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The Need to Reposition
Architecture Education
for Contemporary
Challenges

ISSN 2735-9670
 TABLE OF
CONTENTS

NIA President’s Address 02

Chairman’s Note 03

Editor’s Letter/ Editorial Board 04

Meet the Contributors 05

RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE IN NIGERIA: 07

IN SEARCH OF AN AUTHENTIC NIGERIAN EXPRESSION

ARCHITECTURE NIGERIA: 09
Language for Better Urban Futures

The Society's Perception of the Value of the Architect 12

Laugh Space 14

The Female Architects of Nigeria - FAN 15

Interview with Professor John Godwin 17

Architects, now let's get in formation! 22

Sustainable Neighbourhoods and the impact 25

of Covid-19 on the Built environment

Covid-19 and The amazing Inventions 27

BREAKING OUT OF THE BOX: 29

REFRAMING ARCHITECTURE EDUCATION BEYOND TRADITIONAL ROLES IN PRACTICE

The Need to Reposition Architecture Education for

30
Contemporary Challenges

Architectural Education: 31
TRAINING THE ARCHITECT FOR THE FUTURE

Addressing corporate image in architectural practice

33
to bolster future impact
The future of Architecture in Nigeria: 34
Towards a responsive curriculum for the polytechnics

Cover Photo courtesy of Rubys Polaroid 2020

D
ear colleagues, It is with great pleasure that I present to you this maiden
edition of Architecture Nigeria, the new magazine of the Nigerian Institute of
Architects. It's launch this November 2020 coinciding with the 60th-
anniversary celebrations of our dear Institute, is both timely and auspicious; as it will
keep members and the larger public abreast of professional and other related affairs
happening within the Institute and beyond.

In February of this year, when the program for this Council was unveiled, we proposed
to “reform and rebrand our enterprise, as well as redefine and aggressively promote
the role of the Architect in the society” as we champion greater efficiency in the
management of projects by eliminating waste and corruption that spike the costs of
projects unnecessarily as well as expanding our engagement and participation in the
various opportunities the economy will present.

One of our strategies to achieving these is to promote “Advocacy” through awareness

and media campaigns, architectural competitions, and recognition of “Good
Architecture”. These engagements will be disseminated through various media
vehicles of which Architecture Nigeria shall be at the vanguard.

Furthermore, in pursuit of our drive to advance, promote and integrate our traditional
and varied expressions of Architecture, cater for the welfare and develop the
competences of members, foster friendship and cooperation among them, and to
sustain public confidence in the ability and integrity of Architects, I recommend
Architecture Nigeria to members and the general public as a “go-to” journal for
information, collaboration and the platform to express views and opinions on
architecture and its impact on the built environment, the society and the global milieu.

ENJOY!

Arc. S.T. Echono, PNIA, FNIA

President, Nigerian Institute of Architects

02
D
earest colleagues, I welcome you all to the first edition of Architecture Nigeria
magazine. A magazine of The Nigerian Institute of Architects. The magazine
will be discussing Nigerian Architecture and the Built environment. It will also
be focused on the education and practice of Architecture. The magazine will be
published quarterly after which we can publish monthly.

The present reality of Covid 19 is leading architects to new discoveries, trends, and an
awakening of the conscious mind. Architects have begun doing things differently.
Covid19 is beginning to dictate a new trend in Architecture and we are gradually
adapting to these realities. As the Nigeria Institute of Architects celebrates her 60th
Anniversary, we reflect on our Architecture, built environment, and our Institute, what
we have achieved, what we are presently working on, and what the future holds for the
profession.

It is also a call for unity among architects and this is needed to grow the profession in
view of its present state. I will use this opportunity to encourage all Architects to focus
on our growth and world best practices. The profession has evolved, and we must pay
attention to the new realities.

Once again, I welcome you to the first Edition of Architecture Nigeria (Architecture.ng)

Happy Reading!

Arc. Fitzgerald Umah MNIA, RIBA, AIA (INT’L ASSOC).

CHAIR, LIBRARY and PUBLICATION COMMITTEE.

03
 FROM THE EDITOR

W
arm welcome to the maiden issue of Architecture Nigeria: the quarterly magazine of
the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA). This magazine will be a vehicle to project the
best of Nigerian architecture and architects to the world; whilst enabling the sharing of
ideas and encouraging debates on wide ranging issues affecting our profession and the built
environment. Architecture Nigeria will also strive to contribute to increasing the knowledge base
and skill level of the Nigerian architect. Our core values as a magazine are: excellence, integrity
and creativity.

In this inaugural edition of the magazine, we have articles on the impact of the Covid-19 on the urban scale; the amazing
inventions arising as a response to the challenge of the virus; posits on reframing and restructuring architectural education, and
the search for authentic Nigerian expression in our residential architecture amongst others.

The centerpiece of this edition is the interview with Prof. John Godwin (OFR, OBE) one of the pioneers of the profession in
Nigeria, the co-founder of GHK (Godwin, Hopwood & Kuye) and Legacy 1995. He had over 50 years of practice experience in
the country with seminal buildings and books. I am sure you will find the interview very refreshing and instructive. We are
grateful to Prof. Godwin for obliging us with the zoom interview that took over an hour, at 92 years his memory and wit were still
sharp.

This issue is a prelude to the celebrations of 60 years of the NIA. The magazine will cover all the events and programs of the
diamond celebrations. Long Live NIA!

I acknowledge the support of the Chairman of the NIA Library and Publication Committee, Arc. Fitzgerald Umah and appreciate
the wonderful efforts of all the members of the Editorial Committee. I also want to commend Arc Tolu Aka and Tayo Ashogbon
for the graphics work done on the magazine.

Sadly, we lost one of the members of the Editorial Committee Dr. Frank Owaji in the year. In the short time we spent together in
the committee he showed deep passion and participated actively in all engagements. We pray that the Lord comfort and
strengthen his family.

I hope you find this issue enjoyable and look forward to your comments and contributions to the articles. Please send your
comments to [email protected].

Arc. Eromosele Anetor (FNIA)

THE EDITORIAL BOARD

Arc. Fitzgerald Umah (MNIA) -- Chairman NIA Library and Publication Committee
Arc. Eromosele Anetor (FNIA) -- Editor
Arc. Aka Tolulope -- Secretary Editorial Board
Arc. Ehi Asein (MNIA) -- member
Arc. Sunday Kuti (MNIA) -- member
Dr. Chinwe Okpoechi (FNIA) -- member
Dr. Isah Abubakar (MNIA) -- member
Arc. Catherine Bekibele (MNIA) -- member
Arc. Mahmoud Galadanci (FNIA) -- member
Arc. Uche Ukeje (MNIA) -- member
Dr. Mokolade Johnson (MNIA) -- member

04
 Meet
The Contributors
Prof. Musa Lawal Sagada mnia Dr. Chinweotuto Okpoechi fnia
Musa Lawal Sagada, is a Professor in the Department of Dr. Okpoechi holds BSC (Arch) and MSc (Arch) from Imo
Architecture, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He studied State University Okigwe, MSc Facilities Management from
Architecture at the University Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh, and PhD in Architecture
Villas, Santa Clara, Republic of Cuba, and a Ph.D. in from Imo State University Owerri. Dr. Okpoechi is a chief
Architecture from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. lecturer at the Federal Polytechnic Nekede and an adjunct
He is a registered architect and a full member of the senior lecturer at Imo State University Owerri. She is an
Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA). He is also the current architectural educator with over 27 years experience, and
President of the Association of Architectural Educators of with research interests in housing, design, and building
Nigeria, (AARCHES). climatology.

Joy Maina PhD Dr. Abubakar Danladi Isah mnia

A graduate of Ahmadu Bello University and the University Abubakar Danladi Isah (PhD), is an expert in Human
of Nottingham UK where she obtained her PhD. Joy Behaviour & Spaces in the Built Environment
teaches architectural design studio and research methods at the Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria
at Undergraduate, Masters and Doctoral levels at ABU where he is presently a Senior Lecturer. He authored the
Zaria. Her research interests include housing, spatial book Urban Public Housing in Northern Nigeria: The
morphology analyses and architectural education. Search for Indigeniety & Cultural Practices in Design. Dr.
Isah is a registered architect and a full member of the
Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) as well as the
Association of Architectural Educators (AARCHES).

