To start with the design of the school, it was necessary to make a detailed research of the local circumstances, needs and of reference projects.
Through consultation with different architecture offices and their design approaches in similar contexts, through discussions and guest lectures, as well as partnerships with local schools, the group got a solid knowledge base for the required design. A detailed analysis of future users is also of great importance in addition to the place. This seems impossible from an office, which is located 7000 km from the actual plot and the community. Therefore, the only way is to keep the structure as open and flexible so that it can be adapted. with enough background knowledge in the future.
The planning of the project "Rising Education" is carried out mainly in Berlin, Germany by the students, together with the "Hope Foundation" and "Die Baupiloten".
Because the design is based on a participatory approach, organizational things must be clarified already before construction starts in 2014. So the 1st construction phase in Bertoua, Cameroon can be successfully realized.
Since July 2013, Gerald Bobga Fonkenmun, founder of "Hope Foundation" and co-initiator of the project is in Cameroon.There he organizes the provision of the plot, the cooperation between Cameroonian and German students through the technical secondary school "Lycée Technique de Kpokolota",inform and prepare the population for our project, as well as more administrative planning, together with the mayor of Bertoua.
To support and obtain important information, which were essential for the further project conception, Chung Vu flew in August 2013 for 3 weeks to Cameroon.
Locally he established a catalog of materials, to estimate, which materials are available for a sustainable building concept, and how it affect the budget and planning.
In addition to these findings, he made first cultural impressions and experiences which he recorded with his camera for us.