African project:
Besongabang FFH
strengthened by several design strategies. A sense of familiarity is created by referencing familiar elements of
the Cameroonian environment. The centre will feel as though it belongs to the area, so in turn people feel the
centre belongs to them.
Vernacular meeting places in Cameroon, due to climatic conditions, are typically outside, which translates into
architecture as verandas or other canopy structures, with ventilation and shade in the hot and humid summer
months and shelter in the torrential downpours of the rainy season. The scale of the veranda reflects the public
nature of the building.
The Football for Hope Centre is situated in the rainforest region of Cameroon and the site itself is flanked by
forest regrowth and a palm plantation. With the before mentioned requirement for a shade/shelter canopy,
inspiration was found on site….trees! Trees are an elegant structure with a single foundation point, a single
principle structural element (the trunk) and a very large shaded/sheltered area all using minimum materials.
This readily translated into a buildable structure with practical, economic and aesthetic benefits, whilst
echoing the beauty of the site and the region.
Doors of all public rooms open onto the forum increasing the possibility of meeting people. This also greatly
reduces interior circulation space. In a country where corruption is an unfortunate part of daily life, UAC
collaborated the idea of an open air reception to promote transparency and better serve the community. A
young person can access the centre directly from the entrance road to the front of the reception person’s desk
on a simple straight road.
Sustainable Features: The consideration of ‘sustainability’ encompasses Environmental, social and economic
sustainability, as all three are linked and were considered holistically.
An important foreword is not all the issues of sustainability can be addressed by solely technical means, thus
the building communicates an admiration of nature not only by using as many appropriate natural materials,
but also through bio-mimicry.
‘Long life, low energy and loose fit’ were some of the design principles the centre used, loose fit meaning
flexibility. The centre is a simple frame structure; with as large a span as practical which can be readily adapted
for various uses in the future. Frame structures are also appropriate to the climate as maximising ventilation
Photography by Rogerio Costa
africandesignmagazine.com
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