Aka Tolulope Arc. Baba Oladeji

Arc. Tolulope Aka is presently an associate partner at Baba Oladeji is an architect interested in mainstreaming
Anetor + Associates. Tolu is a registered architect from architecture's potential beyond the “building”. He is the
Covenant University with interest in construction, interior Founder of A3: Archives of African Architectures.
design, HSE and project management..

Omolade Ariko Arc. Dr. Pontip Stephen Nimlyat

Omolade has over fifteen years experience in the Pontip Stephen Nimlyat, PhD, is an Architect and a Senior
construction industry having worked as project architect at Lecturer/research faculty member in the University of Jos,
James Cubitt Architects Nigeria, project manager with Nigeria. He has over fifteen years experience as an
Standard Chartered Bank, project architect and design unit architect and a researcher. Nimlyat, has undertaken
head at Space and Place Limited. She is currently the research in Green Building Performance and Sustainable
principal Architect of Restline Integrated Services Built environment, with over forty publications in refereed
Limited. She is registered with the Architects Registration journals, and is currently working on indoor air quality (IAQ)
Council of Nigeria and is a member of the Nigerian Institute and ventilation rates in mid-rise office buildings in tropical
of Architects. dry climate.

“It’s about figuring out the best

means for a given environment,
it’s about the reality of the
situation.”
Francis Kere on his work in Burkina Faso

05
 Meet
The Contributors
Dr. Warebi Gabriel-Brisibe mnia Udochukwu Marcel-Okafor Mnia
He holds a Bsc (Arch), MSc (Arch) from the University of She is a chartered architect and principal lecturer
Jos, Nigeria, PhD (Arch), Newcastle, United Kingdom, and at the Department of Architecture Federal Polytechnic
is a lecturer, researcher and environmentalist. Area of Nekede, Imo State, Nigeria. She is currently pursuing a
research interest: vernacular architecture, heritage PhD in Architecture at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu
building and flood resilient environments. He is currently University, Uli, Anambra State. Main interest is in
serving as HOD department of Architecture, Rivers State architectural education particularly curriculum review of
University, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. architectural technology programmes in Nigerian
Polytechnics.

Mokoḷ́ ad́ é Johnson PhD

Mokoĺ ̣ ádé Johnson Ph.D, is an Urbanist and architectural
Well-being theorist. He is convinced that quality of life and “To provide meaningful
health of rural-urban communities is influenced by geo-
cultural and people-centered planning philosophies. He architecture is not to parody
currently doubles as the Hub Administrator for Architecture
and Urbanism Research Hub (A+URH), University of history, but to articulate it. - Daniel
Lagos.
Libeskind ”

TRIBUTE TO THE LATE

DR. OWAJIONYI FRANK
A
rc. Owajionyi Lyasis Frank PhD, MNIA. BSc, MSc (RUST,
Nigeria), PhD (Nottimgham, UK). He was a registered
architect, lecturer and external examiner and was the
immediate past H.O.D of the department of Architecture, Rivers State
University, Portharcourt. During his tenure as H.O.D, he led a lot of
reforms in the Department and was a strong advocate of the faculty of
Architecture program for Nigerian Schools of Architecture.

He was an active member of the Nigerian Institute of Architects,

Rivers State chapter, a one time member of the NIA Board of
Architectural Education. He was recently appointed member of the
NIA Library and Publications Committee. We are sad that he did not
live to see the publication of our first edition of the Architeture Nigeria
magazine. He will be greatly missed.

He is survived by a wife, four children, an aged mother and

grandmother.

06
 RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE IN NIGERIA:
IN SEARCH OF AN AUTHENTIC NIGERIAN EXPRESSION
by: Dr. Chinweotuto Ugochi Okpoechi

T
he outward representation of a building's purposes with showcasing meaning
intent and meaning would be a fitting yet that is directly linked to a location.
simple description of what architectural
expression is. What a building showcases on the Architectural expression, in identifying a
outside should reflect what goes on in the inside; people, must speak to a concept or idea that
a merger of utility and aesthetics. Architectural is generally understood and accepted by the
expression may be applied in a variety of ways people as belonging to them. The questions
including use of forms, motifs, patterns, special here would be what would constitute meaning
elements, and colour. The essence is to interpret in Nigeria, that can be expressed through
the fusion between utility, and sense of style of the architecture ? Would it be understood for what
architect or region (Gill, 1959). it represents? Cultural symbolism would seem
to fall short here, seeing as Nigeria is very
“if we are so culturally culturally diverse and therefore unable to
present a unified cultural appreciation. It would
diverse, why should we
serve more as a differentiator than a unifier. So
seek a unifying expression again the question would be if we are so
in our architecture?” culturally diverse, why should we seek a
unifying expression in our architecture?
Utility in architecture should satisfy the
complex manipulations of cultural influences, In the midst of the diversity exist unifying concepts.
advancements in science and technology, Before colonial influences in Nigeria, the different
available materials and workmanship, and regions had clearly defined housing configurations.
climate. Education, experience, and external The dominant features were the inward facing
influences on the other hand, combine to courtyards surrounded by living quarters, and
shape an architect's sense of style, showcasing the walled compound having a single
his ingenuity and imagination. Since a consistent entrance for security (Adedokun, 2014; Umar et al,
architectural expression either reflects 2019; Okoye and Ukanwa, 2019). The head of
the personal style of an individual architect, or household was usually the closest to the entrance
identifies a people or region, interpreting to provide protection to his family. There were
personal architectural style need not be at cross slight variations to this arrangement across the

Gill, T. S. (1959) 'Architectural Expression' In Seminar on Architecture, (Ed) Achyut K, pp.

REFERENCES

Adedokun, A. (2014) 'Incorporating Traditional Architecture into Modern Architecture:

Case Study Yoruba Traditional Architecture' British Journal of Humanities and Social 26-29. New Delhi: Lalit Kala Academy
Sciences, vol 11(1), pp. 39-45

Umar, G.; Yusuf, A.; Ahmed, A.; and Usman, A. (2019) 'The Practice of Hausa
Traditional Architecture: Towards Conservation and Restoration of Spatial Morphology
Okoye, C. and Ukanwa, O. (2019), 'Igbo Traditional Architecture: A Symbol of Igbo
Cultural Identity' International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research vol 10(11) pp
07
and Techniques'. Scientific African 5 84-88
 different cultures, with the Igbos having the A resurgence of traditionally held concepts in
entrance also functioning as an Obi, where architectural expression and interpretation
kindred meetings were held. In all cases, the was a logical follow-up to the nationalist
courtyard was the family activity area, the movement before, and after independence
rallying point for everybody. This spatial from the colonialists. Fenced compounds
arrangement of the compounds was largely having a single celebrated entrance reminiscent
in response to the hot climate which was of the traditional compound concept began to
drier towards the north, and more humid spring up again, only this time, construction
towards the south. It was also a defence methods and materials had changed, with
against external aggression to the adjustments made to spatial planning. As with
homestead. The compound was the family the traditional setting where size and number
of buildings in a compound signalled wealth and
fortress, a haven of some sort. Though
status, these new houses also told a story of
materials, construction methods, and form
wealth, conquests and status. With time homes
differed across the different regions, there
became bigger, sturdier and more imposing.
were clear similarities in spatial planning of
residential compounds across the regions.
“This new architecture brought
The traditional form of architecture was with it changes in social structure,
quickly eclipsed by the influences of amalgamating cultures across
colonization, religion and modernism.
The crude methods and materials gave
the regional divide.”
way to more refined processes and better Nobody was to be outdone in showcasing his
enduring materials. With these external attainment. As before, many living quarters were
influences came a change in the housing enclosed within one compound with the head of
configuration as people moved to cities in household occupying an imposing place of
search of a new form of livelihood. protection.
Household sizes contracted as people left
the family setting to settle in cities. The Maybe unconsciously, as a people, Nigerians
architecture of the compound gave way to have recreated in their homes, the familiar
a new type of housing that incorporated concepts that have guided their cultural evolution.
non-family members, breaking the The average Nigerian's concept of home is a
traditional order. Modern houses were multi-building compound, protected by a wall
open to the street and unfenced, and (fence), with an entrance to shut out intrusion from
different families began to interact in ways outsiders. This arrangement has morphed to
only single-family members would have include non-family members who may be serving
interacted hitherto. This new architecture as domestic help. However the overriding concept
brought with it changes in social structure, has remained the same. This in itself is a pure
amalgamating cultures across the regional expression of the cultural values that Nigerians
divide. hold dear as a people.

