Yaoundé: An artistic and eco-friendly residential complex around the municipal lake

At the invitation of the Institut Français in Cameroon, the Bruit du Frigo collective is conducting an artistic and ecological residency in Yaoundé. This initiative is part of the Institut Français’s 2026 cultural season, which is themed around Édouard Glissant’s concept of the “Tout-monde.”

As part of this project, Bruno Proth, a faculty researcher atENSA Normandie, in partnership with the Université des Montagnes and the École Supérieure Spéciale d’Architecture du Cameroun, conducted a field survey along the shores of Yaoundé’s municipal lake. Interviews, observations, and discussions with site users helped identify the facilities and amenities deemed a priority by residents.

Based on these findings, the Bruit du Frigo collective carried out an artistic, ecological, participatory, and context-specific project from May 4 to 16, 2026, involving third-year undergraduate and first-year graduate students from both institutions. Art installations, furniture, and small-scale landscaping elements thus offered a glimpse of future uses and cultural events around the municipal lake.

Image: Attentive Artist ©Bruno Proth