A groundbreaking kindergarten project has been completed in Soa, a university town located northeast of Yaoundé, Cameroon's capital. The Barcelona-based architectural firm Urbanitree designed and constructed this educational facility for the Nazaret Global Education initiative, a non-profit organization founded by the Missionary Daughters of the Holy Family of Nazareth. The project aims to promote education in regions where such infrastructure remains inadequate.

The kindergarten, titled "African Flow," represents the first building block of a planned campus that will eventually provide educational services from early childhood through secondary education. The 1,600-square-meter structure is arranged in a U-shape around a central courtyard, creating an intimate learning environment that encourages interaction between indoor and outdoor spaces.

The building's design features varying roof overhangs that create a rhythmic architectural composition while providing essential shaded intermediate spaces. These covered areas function as buffer zones between the interior and exterior environments, offering protection from the intense African sun. The ground floor houses classrooms, play areas, and sanitary facilities, while the sloping terrain on the southern side allows for a small basement level containing living quarters for four staff members.

Inside the kindergarten, sculptural wooden furniture serves as both functional elements and artistic features. These custom-designed pieces function as climbing landscapes and retreat spaces for children, attempting to harmonize pedagogical requirements with physical activity despite limited floor space. The central courtyard serves as an additional play zone, with transitions between indoor and outdoor areas deliberately kept fluid to encourage natural movement and exploration.

The architects drew inspiration from principles of traditional African architecture, incorporating sustainable building practices and local materials throughout the construction. The structural framework consists of locally sourced Azobé wood, known for its natural resistance to termites. The walls were constructed using unbaked rammed earth bricks, some solid and others perforated to create geometric patterns that allow soft light to filter into interior spaces.

As part of the community-oriented approach, local residents were trained specifically for the construction work, creating employment opportunities and building local capacity. This educational component extended the project's impact beyond its primary function as a school, contributing to community development and skills transfer.

For the interior finishes, the architects utilized various local hardwoods including Iroko, Sapele, Doussie, and Movingui. While these materials are considered expensive tropical woods with complex ecological implications in European markets, they represent common and readily available building materials in the local context. The total construction cost amounted to approximately $900,000 (about €780,000).

Complementing the main building, the project includes a wooden water tower equipped with photovoltaic panels. This infrastructure component ensures reliable electricity and water supply even during regional outages, which are common in the area. The self-sufficient design demonstrates how educational facilities in developing regions can incorporate renewable energy solutions to maintain consistent operations.

The kindergarten's design philosophy emphasizes the integration of play and learning through architectural elements. The sculptural furniture pieces encourage children to climb, explore, and find quiet spaces for reflection, supporting diverse learning styles and physical development needs. The geometric patterns created by the perforated brick walls not only provide aesthetic interest but also serve functional purposes by controlling natural lighting and ventilation.

This innovative project showcases how contemporary architectural practices can respectfully incorporate traditional building methods while addressing modern educational needs. The successful completion of the African Flow kindergarten establishes a foundation for the expanding campus, demonstrating sustainable approaches to educational infrastructure development in sub-Saharan Africa.