Gill, T. S. (1959) 'Architectural Expression' In Seminar on Architecture, (Ed) Achyut K, pp.

REFERENCES

Adedokun, A. (2014) 'Incorporating Traditional Architecture into Modern Architecture:

Case Study Yoruba Traditional Architecture' British Journal of Humanities and Social 26-29. New Delhi: Lalit Kala Academy
Sciences, vol 11(1), pp. 39-45

Umar, G.; Yusuf, A.; Ahmed, A.; and Usman, A. (2019) 'The Practice of Hausa Okoye, C. and Ukanwa, O. (2019), 'Igbo Traditional Architecture: A Symbol of Igbo
Traditional Architecture: Towards Conservation and Restoration of Spatial Morphology
and Techniques'. Scientific African 5
Cultural Identity' International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research vol 10(11) pp
84-88
08
 ARCHITECTURE NIGERIA:
LANGUAGE FOR BETTER URBAN FUTURES
by: Dr. MOKOḶ́ AD
́ É JOHNSON

Preamble This phase of philosophical thrust dictated curriculums

“Architecture is an expression of values –the way taught at different levels, from secondary schools to
we build, is a reflection of the way we live." - tertiary institutions of architecture without deference to
Norman Foster values in local culture. This period simultaneously came
with diverse foreign styles such as De Stijl, (Dutch),
Bauhaus (German), Gothic, Roman, Chezks,

A
rchitecture as a medium of expression gives hope
for a better tomorrow if the quest for the re- Greek...Japanese Metabolism, Chinese Yin and Yang or
delineation of today's filched or recycled Indian Vastu-shastra, all preached their unique
architecture at the local realm is resolved. It is not a eccentricities. The post-independent decades produced
coincidence of history that after sixty year of practice in the first crop of Nigerian professional trained abroad and
post independent Nigeria, the search for domestic locally as the oil-booms of the 1970s changed national
architectural language is just beginning. According to Z.R. economic fortunes. The ensuing age of globalization,
Dmochowski, architecture is neither a purely artistic nor an industrialization and commercialization transformers are
exclusively technical endeavor. In many civilizations of the shaping contemporary trends with the Internet of Things,
world, the understanding and appreciation of traditional all affecting the 21st century architectural identity of where
tenets usually provide depth of language useful for we live, work and play.
architectural expression as the immobile art of a people.
The heterogeneous nations that made up the Nigerian are
Language in Cultures: Words in Architectural Briefs
unique entities in the material and color palette from which
an indigenous identity can be formed. Since the 19th
Nigeria is country endowed with over 400 indigenous
century, so many modifiers came along in contributing to
the chaotic scenarios evident in the architectural peoples and patois with more than six centuries of diverse
landscape of 21st century Nigeria. Change Influencers like influences from foreigners who do not speak nor
the European and Middle Eastern religion in precolonial understand local language. Borrowing from the Yoruba
era, return of freed slaves with the Brazilian flair and new example; Proverbs are the compass of a discourse 'Ow ̀ e
materials and the takeover by forces of colonization which lẹsịn oṛ̀ ̣ o,̀ ̣ or
̀ ̣ ọ̀ lẹṣin òwe, bi or
̀ ̣ ò ̣ ba son
̣ ù, òwe la fi nwa a.'
rescinded cultural values contributed to the challenge. (Sotunde,2017). Creation or production of matter are
Another major modification occurred through the 1931- usually coded in words. Through linguistics, language,
1933 International Congress of Modern Architecture literature, poetry, art and mythological narratives, the
(CIAM) Athens Charter, Venice charter 1964 and general belief is that “the planetary environments were
Amsterdam Declaration of 1975. This came under framed by the word”. I argue that 'Word' is a vehicle for
ideological guises of metaphors couched as design Design. It comes as brief for design in architecture, while
paradigms and promoted by foreign professionals without art in its various forms is one of the languages of
any local input. It is like an 'architecture by us for you' expression for architecture.
architypes.

09
There is no doubt that the treatise for local architectural Modern-day Nigerian architect needs to use the positive
language must be developed by Nigerian scholars and rub-offs of colonialism, as remedies at the local level and
professionals. Efforts must be in multidisciplinary deliberately sieve out the virtues in the architecture of the
combination of architects, planners, landscape colonizers and blend-in the variety of architectural
architects, urban designers, anthropologists, ecologists, metaphors in the diversity that make up Nigeria in
geographers, economists, artists, historians, and particular and Africa in general, (Adejumo, 2019). They
sociologists to mention a few. Sophie Oluwole, (2017) must become the peer-of-the-realm, not only in
one of Nigeria's foremost philosophers posits that “there architectural best-practices and professional patriotism,
is no absolutely good culture, nor is there an absolutely but highly knowledgeable in landscape architecture,
bad culture”. The argument is that true love for one's culture, arts, heritage preservation, design metaphor,
culture and tradition must be cultivated; such true love is human geography, philosophy, urban design, planning
the offspring of true knowledge which then lead to and policy advocacy. Present day architects must not be
acceptance of values. Consequently, real love and submerged in the 'form follow function' debacle and
knowledge of the people's cultural heritage is the abandon the design of the Abuja Public realm to foreign
cornerstone for molding contemporary cultural forms, idealists and Lagos-Ikorodu Regional Masterplan to
forms which are developed from the cultural past of a technicians from far-away-places. Developing Neo-
people. Demas Nwoko, 2020 asserts that all aspects of Hausa, Neo-Igbo, Neo-Yoruba, Tiv, Edo, and Ijaw
life in the nation have always evolved and developed architectural language and identities will be the sure way
through firm underpinning of culture-associated forward. Local architecture needs concerted effort to
precepts. These manifestations are evident in religion, achieve this, so that it does not fail like the misapplied
art, crafts, painting, fashion, tribal body adornments, Wazobia language project of old. The new generation of
architecture, embellishments, and politics for the cultural architects should accept values in tradition and evolve in
well-being of the society. plastic, adobe, steel, glass, aluminum, and wood,
concrete and create a modern architectural language
and develop autochthonous philosophies and pragmatic
Conclusion: towards a better urban future pedagogy following the Demas Nwoko examples
towards better urban prospects.
“Technology is universal, but the aesthetics of art is
unique to different cultures, so I set out to translate the
African idioms and aesthetics to our contemporary
scene”- Demas Nwoko
10
11
 “HOW MUCH? IS IT NOT TO PUT
PENCIL ON PAPER?”

F
amous words of the self-builder in Nigeria. However, society has
moved on from that paradigm. Developers and Self-builders
now work with architects, or do they? Has the paradigm really
changed?

Value is an interesting concept. While everyone acknowledges the

monetary value of a precious stone, only a select few will “sell all they
have” to possess it. In our particular environment it is very common to
meet Clients who will readily pay a builder half a million naira to develop
a building for which he is still negotiating a fifty thousand naira fee with
the Consultant who conceived it.

What is value? Who is the custodian of it?

Shall we assert that it is the Client who envisions a built environment for
his specific activity and is willing to part with some funds to see it
materialize?

Is it the Builder who procures the best of materials and labor (or
otherwise)?

Is it the Architect who orders the space, walking a fine line balancing
what is aesthetically pleasing, what is within budget, what is within
statutory regulations, what the builder has capacity and resource to
construct and what will ensure that he remains relevant for the next
project?

“I DESIGNED MY HOUSE MYSELF”

THE SOCIETY'S PERCEPTION
OF THE VALUE OF A senior friend told me this after I graduated. I remember stepping
excitedly into my Uncle's new house in my second year of Architecture
Study. “I sketched the design myself” were the words that I heard next. I
THE ARCHITECT began to wonder why I was studying this course! In both cases, they
actually took time to look through magazines and study other houses
before telling their builder exactly what they wanted.

So the average self-builder recognizes the need for a design. he is

however satisfied with showing his builder what he has seen
somewhere and commission him to replicate it. He does not see the
need to ask an Architect to interpret his desire, translate it into drawings
to be communicated to the builder.

