The origins
Cameroon's history goes back thousands of years, as evidenced by its major megalithic sites. The Mégalithes de Saa site is particularly interesting. Here, you'll find stones erected in circles, squares or lines, combined with large circular platforms with a magico-religious role. This last aspect is found in all Cameroonian cultures. Chieftaincies, kingdoms, sultanates or lamidats (under the authority of a lamido) are all power structures that have existed for centuries. Among the oldest witnesses to these great kingdoms is the Tour de Goto, not far from the great fortified city of Goulfey. Made entirely of earth and clay, the tower, a veritable Islamic totem, is cubic in shape, reaching 12 m in height and 9 m in width. It is flanked by a grand staircase leading to the top, a vast rectangular space. Like many of the buildings in the area, it is covered with Gley, a viscous earth collected from the bed of the Chari River, which both embellishes the structures and protects them from erosion. The chieftaincies of Cameroon are also famous for their power architecture. In the traditional chiefdoms of the Grassfields, the Grande Case is a kind of sacred palace-temple. Unique for this type of construction, these large huts can be up to 30 m high and 20 m wide. They can be recognized by their conical thatched roofs, and their bamboo and raffia frameworks set on a quadrilateral base. Posts and frames are carved with geometric or mythological motifs. This highly codified sculptural architecture is found in the Bamiléké chiefdoms, with their large earthen or bamboo huts covered in elegant raffia basketwork. Great builders, the Bafut built palaces as part of large complexes combining mud-brick houses with tiled roofs, bamboo sanctuaries with conical thatched roofs and sacred carved wooden pillars, bungalows and more. A spatial hierarchy that illustrates the hierarchy of power. The chief's hut is the most important. This is followed by huts for wives and concubines, and then for guests. Sacred plant spaces also play a key role. In the Mandara Mountains, the cultural landscape of Diy Gid Biy is home to the architectural treasures of the Mafa, who reached their peak between the 12th and 17th centuries. Dozens of ruins of large dry-stone structures have been found here. Always built atop rocky outcrops, the large buildings acted as forts and watchtowers. High fortifications, complex structures and platforms, sanctuaries and mausoleums, and even tunnels cut into the rock, complete this rich landscape. Another fascinating site of power is the Palais de Rey Bouba, the stronghold of the Lamidat of the same name, which reached its apogee in the 19th century. Protected by an 800 m-long, 7 m-high wall, the palace is actually a large complex organized around courtyards, vegetable gardens and quarters for various activities.
Colonial period
The first European settlers to make their mark on Cameroon were the Germans. Their aim was both to adapt their buildings to climatic requirements and to develop aesthetic and functional architecture. Their buildings are recognizable by their rectangular floor plan, raised first floors adorned with pillars and featuring airy verandas in the corners, and 4-sloped roofs. Only light colors are used for coatings and paints, to improve reflection of the sun's rays and reduce heat absorption. The roofs themselves are designed using a double-cover system, to ensure good insulation. The central core of the building is made of a solid structure that prevents the walls from heating up too quickly. For some, this was a form of ecological architecture before its time! At the time, Douala was known as Kamerunstadt. The city was the focus of much attention, particularly in terms of urban planning. Everything was modeled to showcase power. Imports reigned: iron girders, corrugated iron, bituminous cardboard... all new materials added to local bricks and wood. The same metal architecture can be seen in the engineering works that dot the region, from bridges to port and rail infrastructures. On the slopes of the volcano, the Palais Von Puttkammer dominates the town of Buéa with its Bavarian castle-like silhouette. A fountain bearing the effigy of Bismarck, gabled houses with green-tiled roofs, a clock tower, barracks converted into administrative buildings... all lend the town an old-fashioned charm. German architecture greatly impressed local rulers, who drew inspiration from it to build grand palaces, as did the Njoya dynasty in the Foumban region. In the 19th century, for his palace, the sultan broke definitively with the tradition of large poto-poto huts (mud plaster on a wooden frame), opting instead for an edifice featuring turrets, arcades, gabled roofs, terraces and loggias.. In Douala, colonnaded villas such as the Villa Mandessi Bell, and the Palais des anciens Rois Bell, nicknamed the Pagoda because of its tangled roofs, are fine examples of the European influence exerted on local sovereigns. The great buildings of the early 20th century bear the mark of the French, who opted for a style combining the sobriety and whiteness of Art Deco geometric volumes with historicizing elements such as pilasters, double columns and balustrades with ribbed colonnettes framing flat roofs, giving the buildings the appearance of modernist temples. This is particularly true of the Douala Chamber of Commerce. After the war, the country experienced unprecedented demographic growth, which the French colonial administration attempted to curb by creating new cities, such as the Cité des Douanes in Akwa and the Cité Chardy in Bassa. Whereas colonial architecture had hitherto been open to the outside world, the architecture of the 1950s retreated behind walls pierced by screens or flanked by concrete sunshades. Buildings were often constructed on concrete stilts. Douala was the subject of a new town-planning scheme based on a number of key elements: simplicity of volumes, unity of appearance, rejection of historicizing styles and the importance given to green spaces. The city was divided into zones ranging from the "European City" to the "Country City", the latter being the only zone where the use of traditional techniques was authorized.
