Authors : Chandini Njikam Balkiss; Mahamat Talba; Dr. Makomra Valentin; Mackongo Jean-Christian

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 8 - August

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/38h6232p

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26aug962

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : Rapid peri-urban growth around Yaoundé, Cameroon, has outpaced the expansion of educational, economic, and civic infrastructure, pushing youth and women toward informal creative trades such as tailoring and garment production that operate in precarious roadside conditions. This article presents the literature review and research methodology underpinning a design proposal for a Fashion Design and Vocational Training Center in Mbankomo, conceived as a sociospatial bridge between informal artisan networks and the formal urban economy. The literature review traces the historical evolution of artisanal workspaces from domestic guild workshops to contemporary hybrid typologies, examines the theoretical foundations of social integration through the built environment, defines the architectural typology and technical requirements of fashion design centers, identifies the managerial and spatial challenges facing vocational facilities in developing cities, and analyzes three international precedents (Shenzhen, Milan, and Sinthian). The research methodology section then details the mixed qualitative-quantitative approach adopted, combining site recognition, stakeholder interviews, questionnaires, and documentary research with a structured architectural design process supported by CAD/BIM tools, and outlines the sustainability, safety, and cost-estimation criteria that will guide the subsequent design phase. Together, these two components establish a scientifically grounded and contextually responsive foundation for the proposed facility.

Keywords : Social Infrastructure; Fashion Design Center; Vocational Training; Peri-Urban Development; Mbankomo; Social Integration; Architectural Research Methodology.

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