The Developer relies on the Architect to give him a design that will hold
the attention of the buyer (the end-user). He also focuses on what is
trending to ensure his bottom line remains intact.
VALUE IN THE PURSE OF THE CLIENT
by: Omolade Ariko Design in itself is not has never been the contention. You have only to
look around various estates to see proliferation of any particular style.
In Abuja, the higher the tip of the hip roof the better. The Modern style of
flat roofs and linear facades is all the rave in Lekki axis of Lagos State.
In decades past, you had to have Corinthian columns in front of your
house (whether it was structurally required or not)

12
“ARCHITECTURE IS FOR THE BOURGEOIS”
Those were the words I heard at my first salaried job as an assistant architect. Did that include the upwardly mobile or the
New money? The Capitalist economy meant that with a lot of grit the lower income person of today could become the
“bourgeois” of tomorrow. What happens then? If the Architect was not for him when he was poor, why should he consult him
now that he can afford him?

If there is a value in consulting an architect should it not be a universal fact? While the “bourgeois” understand the value of an
Architect in the build process, they would rather consult with a foreign firm than the local architect.
Where does this leave us? The average graduate architect of today is focused on photography or producing 3D renders or
competing with the builder to get the build contracts. Very few have any interest to become “apprentices” (or interns I should
say) and gain the necessary experience required for the practice of architecture. A young architect said to me recently “I am
not interested in working drawings, I will provide the concept and hand over to the Client”. That is the reality of our Practice
today.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

Lino Bianco (International Academy of Architecture, 2015Ukabi (2015)Lera (1980)) in examining the values and perceptions
of contemporary architecture by architects and civil society, analyzed a project by each of the following leading contemporary
architects - Renzo Piano, Norman Foster and Rem Koolhaas. The selected designs, all commissioned not more than a
decade ago, in locations from Malta to Lebanon to India concluded that design values and perceptions of architecture as
read by members of the architectural profession do not tally with those of the public.
If this is the lot of Architects practicing in society that understand the value of a well thought trough build process, who
appreciate the value of intangible design, who are willing to make the sacrifice of paying the fees charged by Architects or
Architectural Designers, where does that leave the Nigerian Architect?
As a community it is imperative that we make the sacrifice to re-introduce the value of our services to the society from the
least to the highest placed. We can talk about good or bad design in another discuss, for now Design must become part of the
language of the “common man”.

I was told of a building in highbrow Ikoyi which did not get buyers. The discerning individual who told me the story noted that in
spite of all the windows in the house it had a dark ambience. Can we as Designers at all levels begin to explain the effect of a
well-lit room on the emotions of the people who inhabit it?

Can we focus on taking the value of having an Architect out of the purse of the Client and put it back in the eye of the
beholder?

Unlike Alice in wonderland let's look from the chaos that surrounds us and show the society a different world.

Signed
Omolade Ariko

13
14
 THE FEMALE ARCHITECTS
OF NIGERIA - FAN:

FAN is a subsidiary of the Institute with the

principal responsibility to coordinate,
encourage and promote female architects in
the practice of architecture in Nigeria.

The vision of carrying out the core mandate

above has resulted in registration of the
association with Government and
membership affiliations with other relevant
female professional bodies in order to take
advantage of opportunities that have been
created for women nationally & internationally.
FAN encourages & mentors unregistered
female members through to professional
competency.

The association also involves members in

various beneficial continuous professional
development programs and pursue strategies
to empower members for enterprise.

In addition, FAN engages pupils & children

with rudiments of architecture in order to
generate interest in the profession and
ultimately raise another generation of
Architects through mentorship programs &
competitions.

Arc. (Mrs.) Olubukunola A. Ejiwunmi FNIA, PPNIA.

Study excursions- West African Ceramic factory, Ajaokuta, FAN Mentorship activity at the Federal Polytechnic
Kogi State. Nasarawa.

15
16
 I N T E R V I E W W I T H

PROFESSOR JOHN GODWIN

P
rofessor John Godwin co-founder of
GHK(Godwin, Hopwood & Kuye) is one
of the foremost architects in the
country. Arriving Nigeria in 1954, he has well
over 50 years experience in the Nigerian
Landscape. In an interview with members of
the Library & Publications committe, he gives
an insight into his sojourn in Nigeria and his
views on Architecture in the country.

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
William John Godwin was born in 1928 to
William Godwin an architect and Laura
Watkins. He had his early education at Wrekin
College and served with the Army Engineers
briefly when he completed his studies at the AA
(Architectural Association) School. He was a
Leverhulme Scholar from 1945-1950. He also ANg: WHAT ARE THE INFLUENCES
worked with his father and as an assistant ON YOUR CAREER?
architect with Architects' Copartnership.
JG: Firstly I would say my wife and partner in
John Godwin met his wife Gillian Hopwood at all things, Gillian and before that, my family and
the AA in 1945 and they both presented a joint particularly my Father who taught me how to
AA Thesis project in 1950. In the same year, draw and paint in water colour. He being a
they obtained their AA Dipl. ARIBA and got consummate artist and draftsman much
married in August, 1952. Appointed by ACP sought after in the world of architectural
(Architects' Copartnership) as resident presentation specialists and a teacher with
“partner” in Nigeria in 1954, he later resigned to infinite patience. I was also lucky with my
start Godwin and Hopwood in Lagos, by house master at school who permitted me to
October, 1955. Godwin and his wife were both use his bicycle to go beyond the school
inducted as Fellows of Royal Institute of British boundaries at weekends to sketch churches
Architects (FRIBA, 1963) and as Fellows of and landscapes around wartime Shropshire.
Nigerian Institute of Architects (FNIA, 1980). This prepared me for an early start at Kingston
They both retired from GHK Architects in 2014 before I reached 17 and entered the AA School
after handing over to Architect Abiola Fayemi well known for its liberal studies and where my
(FNIA) as C.E.O. John was awarded with the father had earned his degree. It was he who
Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic tutored me on the importance of professional
(OFR) in 2002 and Gillian with the Member of behaviour and introduced me to the family
the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) in solicitor in Chancery Lane and my future bank
2004. They both naturalized as Nigerian manager. Perhaps I was a bit old fashioned
Citizens in 2011. when treating my students as “ladies and
In 1999 John was invited by Prof.Olumide gentlemen” but it signified their changing
Olusanya to take up the post of Professor in status and personal responsibility towards
charge of Post Graduate Studies at the School joining the society which I regarded as a
of Architecture, UNILAG where he taught till privilege to be a part of.
2014. Gillian also served as President,
Soroptimist International of Nigeria 1998/99 ANg: HOW DID YOU BALANCE
and President of the Nigeria- Britain
Association 2003/04. John was invited to
SOCIAL LIFE WITH WORK?
become the first President and Co-Founder of JG: I can't say I was any good at that, work for
LEGACY (1995) by its Founder Mrs. Kofo both of us always took priority but we were
Adeleke who is now its current President. fortunate in the beginning to be

Photo: Holy Cross Cathedral

17
Photo: University of Lagos Faculty of Science Complex

commissioned for Government work due to a shortage A N g : W H I C H WA S Y O U R M O S T

