THE FORGOTTEN (Humanitarian Research)

Hermann Kamte

June 1, 2017

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The Lake Chad is dying and if nothing is done, it will belong to the past. It is important to understand, the Lake Chad is the home of first Men, and a worldwide patrimony which need to be preserve for the health and equilibrium of our planet. Hermann Kamte & Associates reveals their vision for the regeneration of the lake before its pronounced disappearance.

Today, it is a fact, Several Continentals Oceans are dying around the world, but in central Africa, the situation of Lake Chad is so critic; this Biome is dying every day. The Scientifics estimate its dead in this century if nothing is done. Remember, this ecosystem is one of the first settlement patterns of peoples in the Sahara, and its potential has been evaluated as one of the best cultivable area for food, as a humanity garret at the beginning of this own century. Not only assimilated as ecological catastrophe with the disappearance of biotopes, fauna and flora; it will also a human catastrophe which directly affects more than 9 million persons and 30 million indirectly in this region. 50,000 B.C., the lake covered 2 million square kilometres; in 1963 the Lake covers 25,000 km2; 2001 its surface area shrinks to 4,000 km2. Observing, the drying evolution the lake will be gone with the best part of the potential it can offer to our planet. In some years, there will also a drying desert at this place.

In 1964 the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) is created, one of its mission is to sustainably and equitably manage the Lake Chad and other shared water resources, also to preserve the ecosystems. The LCBC initiated many projects for the resurgence of Lake Chad few has been accomplished but the most part finish without any issue.

Is it too late? Will we let it dead forever? How the Lake Chad can be saved and regenerated? What is the future of the others dying Continentals Oceans?

PROPOSAL: LIMNOLOGY & DESALINATION CENTRE
Water is Life, to save Lake Chad; a lot of actions will consist to regenerate it by the proposal of a Limnology and a Desalination Centre on the site. The Limnology Centre will be a self-sufficient with the mission to study the lake and its surroundings. At the same time, the Desalination Centre with its Pipelines will connect the Atlantic Ocean and Lake. Water from the ocean will be treated and redistributed as fresh water for people consumption and mineralised water to regenerate the Lake.

The design concept seems to an amphibian structure merge into the lake. The program can reveal complexity of the matter to solve. The goal is a design strategies that resolve some aberration encountered in this rude environment. Architecture and sites are in dialogue, creating tension between them. The saving solutions are phased in three parts.

Between 2016 and 2026, the first stages will be at the same time, the study of the lake and the construction and the connection of the pipelines with the lake. In 2020, the second stage will be the start of greenness the lake surrounding with trees and low vegetation for agriculture. In 2080, the final stage will be the beginning of natural regeneration; pipelines will be stopped and woodland will take the relay of the lake regeneration. This Design revealed the transition to a better world and makes it more evident. Not only as a simple Design are these proposals emphasis on sustainability and preservation of our planet.

Hermann Kamte

Hermann Kamte is an award-winning Cameroonian Architect and the Creative Director at HKA | Hermann Kamte & Associates. He is the Chairman, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at HKA.

Hermann is recognized as a young talent of the Contemporary and African Architecture through major conceptual and theoretical projects. ‘Lagos’s Wooden Tower | Abebe Court Tower, Lagos – Nigeria’, his famous project, enjoyed a series of international Awards and Famous Media coverage such as ‘The Architectural Review’ ‘Business Day’ and ‘Financial Times’.

In 2016, Hermann earned his Master’s Degree In Architecture with « Distinction » at the prestigious EAMAU (École Africaine des Métiers de l’Architecture et de l’Urbanisme).

Born on February 20, 1992 in Yaounde, Cameroon, Hermann Kamte started his higher education at the University of Ngaoundere in 2010 after his G.C.E.A-Levels where he started Physical Science Faculty. In 2011, he joined the prestigious EAMAU (École Africaine des Métiers de l’Architecture et de l’Urbanisme) to pursue a course in Architecture. After graduating in July 2016, Hermann decided to break off with the monotony of the practice of Architecture at the local level, thus opening to the dialogue of Architecture on the international level. Then, HKA | Hermann Kamte & Associates emerged as a solid pole of reflection both in theoretical and practical.

