The African Flow Kindergarten in Soa, Cameroon, represents a thoughtful convergence of educational philosophy, cultural identity, and sustainable architecture. Designed by Vicente Guallart and Daniel Ibáñez of Urbanitree, the 1,600-square-meter facility reimagines early learning environments by organizing spaces around four symbolic ecosystems — mountain, village, savanna, and forest. Each is tailored to foster specific developmental activities.
The layout of the African Flow Kindergarten encourages fluid movement between zones, promoting experiential learning through tactile engagement with the built environment. Constructed primarily from locally sourced materials like azobé wood and rammed earth, the project prioritizes low-tech, low-carbon methods. During the construction phases, Cameroonian workers were simultaneously trained in wood construction techniques that are typically unfamiliar in the region. The design integrates passive strategies such as perforated earth-brick walls for natural ventilation and light filtration, alongside a photovoltaic-clad water tower to ensure energy and water resilience.
Image Credit: Adrià Goula