of professionals in the field. There was the added MEMORABLE JOB WHICH
advantage that we were there and easily accessible
with a reasonable scholastic CV and a growing
E N C A P S U L AT E D Y O U R D E S I G N
portfolio of projects. We also came with PHILOSOPHY?
recommendations from UK contacts. We went to JG: There really isn't one project but a series of key
parties, dinners and did a lot of hosting. We however commissions as we advanced from housing through
stuck to one sport, which was regular sailing. The education to commercial and industrial work.
sailing club was not as exclusive as some of the other Reliability (delivering on time), budget, careful
clubs then. We entertained boys from King's College functional planning, detailing to improve comfortable
as well as the girls from Queen's. Years later one of the living and working conditions, gaining the confidence
16 year old girls I took out then, would go on to became of consultants, builders and sub-contractors through
the Surveyor General of the Federation. Today that good drawings and contract documentation earned us
Club has several keen Nigerian sailing members. a reputation for competence and fair dealing with one
aim in mind namely, to promote job satisfaction and a
Having been accepted as a member of the Island Club client who is going to come back.
in 1954, and being a Trustee, my number, 963 (I think!)
establishes me as the longest standing member! I
became a member of the Lagos Men's Dining Club A N g : W H I C H WA S Y O U R M O S T
which connected me with many older Lagosians CHALLENGING PROJECT?
particularly when we were becoming more interested JG: Shell British Petroleum Offices (SBPC), Warri.
in Lagos history and old buildings. An illustrious The original Shell BP main exploration office was
member was Cardinal Okogie and this relationship led located just outside Port Harcourt but after the closure
to rescuing of some important ecclesiastical furniture of the borders between Biafra and the other borders of
at Holy Cross Cathedral thanks to his intervention. the Federation the company decided to move that
These works are dated to around 1890 and were entire department to Warri where already they had
made by the famous Brazil worker, Balthazar dos built a large residential area. I was taken by the chief
Reis. engineer to a swamp just behind a newly completed
extension to Warri harbour and asked to build a new
“Reliability (delivering on time), home for the exploration section of SBPC in 10
budget, careful functional planning, months. He said that to get started immediately, they
would provide an access road in timber similar to their
detailing to improve comfortable drilling sites. The rest was up to Godwin and Hopwood
living and working conditions, on the basis of an accommodation brief which he
gaining the confidence of handed to me and the simple request “Could I produce
a design and construction programme with a budget
consultants, builders and sub- within a few days and present it to him in Lagos?”
contractors through good drawings
and contract documentation...”
18
We were able to do this including nominating a
willing and reliable contractor as well as
suppliers of key materials. A two storey block of
offices in two connected wings was proposed
using our own standard design projected
windows and a roof in self-supporting Amiantus
asbestos sheets. The structure was to be load
bearing sand/cement block work with a system
of RC ring beams at first floor and roof level. A
subsoil investigation indicated an area on the
large site where strip concrete foundations
could be built to support blockwork piers for the
superstructure. Our structural engineers were
Arup and our quantity surveyors were Tillyards,
two local Lagos firms. and how to shape them to improve working and
The design incorporated shading devices; living conditions necessitated by the sovereign
Photo: Development at Muritala Muhammed road,
calculated to exclude direct solar radiation Ikoyi, Lagos status of Nigeria when colonial control
during office hours and enhance cross departed. In our teaching mode we made many
ventilation through windows and openings on friends in our own age group as well as our
either side of a central corridor. Where students. We spent our entire working lives re-
mechanical cooling control was needed in a few writing the rules of our profession through our
equipment rooms, unit air conditioners were buildings and their implementation. Nigeria
installed. Otherwise comfortable conditions remains our tutor.
were maintained by maximizing the prevailing
breeze and excluding direct solar radiation.
Thus, a very simple building designed around ANg: WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THE
planned logistical support to enable a major EVOLUTION OF ARCHITECTURE IN
project to be completed on time which enabled
NIGERIA?
oil production to continue almost without JG: We have been fortunate in finding and
interruption. joining like minds in our work. By imposing a
working discipline on ourselves and those
ANg: WHY DID YOU CONTINUE IN NIGERIA working in our practice, we have also
FOR SO LONG? developed a professional modus which we can
JG: Simply answered, we had work to do and apply to our design and the way we work with
we as a family, enjoyed Nigeria and the friends our professional consultants, our contractors
we made at all levels. Had we practiced in the and suppliers whom we share productive and
UK, Gillian would not have had the opportunity innovative templates. This has led to an
to work as productively as she was able to do in aesthetic which reflects our attitude to comfort
Lagos and have two children. Consequently, control as a primary moderating factor in
our domestic staff, drivers and messengers fulfilling the many functions of a building design.
were regarded by us as important employees. Being able to impart these ideas in the form of
Most importantly, we came to Nigeria with open academic courses at Schools of Architecture in
minds as visitors. Most importantly, it was Nigeria and other schools in Africa has been our
expected of us to implant the skills we brought contribution to the debate.
and noted on the immigration work permits
Architecture is subject to change and the
which were given to us; and immediately set
fashion of the time which in turn may be dictated
about honouring what in effect was our Photo: Nestle Nigeria Plc Water Plant, Lagos.
by the performance of the new materials with
undertaking to the Government. This included
which we build or finish it.Nothing can be said to
as a priority, researching the building needs of
be static or frozen. For example the age of the
our hosts
“spectacular” has already changed the skyline
of our urban environments with the big
spenders dominating as they do in Dubai, Abu
Dhabi and Shanghai. (“The Age of Spectacle”
Tom Dyckhoff 2017, The Building that looks like
a Pair of Underpants)
I don't think we have reached a vernacular
which we can claim as our own and most of our
recent buildings in Abuja in my opinion, are but
inferior copies of international designs without
any style which relates to our climate and our
people and yet the signs of an insipid change
are there if we look closely. The standard house
plan with the parlour window at the front
alongside the entrance and

19
15
and veranda was multiplied all over the “Importantly it must make a
southern states in the 1960s and 90s significant contribution to
much rather in the way that the “semi- D”
dominated suburban London between
how we handle the future of
the wars. This is now giving way on all living things animate and
mainland Lagos, more and more to the “I inanimate with which we
see you, you see me” plan once share the world.”
considered low class but serving the
teaming populations of our cities. It is
also rapidly surrendering to the need to make a significant contribution to how
develop flatted blocks as larger plots we handle the future of all living things
carved out from the grid iron town plan animate and inanimate with which we
are developed. For the more affluent share the world. Already the evidence is
tenants in Ebute Metta and Yaba and mounting and the Virus may be a
further afield in Lekki, these buildings serious contender for space.
rather like those in the world's city In making an assessment of the present
centres satisfy only the basic needs of state of the profession and its
existence and rarely can be said to preparedness for the future, I would say
attain the status of aesthetic living firstly, that Nigeria always has had good
afforded by the high earners. However people but never enough of them or in
with the massive re- shuffling of sufficient numbers to shoulder the
locations, the living standards created weight of problems and to mobilise the
by the need to counter the virus opportunities. Achebe's comment was
pandemic is dictating the way we may pointed when he announced that, “we
be living in the future and we may see always lose the game because we
the end of dormitory villages giving way never play our best team”. I would
to communities living and working at venture to add or because we never
home rather as they do in the recruit sufficient support to exert the
overcrowded areas of Mumbai, Lagos, necessary impact to win. We often fail
Rio de Janeiro, New York and London. through sheer lack of logistics and have
Britain's newly declared policy of a tendency to give up just when the tide
levelling our present unequal enclaves is turning in our favour. “Anyway” is a
may become more than a political popular Nigerian non sequitur to get you
necessity and the reality of a whole new out of a tight corner without a
way of living, working and commitment.
communicating rather like zooming
could be subject to self-imposed
restrictions, while holidaying will need a ANg: WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES
form or rationing to cope with FACING ARCHITECTURAL
overcrowding. PRACTICES?
JG: The architect best qualified to
answer this question is my friend Prof
ANg: WHAT IS YOUR ASSESSMENT Ekundayo Adeyemi. My experiences,
OF THE PRESENT STATUS OF mainly unhappy ones on this subject are
ARCHITECTURE IN NIGERIA? firstly, the diminishing respect of the
JG: It would be foolish of me to assume profession by the public not only in
the mantle of the soothsayer. We are in Nigeria but in England where it started,
difficult times to say the very least. with the abandonment of the scale of
Interestingly the virus is creating a fees and introducing competition which
stabilizing effect on western society had the effect of cutting the service. In
which has dominated mankind since Nigeria we had the famous Federal fee
ancient times. But that is the challenge scale introduced by Obasanjo who
for us all and Nigerians must listen to its based his figures on fee reductions
wise men and women who are out there a l r e a d y b e i n g o ff e r e d b y s o m e
writing, painting, singing, designing and members of the profession. Inevitably
making all manner of things to enableus this led to a general reduction in the
to stake a significant claim to the way service given elsewhere. Only the large
mankind will be formulating its future practices could survive.
existence. This includes the places
where we live and work. It will have to
cope with climate change and
particularly rising temperatures and
Photo: Bookshop House, Lagos.
rising sea levels. Importantly it must

