in Congolese architecture. Holcim says the project reactivated three brick factories within 60 kilometres of the site. Demolition waste from the old market went into the substructure, according to Dezeen.
Courtyards, water and informal trade
Five landscaped patios open the deep footprint to daylight and planting. Holcim says the patios hold open ground for local species and planters with tropical plants along the railings. Trees along the surrounding streets form a biological corridor that links to the nearby botanical garden.
Rainwater runs into tanks and serves the patios, fire protection and cleaning. The building is low-tech by design. Holcim says it uses slopes instead of lifts, which cuts the number of technical systems to maintain.
The plan also makes room for vendors who work outside the formal system, a key concern in kinshasa market architecture. The patios also carve out space for public squares and informal markets to take place. Think Tank Architecture has said that keeping the building open to the public, including the more modest vendors, is central to its approach.
The project has earned recognition. ArchUp reports that it won a 2025 Holcim Foundation Award for the Middle East and Africa region. The studio’s website also lists a Holcim Foundation Awards laureate result from November 2025. Dezeen has named Zando Central Market to the eight-strong shortlist for the civic category of the 2026 Dezeen Awards. It sits alongside Sydney Fish Market by 3XN and TCC DAKA Renewable Resource Recycling Center by KPF.
The market has not opened. A second phase, which covers renovation of the surrounding streets, must finish before people can reach the building. The city oversees that work, and the studio says it is moving slowly. “We hope, and it’s in our client’s interest, that the market will be able to open by the end of this year,” the studio said.
The building’s form is now largely settled, and its approach to market architecture is clear. Whether kinshasa market architecture works will depend on the streets around it. Those streets, and the traders who depend on them, will decide if the design’s promise of 20,000 places holds up.
H/T dezeen.com
Frequently asked questions
How many vendors can the new Zando Central Market in Kinshasa accommodate?
The new Zando Central Market in Kinshasa has space for 20,000 vendors behind its perforated brick skin. The complex covers 82,000 square metres and holds 650 shops.
Why was the original Zando Market in Kinshasa demolished?
The original market, built for 3,500 traders in the 1970s, was demolished after insufficient maintenance and a steady rise in vendors left it unfit for use. Holcim Foundation project materials also describe the site as lacking adequate sanitation and waste management.
How does the Zando Market building stay cool without mechanical systems?
The building relies on passive measures, including perforated brick facades that allow natural ventilation and shade the walkways. The thermal mass of the concrete also helps cool the interior, and the varying heights of the concrete sunshades let hot air escape.
Has the Zando Central Market in Kinshasa opened to the public yet?
The market has not opened yet, because a second phase covering renovation of the surrounding streets must be finished first. The studio hopes the market will open by the end of the year.
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