Jindřich Ráftl - Training Center in Kejdom Keku, Cameroon

Cameroon is a presidential republic located between Nigeria, Chad, the Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea.
Most of the population speaks French, while in the northern part of the country, there is an Anglophone minority that is often in opposition and has its own political party. Cameroonians are divided into many tribes, none of which account for more than 20% of the country's population. In terms of religion, about 50% practice Christianity, followed by animists (26%) and Muslims (20%).

The Kedjom Keku mountain area (pronounced kedzhom keku, translated as "people of the forest") has a strong tradition of buildings made from unburnt clay blocks. Because farming often takes place in the remaining fragments of rainforest and farmers relocate their fields after a few seasons, they also need to relocate their homes, and this technology is the easiest solution for them. They dig a hole in the ground, place the clay into molds, let it dry in the sun, and tear dry grass for the roof. They have their homes ready in a few days and live in them until the field is fertile. Then they move to a new spot, where they burn a piece of forest, plant potatoes, farm there for a while again, and so it continues in cycles.

The school is therefore conceived as a distinctly permanent structure that should manifest sustainability and development and should inspire farmers to settle in one place for the long term, thus helping to prevent further destruction of the rainforest.

The placement of the building on the site and the raised corners of the roof respond to the building's location at the intersection of two pathways. The front (western) facade is oriented towards the main pedestrian access road. The northeast raised corner of the roof is oriented towards the main access route suitable for motorcycles and SUVs. The southwest raised corner points towards the city of Bamenda, which is the largest market for the local farmers' vegetables. The clear layout allows for the independent operation of two functional units. The classrooms are oriented to the west, while the eastern part contains a research station with accommodation for researchers and environmental workers. The simple and compact shape of the building helps to minimize problems when executing in a site with more challenging working conditions. In the mountainous area, where intensely sunny days alternate with very rainy ones, it is suitable to create a space that allows for outdoor use while also being sheltered from the weather. This role is fulfilled by a terrace that wraps around the entire building, softening the boundary between the interior and exterior. Extreme climatic conditions have also influenced the design of the roof. The load-bearing construction made of nailed trusses separates the roofing, which is heated by the sun during the dry season (from November to March), from the ceiling of the living rooms. Air circulating in the created gap prevents overheating of the interior. The shape and slope of the roof allow rainwater to be channeled to one spot, where it is cleaned with a gravel filter and stored in tanks as utility water.

The basic structure of the walls consists of wooden frames filled with clay, placed and compacted in sliding formwork, and reinforced with bamboo latticework. The composition of the clay mixture was fine-tuned through experimentation directly on site. The material used is of local origin. The clay is extracted from the nearby river, and the stones for the foundations come from the same place. The wood is from non-native eucalyptus, which was introduced into these mountains and its secondary metabolites released into the soil prevent the growth of indigenous vegetation. Removing these trees from the landscape thus has a positive secondary effect – it frees up space for the growth of native trees. For the roofing, galvanized corrugated iron is used for durability. The eaves over the terrace consist of split bamboo mats that allow for ventilation of the indoor spaces based on the principle of free air circulation.

www.kedjom-keku.com

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