20
Photo: GlaxoSmithKline Headquarters building Lagos.

In a reply given by the German partner working with Berger in Lagos and Abuja particularly on high quality pre-
Norman Foster on the new Reichstag building he said, stressed concrete, precast concrete elements and
“Norman should know that in Germany you rarely get the furniture manufacture. We also visited Metalum factories
last 10% of your fee!” In Nigeria another unwelcome trend at the same locations to see the process of window
has been the return of contractor finance and “AID” manufacture from the architect's drawings through
projects including professional services. Sometimes these detailed fabrication drawings to the finished production at
are offered for the design and construction drawings only, the workshops and to erection procedures on site. All these
leaving the supervision to a local architect who takes promoted more interest at class lectures.
responsibility for the implementation at a minimal fee,
while the overseas architect gets a fee for the easiest part
of the job. ANg: WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON
COMPETITIONS?
JG: This has always been a bone of contention in the
ANg: PLEASE SHARE WITH US THE
NIA but we do have guidelines for their conduct. GHK
EVOLUTION OF G H K. entered the competition for the EU buildings at Abuja
JG: With a few exceptions, all our professional services and won Third Prize but had to submit through the
were provided in Nigeria through a network of offices London office because no competitors were invited from
around the country managed by regular visits either by Nigeria! It would be beneficial if the NIA would ensure
Gillian or myself and residents, both Nigerian and foreign firms partner with local firms (with Nigerians
expatriates in the key centres at Kaduna, Jos and being the lead consultants) when undertaking jobs in the
Maiduguri. Communications were maintained by weekly country.
mail bags delivered by Nigeria Airways and fixed time calls. Also, there has always been a reticence from clients to
Our drawing system made the location of construction adopt this procedure partly because of time and the
details easy where queries arose. In addition we had extra fees involved. Time and extra fees are often the
Nigerian draftsmen who were trained in-house by me and constraints.
earned promotion commensurate with the proficiency
reached. Gillian and I were the sole partners until we were
able to employ and promote Nigerians, three of whom ANg: ANY ADVICE FOR YOUNG
became associates.
ARCHITECTS?
JG: Join a good practice; enjoy the habit of hard work.
ANg: HOW CAN WE IMPROVE
ARCHITECTURAL UNIVERSITY
“Students would definitely improve
PROGRAMMES?
their knowledge and
JG: Students would definitely improve their knowledge
and thereby gain in confidence if they could follow jobs on
thereby gain in confidence
site, hopefully with the site architect being the tour guide. I if they could follow jobs on
used to have the permission of the Head of school at site, hopefully with the site
Unilag to do this; especially when working with Julius architect being the tour guide.”

21
Architects, now let's There is a universal conspiring,
With COVID-19,
With Black Lives Matter,

get in formation!
With Ghana's Year of Return,
With 2063,
With 2023,
To hand us a big slice of the continent
by: Baba Oladeji
For what is coming
We must get in formation
By ending the hegemony of the building
We must open up architecture
Its beautiful inside to the people

We must ask ourselves

Do we need to repeat certain typologies?
Like the museum or the gallery
Do we have the time to build Lagos like Rome?
Do we need to teach our architects like Vitruvius?
Should we continue to look down on policy people

Do we need pharmacies or orchards?

Do we need galleries or newspaper stands?
Do we need parks or farms?
Do we need schools or places to learn trade?

We must get in formation

Some in journalism,
Erasing the anonymity of the architect forever
Some in policy, some in the guilds
Crafting conventions not black and white rules
That Lagos, Calabar, Kinshasa may be built

With lightning pace

Not dogmatic frameworks

Some in design,
Giving informality a chance
Like the dining room
Modelled around our eating patterns
in geometry: repelling the heat
but embracing the Light
in bringing back the courtyard
those lost, subtle principles
Of community

Some in academia,
[re]defining the parameters
The vocabularies for all to operate
To train the Future in local precedents
On the very terrain the Future will build

We suffer!
The more we insist
on being validated via 'building'
We suffer
The more we tie ourselves to strings of capital
and fail to find the latent cultural capacities
of our craft

There is planning work to do

There is academic work to do
There is journalism
There are new drawings to be made
New materials to sophisticate
There is more than one way to do architecture:
We need all to resume work
COVID-19 is soon over

22
23
24
T
he emergence of Corona virus disease (Covid-19)
declared as global pandemic is surely redefining the
cultural landscapes of neighbourhoods across the globe.
Therefore, understanding the persistence of local community
under most unusual conditions of social change fluidity
necessitated the need for people to adjust their way of living.
Meanwhile, urban processes and social integration of urban
neighbourhoods are understood through segregation of human
settlements in urban environments (Olson, 1982).

Globally, human habitations across districts, towns and cities

remained the centre stage of the pandemic with government
activities, businesses, schools, offices, and worship centres
shutting down to minimise crowds, leaving the built environment
with a long lasting impact. Even though the built environment
aids in preventing the spread of the pandemic, the associated
uncertainties due to the pandemic remains the focus of
stakeholders. As people are confined to their spaces they are
beginning to appreciate the benefits of operating from home.
Suddenly, terms such as #Stay at Home#, #Isolate and
Quarantine at Home#, #Lockdown# and #Work from Home#
became common slogans used for preventive and protective
guides against the pandemic.

In order to contain infections and reduce the spread of the

pandemic spreads across human settlements people are
encouraged to be restricted to their homes and
neighbourhoods. Similarly, in contact tracing, palliatives'
distribution and all forms of human social welfare interventions,
activities are limited to homes and neighbourhoods. In contrast
however, the lock down restrictions extends beyond
imagination leaving the majority frustrated and bored since they
are not used to confinement within their homes for a long time.
More so that the built environment is not necessarily planned to
provide adequately for people's needs as they shield from the
contagious disease. Suddenly people begin to demand for
neighbourhoods and home spaces where they can live,
worship, work, learn and exercise echoing possible local
SUSTAINABLE
attachments as well as social bonds.

The question seeking for response is; Are our neighbourhoods

NEIGHBOURHOODS
AND THE IMPACT OF
planned to meet the reality posed by the impact of the disease?

Policies on wellbeing of urban inhabitants are sure to be

ineffective particularly in developing nations due to non-
considerations of peculiarities and local realities (Baffoe, 2019).
It is thus evident that existing situations are likely deviant from
the demands necessitated by the pandemic. Therefore, the
COVID-19 ON THE
need to rethink neighbourhood planning and housing design to
meet the challenges of post Covid-19 pandemic. These
challenges include working from home distance learning, virtual
BUILT ENVIRONMENT
events, which tends to eliminate venue rent bills, as well as
VALUE IN THE PURSE OF THE CLIENT
reduce confinement stress and sick building syndrome effects.
by: Dr. Abubakar D. Isah
“HOW MUCH? IS IT NOT TO PUT PENCIL ON PAPER?”
Similarly neighbourhoods should provide basic and regular
needs of inhabitants within accessibility limits which is easily
achieved by consideration of Mixed-use building design and
development in neighbourhoods' planning. House design
should express isolation requirements as no health facility or
architecture has accommodated all patients at the peak of the
pandemic globally. These provisions will limit the spread within
micro built environments.
25
It therefore infer that the design of our homes and the planning of incorporated in the spatial planning to cater for issues such as
neighbourhoods to meet the challenges posed by the pandemic is a palliatives' distribution, case and contact tracing, stigma
responsibility that is more essential than ever for both architects. management as well as spread pattern detection.
“Neighbourhood as a spatial unit undoubtedly offers the best lens to
understand the anatomy of cities at a micro level” (Baffoe 2019). Third, neighbourhood security architecture desires that during lock
Aptly, in order to increase the capacity base on sustainable and down both building units and the district in general are kept safe
equitable districts, neighbourhoods' planning should meet the through enhanced community surveillance. Neighbourhood
tripod requirements of the pandemic- health, economy and security. support facilities such as worship centres, grocery outlets, bank
ATMs, energy and water distribution networks are made flexible
First, building design and housing typology should incorporate and intelligent in design. Spatial planning and social distancing
flexible isolation and quarantine spaces while allowing for effective should be easily achieved without disorder and social cohesion is
and uninterrupted domestic operations. Self-cleansing fittings and ensured. Further still, ensuring that neighbourhoods are
facilities should be recommended in the schedule of specifications geographically delineated with boarders makes urban governance
in order to reduce cost and demand for maintenance as well as and management system relatively easier.
disease escalation due to communicable surfaces. At district level
management of data reduces the impact and eases the pandemic As we adjust to the “new normal” neighbourhoods as places,
management architecture. Because, overwhelming health facilities community and policy units should be planned and designed to
and personnel are minimised as spatial segregation effectively avoid poor hygiene, overcrowded facilities and should poses
measure the control and management of pandemic in urban effective water and sanitation networks that can meet the
environmental neighbourhoods. Spatial epidemiology- spatial requirements for self-isolation in homes. Data such as disease
spread of incidences of diseases and relationship with factors of spread pattern, incubation period (1-14 days extending to 24days),
disease spread aids in categorising the spatial structure and and temperature of survival (below 26 to 27oC) are vital for house
important for health planners to assess the peoples' interaction of design and district planning. The age category/group of people
the micro environment (Emmanuel 2019) living in the building/neighbourhood is crucial in
order to carter spatially for the vulnerable group. In sum,
Second, neighbourhoods function as landscape of social and neighbourhood as units describes effectively, the internal structure
economic opportunities with employment connections, leisure of cities thus the need for sustainable planning particularly with the
interests and social networks (Kearns and Parkinson, 2001). Micro changing cultural landscapes characterised by the Covid-19
economic activities at the neighbourhood level through Mixed-use pandemic. By so doing the critical and peculiar needs of the people
building development ensure socio-economic sustainability that is streamlined with their spatial desires.
considers local interest and peculiarities. Also, neighbourhood
welfare associations and social intervention programmes could be

Baffoe, G. (2019). Understanding the Neighbourhood Concept and Its Evolution: A Review.
REFERENCES

Environment and Urbanisation ASIA, 10(2), 393-402.

