Le Jardin sonore

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Le Jardin sonore is a permanent public artwork in Douala, Cameroon. It was created by Lucas Grandin in 2010. The wooden structure has three floors and serves as a panoramic viewpoint on the Wouri River, a small botanical garden, and a dew-drop percussion instrument. It stands about 10 meters high and measures roughly 6.83 meters long and 4.52 meters wide, totaling 35 square meters across three levels (ground 20 m2, first floor 10 m2, second floor 5 m2). It is located in Bonamouti-Deido near the Wouri River (coordinates 4°05′39″N, 9°48′54″E). It was inaugurated during the SUD - Salon Urbain de Douala in 2010.

In February 2010, Grandin began building the project. The work brought residents together, turning a riverside area formerly used as a dumpster into a place for socializing and reflection, with water walls helping to reduce urban noise. A botanical garden surrounds the wooden structure, featuring flowering plants. The garden uses a sustainable drip irrigation system that collects rainwater, stores it in barrels, and delivers it to the garden through transparent tubes in a hydroponic dripping system. Water drops create musical notes as they water the plants, filling the neighborhood with sound.

The garden invites visitors to reflect on the importance of water, offers a new social meeting place in Bonamouti, and provides views of the Wouri River and mangroves. It has also become a romantic spot for couples on the upper floors. Le Jardin Sonore was restored in 2012 and 2013 to replace worn wooden pieces.