The Cameroon Higher School of Architecture, ESSACA, in Bastos, Yaounde, yesterday, November 19, 2015, made history by graduating the first set of locally-trained architects. The three young architects spent six years receiving lectures from both local and foreign teachers. After a tedious period of training, which included a first year of preparatory classes and annual tuition fee of FCFA 4 million, the new architects are now set to prove their mettle on the field. Understandably, their Master’s II degree theses in Architecture were all on projects that could help transform the economic landscape of Cameroon’s two largest cities – Yaounde and Douala.

10,000-capacity Residential Park For Yaounde

Covering 10,000 hectares, the proposed park and envisages the construction of homes for 1,000 people. Ndende Mbarga Christian Victor’s Master’s II degree thesis in Architecture was on the creation of a residential park in Ahala, Yaounde. Covering an area of 10 hectares, the park can receive 10,000 visitors and comprises playgrounds, leisure and cultural sections and homes for 1,000 residents. The project is expected to take two to three years to construct, costing at least FCFA 500 million. Local material such as wood and bricks will be used in carrying out the construction, the young architect points out.

With the launch of the project, it is hoped that tens of jobs will be created for the teeming young unemployed population. Meanwhile, Ndende Mbarga Christian Victor sees the creation of the Ahala residential park as part of urban renewal efforts by the Yaounde City Council and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. The proposed park will no doubt be a much-welcome relief to Yaounde city dwellers whose few outdoor relaxation facilities have over the years been literally taken over by miscreants and beggars, thereby putting the security of visitors in danger.

Aged 26, Ndende Mbarga Christian Victor studied in College de la Retraite in Yaounde where he obtained the ‘Baccalaureat Literaire’ – the Anglophone equivalent of the GCE Advanced Level certificate. He later enrolled in the Omar Bongo University in Libreville, Gabon, where he read English for three years before joining ESSACA. “It is a moment of great pride to be among the first set of locally-trained architects,” declared Ndende. Like his two course mates, the young architect insists that their training was both for local and foreign markets, thereby suggesting that the possibility of practising his trade abroad cannot be ruled out.

Douala: Urban Cultural Park For Attracting Tourists

The facility, with a capacity to seat 800 visitors and a 250-capacity hall, could help create many jobs in Cameroon’s main gateway. On the other hand, Ndongo Jean Paul Henri’s Master’s II degree thesis was on the construction of an urban cultural park in Douala. The specificity with this leisure facility is that it carries a memorial outlook. The project is said to be in line with the development plans of the Douala City Council. With a 250-capacity hall, the park is expected to beautify the economic capital’s landscape.

It is to be constructed on two hectares of land, taking about a year to complete. The park itself can seat 800 visitors. Given Douala’s reputation as a major gateway into Cameroon as a result of its airport and seaport facilities, the proposed urban cultural park is expected to be the main destination for both local and foreign tourists. Apart from creating jobs during its construction and operational phases, the park will also serve as a welcome relief to fun-seekers in the fast-paced life of Douala.

Similarly, those who cannot afford the time or means to travel to nearby Limbe or Kribi to relax on the beautiful, natural sandy beaches will see in the proposed park an appealing second option. Moreover, the Douala Urban Cultural Park could end up being an avenue for showcasing Cameroon’s myriad of rich cultures; apart from the local Sawa culture. 

Aged 24, Ndongo Jean Paul Henri studied in College Liberman, Douala, graduating with a ‘Baccalaureat Série B’ certificate; after which he enrolled in ESSACA in 1989. According to him, the immediate task is to undertake industrial attachment for at least a year. Eventually, he hopes to join an architect firm and register with the National Council of Cameroon Architects. “Today, people consult almost anybody to design their homes. I think there is some disconnect between architects and the public as people do not take into account the consequences of the eventual demolition or collapse of such structures,” pointed out Ndongo Jean Paul.

Reviving Douala’s Fishing Sector

The proposed project envisages the construction of a fish market. Yossa Tchokotcheu Patrick’s  Master’s II degree was on reconstructing the Youpwe Fishing Settlement in Douala. This entails reorganising and restructuring the existing settlement. A fish market will be created and homes constructed for the fishing population. Born in 1989, Yossa Tchokotcheu Patrick studied in College Vogt and Lycée Bilingue d’Ekounou - all in Yaounde - where he obtained the ‘Baccalaureat C’ certificate in the latter school. He also read Physics for two years in the University of Yaounde I, before enrolling in ESSACA.