Kearns, A. and Parkinson, M. (2001). The Significance of Neighbourhood. Urban Studies, 38(12), 2103-2110.
Olson, P. (1982). Urban Neighbourhood Research: Its Development and Current Focus.
Urban Affairs Quarterly, 17(4), 491-518.
Tanko, E.U. (2019). Spatial Statistical Techniques for Measuring the Control and Management of
Epidemics in urban Environmental Neighbourhoods in Measure of People and Space Interactions in the
built Environment: Towards Responsive Development, 53 (Eds. Isah A. D. and Muhammad I. B.) 26
Vernon Press US.
COVID-19 AND THE
AMAZING INVENTIONS
by: Arc. Aka Tolulope

C
OVID-19 -the unwelcomed and vicious TRANSPORTATION
enemy-appearing and suddenly
changing our world as we know it. The major innovation challenge of the
Incredibly, while the world is still coming to transportation industry is ensuring the safety
terms with the lasting effect of this pandemic, and protection of occupants/user while
we have witnessed amazing innovations that maximizing profits. An example of this was seen
have given us a glimpse into the future: in an Uber cab (a popular car hailing service) in
Nigeria. This particular car had a custom built
protective shield around the driver with a
OFFICE SPACES compartment for disposal mask (incase the
rider had none) and a disposal paper mat. The
There have been several models proposed to
seats were all covered in plastic wrap. Another
effectively cater to 'work life' post Covid-19.
example is the Glasssafe concept by Avio
Examples are the “6 feet office" model as
Interiors for airplanes.
implemented by Cushman & Wakefield in
Netherlands and the ''cube city" workspace in
London by Xu Weiping suited for colleagues Interior of a pod at cube city. photo credit : Xu Weiping/ABP/ theguardian.com

and freelancers to work close but within the

safety of their fully furnished pods. Another
amazing example is the Johnson Wax
Headquarters in Racine, Wisconsin, circa 1940
by the great Frank Lloyd Wright which was built
between 1936 and 1939.

Interior of the Johnson Wax Headquarters. photo Credits: Carol M. Highsmith / COVID-19 compliant cab. Photo credit- Aka Tolulope ‘glassafe’ photo credit: designboom
LIbrary of Congress/ techcrunch.com

https://www.bostondynamics.com/spot https://www.stepnpull.com/
REFERENCES

https://dornob.com/plexeat-suspended-shields-protect-patrons-in-bars- https://www.springwise.com/innovation-snapshot/travel-tourism-coronavirus-covid
restaurants/https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/aug/13/office-pods-may-be-the-answer- http://aviointeriors.it/2020/press/glassafe/
to-working-safely-post-covid-19 https://www.flightglobal.com/systems-and-interiors/aviointeriors-promises-new-post-coronavirus-
https://www.cushmanwakefield.com/en/netherlands/six-feet-office seat-design-in-under-six-months/137997.article
27
https://techcrunch.com/2020/06/22/ideas-for-a-post-covid-19-workplace/ https://dornob.com/covid-19-sparks-new-innovations-in-door-design/
https://www.vulture.com/2020/08/socially-distanced-uk-concert-venue.html https://c/covid-19-sparks-new-innovations-in-door-design/
 PARTIES AND CONCERTS

One of the major concerns for party lovers has

been the uncertainty about the possibility of
seeing their various stars and celebrities in large
concerts. While we have seen an increase in
virtual parties, we have seen that large concerts
can be held even in these times. An example is
the Sam Fender concert which drew about 2500
fans in Newcastle's Gosforth Park. The open air
event featured about 500 elevated metal
platforms. Another example is the Drive-in party
SPOT on a site. photo credit: bostondynamics.com
which took in Enugu. The possibilities for
architects and designers in this sector are
CONSTRUCTION TECH endless.

The robot dog known as SPOT is not particularly a

new invention as it was first introduced in 2016. The
idea behind inventions like this has the potential of
aiding national and international collaboration
amongst the building industry stake holders as
projects can be accurately monitored virtually.
According to their website, you can inspect
progress on construction sites, create digital twins,
and compare as built conditions to Building
Information Modeling (BIM) autonomously with
SPOT. Other interesting innovations from
companies like Smartvid.io and Triax Technologies
have the ability to alert workers when they do not
keep to the social distancing rules amongst other Day scene from concert. photo credit: Virgin Money Unity Arena/ instagram
things.

Night scene from concert in Enugu, Nigeria. photo credit: Leon photography/ instagram

Hand free door. photo credit- stepnpull.co.uk

BUILDING ELEMENTS
As a result of Covid-19, there has been more
emphasis on automated/ touch-less fixture and
fittings. From opening doors with the use of your leg
(an example StepNpull ) to our locally made touch-
less washand basins placed in front of various
public spaces in Nigeria.
Cleankey by Ziad Salah. Photo credit- Cassie L. Damewood / doorknob.com

https://www.bostondynamics.com/spot https://www.stepnpull.com/
REFERENCES

https://dornob.com/plexeat-suspended-shields-protect-patrons-in-bars- https://www.springwise.com/innovation-snapshot/travel-tourism-coronavirus-covid
restaurants/https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/aug/13/office-pods-may-be-the-answer- http://aviointeriors.it/2020/press/glassafe/
to-working-safely-post-covid-19 https://www.flightglobal.com/systems-and-interiors/aviointeriors-promises-new-post-coronavirus-
https://www.cushmanwakefield.com/en/netherlands/six-feet-office seat-design-in-under-six-months/137997.article
28
https://techcrunch.com/2020/06/22/ideas-for-a-post-covid-19-workplace/ https://dornob.com/covid-19-sparks-new-innovations-in-door-design/
https://www.vulture.com/2020/08/socially-distanced-uk-concert-venue.html https://c/covid-19-sparks-new-innovations-in-door-design/
 BREAKING OUT OF THE BOX:
REFRAMING ARCHITECTURE EDUCATION BEYOND TRADITIONAL ROLES IN PRACTICE
by: J.J Maina

W
e live in unprecedented extraordinary times. Consequently, the rich, basic fundamental skill sets
Times where everyday life as we know it has ingrained by architectural training tend to be under
become increasingly uncertain, with change developed and subsequently underutilized upon
the only constant. With the global community on virtual graduation. Architecture education requires reframing
lockdown to mitigate effects of the COVID-19 and flexible outlook to maximize these latent resources
pandemic, survival of most disciplines now depends on and channel them in related areas specialization in

·
basic skills sets and knowledge often bounded within terms of Design, IT/Technology, Business and
limits afforded by technology. Architecture as a Research to mention a few.
profession is no exception. While educational Design: remains the bedrock of the architecture
institutions hibernate globally, outlook for architecture profession but many graduates eventually make
education may require a re-think and reframing from a living apart from engaging in building design.
traditional roles, bearing in mind issues already Allied specializations offer excellent utilization of
besetting training of architects prior to the present design skills-manufacturing, furniture making, fashion,

··
pandemic and its attendant complications. Falling interiors, refurbishment etc. and students need to be
educational standards of architecture graduates for made aware of this while in school.
instance, has been an issue for practice (NIA, 2017), IT/Technology-Digital art, presentations,
compounded by poor economic turnover especially in animations, theatre and film, web design etc.
the Nigerian Construction Industry (Nigerian Bureau of
Business-Real estate, Advertising, Building
Statistics, 2016). On the part of academia, students

·
component fabrication etc.
report curricula over-burdened by theoretical courses
to the detriment of practical subjects (Maina, 2015).
Research collaboration is critical if the
Studio culture, the backbone of architectural design,
profession is to remain relevant within national
has also been on a steady decline (Opoko, Oluwatayo
discourse. For instance, collaborating with
& Ezema, 2016; Maina & Ojobo, 2020), pre-empting
engineers and healthcare professionals on indoor
tendencies of student overdependence on the internet,
environmental quality issues especially in view of the
often to the detriment of acquiring grounded skills and
current pandemic will not only benefit architects but the
design competencies.
built environment at large. A leaf can be borrowed from
Quantity Surveying professionals who have extended
“Ultimately, we as architects will their expertise both professionally and academically
need to look beyond our through far-reaching research and have virtually over-
taken the Construction Industry both locally and
traditional roles if the profession globally.
is to survive and thrive in a world
Ultimately, we as architects will need to look beyond
of constant change and shifting our traditional roles if the profession is to survive and
paradigms.” thrive in a world of constant change and shifting
paradigms.