With great passion, Hermann explores the field multidisciplinary and transversally to meet the challenges of modern and contemporary architecture. With a philosophical look, he thinks that the sensitivity and complexity of an Architectural project most times breaks the boundaries between Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Interior Design or Furniture Design which comes from the interconnection and interaction between these disciplines.

As a student, he was rewarded in several competitions with the notable being: Finalist (Jacques Rougerie Competition 2014), Finalist (David Salisbury Competition 2014), and Finalist (DIA Summer Pavilion 2014).

Since graduation in 2016, Hermann Kamte, through his creative projects, has received series of international awards and rewards with a focus on Sustainable Development, Cultural Identity and Technology integrating modern design tools into his creative process.

Hermann Kamte is The Winner of several international awards including but not limited to: Winner of the Inaugural WAFX Prize 2017 (1st Prize Cultural Identity), known as the world’s most forward-looking concept at the World Architecture Festival 2017. Winner Of the American Prize of Architecture 2017 (Gold in Architectural Design/Green architecture). Winner at the Rethinking The Future Awards 2017, Bronze A’Design Awards 2017. Winner at the WA Awards 2017. Finalist at MIPIM/AR Future Project Award 2018. Finalist at the Plan Awards 2018.

Hermann has taken part in several collective exhibitions across the world (United Kingdom, China, India, Italia, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Togo, Albania, Ukraine, Russia, Germany, Australia.), with the most prestigious one being exhibiting the research project ‘Lagos’s Wooden Tower’ in London (UK) at Roca London Gallery under the theme: ‘Timber Rising: Vertical Visions for the Cities of Tomorrow.” He is tagged as one of the new generation Architect pioneering in wooden Structure.

In 2017, with his project ‘Lagos’s Wooden Tower’ tagged as the first Proposed Tall Timber in Africa, Hermann attended and exhibited as the only project representing Africa on the map during the Tall Timber Workshop in Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane). The event was held by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) under the theme; ‘Connecting The City; People, Density & infrastructure’. Hermann has also been featured on the CTBUH Journal 2017 Issue II named ‘Tall Buildings in Numbers,’ report, ‘Tall Timber: A Global Audit,’

With Other Notable project such as ‘The Forgotten – Dead or Alive’ or ‘Native Skyscraper’; Hermann Kamte has been featured on several International media including but not limited to: The Architectural Review, Financial Times, CNN, Business Day, CTBUH, Afrique Magazine, Australian Timber Magazine, African Design Magazine, Design Indaba, etc.

Hermann is also known for his growing contributions on the practice of Architecture through interviews and featuring. In 2017, Hermann gave an interview for the ‘UK Financial Times’ about ‘Towering Timbers’ at the opening of the World Architecture Festival 2017. Earlier than that, he spoke with ‘Design Build review’ about ‘Lagos’s Wooden Tower’. In 2018, gave an interview for ‘Metsa Wood’ about ‘Hermann Kamte’s wooden Ambition’, another has been done for the ‘UK Financial Times’ talking about ‘Age of engineered timber’ for Nigeria Report. Other great appearance consist of an interview for ‘African design Magazine’ in preparation for ‘Architecture ZA 2018/AZA18’ and another for ‘Business Day’ under the title: ‘Architects Explore Adaptive Cities.’

Hermann delivered a keynote talk at Architecture ZA 2018, The National Conference of Architecture organized by South African Institute of Architect, University of Pretoria and Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria under the Theme: ‘We The City: Memory and Resilience.’
He is a guest lecturer at the University of Lagos (Faculty of Environmental Science) during the 2018 International Conference Under the theme: ‘Africa Smart City Agenda’.

Hermann Kamte was an International Judge for the PPC Imaginarium Awards 2018, known as the most prestigious student prize in Southern Africa, alongside Enrique Browne, Maria Fernanda Derntl, Nadia Tromp and Heidi Boulanger (van Eeden). The prize was held by Pretoria Portland Cement Company.

As selected Author during the ‘Lafarge Holcim Awards 2017’, Hermann was invited and is expected to deliver speech and to attend the 2018 LafargeHolcim Next Generation Awards Lab in Mexico hosted by the Universidad Iberoamericana (IBERO) and LafargeHolcim Foundation under the theme: ‘Sustainable Construction’.

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