Musgum mud huts

Musgum mud huts
Cases Obus
Musgum huts in the shape of a shell in Far North province, Cameroon
Alternative names	Moosgoum
General information
Architectural style	Beehive house
Country	Cameroon
Current tenants	Villagers
Cost	Low cost
Owner	Musgum people
Height	9 m (30 ft)

Musgum mud huts or Musgum dwelling units are traditional domestic structures built of mud by the ethnic Musgum people in the Maga sub-division, Mayo-Danay division, Far North Province in Cameroon. (Musgum also is spelled as Moosgoum.) The dwellings were built in a variety of shapes, such as tall domed or conical dwellings or huts, some with a reverse-V shape, and others with geometric designs.

Musgums are an example of "earth architecture". Of simple design, they are constructed of mud, thatch, and water by local residents using few tools. Resembling the shape of beehives or shells, they are also known as "cases obus". They are adobe structures, a variant of cob, and are in the reverse catenary arch form, which can bear maximum weight with the minimum use of building materials. The dwellings also are described as "beehive type" because of their dome shape. They are considered to be an important architectural style of Cameroon, although not in fashion in the present day.

The houses were built with earth, following a traditional practice before the advent of cement. These structures are no longer popular, however, as they are considered to be outdated. Very few Musgums build them now.

The Musgum people in Cameroon constructed their mud houses with compressed sun-dried mud. Earth is still used as a building material and appears environmentally more acceptable for low cost housing, as cement production releases large amounts of carbon emissions. Mud is laid over a thatch of lashed reeds. They are compared to adobe structures or variants of cob structures, which are made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material such as sticks, straw, and/or manure. Although of simple design, they are well planned from a utility viewpoint. The houses were built with geometric designs. They were built in the shape of a shell in inverted-“V’ or conical form. Ronald Rael, an architect and author of the book entitled, “Earth Architecture”, has observed that the Musgum houses are of "a catenary arch—the ideal mathematical form," which can withstand the load of the building with minimum use of material. Because of the inverted form of an arc of a chain, the domes are slim and work on the principle of compression providing rigidity to the structure without any twisting or bending moments. The geometric patterns on the exterior face of the domes provide a foothold for workers who stand on them during construction and also during subsequent maintenance. The exterior design and large height of the structures (nearly 9 m (30 ft)) keeps the houses cool inside on hot summer days.