Since Independence
The country's independence was accompanied by a construction boom. The leading material of the period was concrete. For administrative and government buildings, monumentality was the order of the day: everything had to be done to highlight the aspirations of the young nation. Douala's Stock Exchange and City Hall are prime examples. In Yaoundé, this wind of modernity is also combined with forms inherited from local traditions. One of the great symbols of this renewal is undoubtedly the Monument de la Réunification (Reunification Monument). Designed by artist Gédéon Mpando, this concrete sculpture-architecture takes the form of a spiral tower formed by 2 snakes whose heads merge at the top. However, even though the country is officially independent, foreign influence is still felt in terms of architecture. In the 1980s, French architect Olivier Clément-Cacoub was commissioned to design the Palais de l'Unité in Yaoundé. Part concrete fortress, part classical temple with imposing columns, the palace dominates the city in all its glory. In the following decade, modernity, monumentality and tradition continued to interact, as demonstrated by the country's great religious buildings. The Basilique Marie-Reine des Apôtres de Mvolyé, built on 12 columns representing the 12 apostles, impresses with its dimensions (32 m high, 75 m wide) and its elegant blend of stone, metal and wood, reflecting the skills of the various ethnic groups involved in its construction. In the 2000s, other large-scale projects sprang up, such as the glass towers housing banks and hotels, the Palais des Sports in Yaoundé, and a large Palais de la Culture, a juxtaposition of cubic shapes installed at the top of a hill in the city... and financed by China. Today, the country's major urban centers are facing major challenges: increasing urbanization, pressure on infrastructures and historical heritage, etc. A situation that is prompting many architects to take action. A situation that is prompting many architects to rethink the way they create. Architecturestudio, for example, has opted for rehabilitation. Under its impetus, the former Caisse Nationale de Prévoyance Sociale building is to be transformed into the Radisson Blu Hotel. This former 16-storey housing complex will be redesigned to offer generous volumes, spacious terraces and a facade featuring glass surfaces protected by slender slats to modulate light and heat. Another powerful symbol to be rehabilitated by the agency is the National Headquarters for the Bank of Central African States. The main tower will be tiered and landscaped, while a double skin will provide passive protection and therefore better energy performance. Ecological concerns are at the heart of Thomas Epoune's work. His aim is to draw inspiration from traditional techniques to design buildings that respect the environment. In his designs, for example, there is no air-conditioning, but rather chimney or cross-circulation ventilation systems. In terms of materials, the use of concrete and cement is reduced to a strict minimum. The architect's success was evident when he was commissioned to build the hospital for the Catholic University of Yaoundé! At the same time, Cameroon is gradually realizing the importance of preserving its heritage. The city of Douala has set up a major project called "Douala, ville d'art et d'histoire" (Douala, city of art and history), which aims to mark out 30 historic sites and buildings with metal memory arches. The shape is far from insignificant, since it recalls the tradition of palm arches placed at the entrance to festive places!
Vernacular riches
The country's many ethnic groups have developed what some call an environmental ethic. It all starts with a rigorous observation of local materials, followed by durability tests to distinguish between resources suitable for construction and those to be preserved. In the heart of the rainforest, the Pygmies have developed an entirely plant-based habitat. These huts are made from a flexible curved wooden frame, to which large leaves are added. The other ethnic groups of the Central region have developed huts with a framework of horizontal and vertical wooden poles linked by lianas, then covered with leaves or mud. The roof is covered with mats woven from raffia leaves. To decorate this habitat, it's not uncommon to see different-colored clay used. In the south of Cameroon, you can discover the "villages-rues", whose main axis is lined with rectangular huts whose walls are covered with cob made from earth mixed with straw, which is placed by hand on a framework of raffia cane lath, a technique known as "banco armé". These walls are protected from rainwater by wide overflowing roofs made of woven palms or sheet metal. The Bamiléké are famous for their family concessions, large complexes organized around green spaces, interior courtyards and magico-religious elements (sacred tree, cemetery, altars dedicated to ancestors). The complex, which also includes the dwellings and ancillary buildings (kitchen, toilets, etc.), is protected by a plant or solid hedge. When building a house, large quantities of earth are excavated and reused to make bricks; the resulting hole is then used as a family dump! Among the riches of the North, you'll discover the Kotoko habitat, with its rectangular earthen houses with flat roofs, juxtaposed to create a geometric urban layout. The houses are framed with Doum wood, a local tree that is chosen to be dead or dying, as it is less heavy and less prone to termite attack! In these terraced mountain massifs, you'll also discover the sarés, groups of conical-roofed huts arranged almost contiguously and protected by an enclosure of stone, adobe brick or woven straw. The Massa, on the other hand, live mainly in circular earthen huts covered with self-supporting domes made of a framework of straw rods covered with braided millet stalk mats. Straw stalks and thatch were also the preferred materials of the Peuls, and of the Foulbé, whose famous Gurin Mosque was constantly rebuilt from corn stalks for 200 years! Everywhere, the frequent use and maintenance of thatched roofs enables the various ethnic groups to demonstrate the prosperity of their cultures. Among the Podokwo, stone is the favored material. The stonework, the dry-stone perimeter walls, the protective base of the huts and granaries with their rounded shapes and conical roofs, all demonstrate the art of the stonemasons. But in the north, the most famous traditional dwelling is the "obus hut" developed by the Mousgoum people, famous for their work with clay and their art of pottery. Built in a mixture of earth and grass, it consists of a superimposition of circular courses, up to 15 metres high and 10 metres in diameter, coming together to form a rounded cone-shaped roof. The raised geometric patterns visible on the earthen domes also serve as stepping stones when maintaining the hut, and are very useful for draining rainwater and preventing erosion. Nothing is ever left to chance!