Maina, J. J. (2015). Curriculum Evaluation of Revised Ahmadu Bello University Architecture Program (2012-2015): Feedback from MSc Students. Nigerian Institute of Architects' Journal, 1(2015/1 & 2), 20-28.
REFERENCES

Maina, J. J. & Ojobo, H. (2020). Predicting Academic Success of Architecture Undergraduates at Kaduna State University using Logistic Regression. Kaduna State University Environmental Sciences Journal, 1(1), 134-147.
NIA (2017). Report released at the 57th Annual General Assembly/Conference BGM 2017 "Affordable Housing: Rhetorics, Techtonics and Architecture". Ladi Kwali Hall, Sheraton Hotels and Towers, 22-25th Nov. (pp. 62-65).
Abuja: Nigerian Institute of Architects.
Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (2016). Nigerian Gross Domestic Product Report: Quarter 3. Abuja: NBS.
Opoko, A. P., Oluwatayo, A. A. & Ezema, I. C. (2016). Factors Affecting Academic Performance of Architecture Students in Nigerian Private Universities. O. J. Ebohon et al. (Eds.), Procs,
Joint International Conference JIC 2016, 21-24 March (pp. 1226-1236). Akure, Nigeria: JIC, FUTA, DMU & LSBU.
29
 The Need to Reposition
Architecture Education
for Contemporary
Challenges
by: Prof. Musa Lawal Sagada

T
he built environment is largely a product of architecture, which is
significantly fashioned by it. Architecture has existed as long as
humans built structures. In ancient times, and up to the 17th
century, the Master Builder united the roles of construction and
architecture. According to Boyle (2000), individuals who so desired, could
establish an architectural practice and self-appoint himself as architect.
Most of the self-proclaimed architects could only receive training from
ateliers or established practices. New initiates learn as they work, with the
level of training determined by the size of the firm, its level of organization
and length of personal stay.

With the rise of professionalism in the 17th century, architectural practice

became regulated and increasingly specialized (Lewis, 1998) and by the
19th Century, it became more focused on questions of basic functionality
(design – objectives/functional – operational) and aesthetics (design –
objectives/aesthetics) (Gabrielli, 2016). Today, architecture practice is
facing the challenge of survival in face of the myriad challenges and
professional specialization of functions in the built environment.
According to Weiner (2005), the architecture practice is under pressure to
become responsive to change in order to remain competitive, not only in
the economic sense, but also in terms of its ability to pursue its ends
successfully in the face of antagonistic social context.

The 18th Century saw the beginning of architecture education in

formalised forms with the Ecole de Beaux Arts in Paris considered as the
Premiere Architecture School. According to Crosbie (2007), the design
studio, which was inherited from the atelier methods of educating
architects has been the centre - piece of architecture education and has
remained until date. However, architecture today is directly influenced by
today's information society according to Horan (2005), the educational
requirements are no longer confined to the teaching of design, but include
new building technologies, digital projecting, networking and selecting
relevant knowledge. Also, Spiridonidis (2016), pointed out that,
“Architectural education must constantly elaborate, (re) define or (re)
structure its set values and principles, targeted knowledge, skills and
competences, tools and means, as well as priories and preferences,
formulating innovatively each time the emergent, new architectural
paradigm in thinking , practicing and teaching architecture”.

Architecture schools in Nigeria must therefore take advantage of the

rapid development in information communication technology and its
various applications in architecture as a way of taking advantage of the
new opportunities proffer solutions to the new challenges that are arising
daily. According to Tzonis (2014), Architecture education has the
formidable task of identifying how their graduates of today can acquire the
knowledge needed to work together creatively, to conceive and construe
the future complex, highly interdependent interactive structures of human
– made and natural environment.

Boyle, B. M. (2000). Architectural Practice in America, 1865 – 1965 – Ideal and Reality. The Architect: Chapters in History of the Profession, Berkeley and Los Angeles. University of California Press.
REFERENCES

Crosbie, (2007)
Fjeld, P. O. (2005) Introduction. EAAE Prize 2003 – 2005. Writings in Architectural Education, European Association for Architectural Education Transaction on Architecture No 26
Gabrielli, J. (2016) Architecture. Whole Building Design Guide.
Horan, J. F. (2005) EAAE Prize 2003 – 2005. Writings in Architectural Education, European Association for Architectural Education Transaction on Architecture No 26
Lewis, R. K. (1998). Architect? A Candid Guide to the Profession. Cambridge, MA:MIT Press.
Spiridonis, C. (2016). Profiling Architectural Education in Europe. ARCHI-MEDES Project. Profiling Architecture Education and Practice in Mediterranean and European SouthCountries.
Tzonis, A. (2014). Architectural Education at the Crossroad. Frontiers of Architectural Research. 30
Weiner, F. (2005). Five Critical Horizons for Architectural Education in an Age ofDistraction. EAAE Prize 2003 – 2005. Writings in Architectural Education, EuropeanAssociation for Architectural Education
Transaction on Architecture No 26
 C
an the curriculum of architectural education in Nigeria
be termed as a futuristic one? What is the place of the
trained architects outside school especially with the
swift progress in technology, new modes of cybernetic reality,
the advents of robots, as well as, artificial intelligence (AI)? All
these advancement have come to impact on the architectural
profession both at training and practice level. In Nigeria, there
are so many challenges and shortcomings in the architectural
training which can affect the architect in practice competing
favorably in a changing world. Dare-Abel et al. (2015)
suggested a drift towards giving architectural education an
intensify attention especially in the aspect of entrepreneurship
and social integration.

Some people have argued that architectural education is

based mainly on intangible philosophies of learning and
typical pedagogical principles while turning deaf ears to the
veracity of architectural professional practices and the built
environment towards meeting the needs and desires of users
for a good and justifiable sustainable environment (Tzonis,
2014). Architectural education pedagogy should therefore, be
interested in looking at the long term goals of sustainable
natural and social value in our present day dynamic real world.
According to Ortiz, the architect's role requires refocusing by
identifying a universal way out that would be adaptable to the
future challenges of the profession. This can only be achieved
by restructuring the training and education of the architecture
student.

“Rather than perpetuating bygone and

stale beliefs and dogmas, why not bring
leadership dynamism to align with today's
construction industry and environmental
realities? This could mandate a new
contextual competence in architectural
education.”

For the value of architectural education not to lessened, and

the profession completely transformed, self-satisfaction must
not be allowed into education. According to Cramer (2012),

“Rather than perpetuating bygone and stale beliefs

and dogmas, why not bring leadership dynamism to align with
today's construction industry and environmental realities?
This could mandate a new contextual competence in
architectural education.”

Architectural Education: There is a need to begin to change how the architect is trained
or educated towards meeting the requirements of a universal
worldview and technocratic environment.
TRAINING THE ARCHITECT FOR THE FUTURE
Architectural education should not only be based on plain
by: Dr. (Arc) Pontip Stephen Nimlyat
knowledge learnt and imparted in school, but also inclusive of
the human dimension (social and participatory) towards
making the complete architect. The influence of which must
not be relegated to the background. Two great minds which
have question the status quo of established educational
systems are Christine Ortiz and Peter Zellner. While Ortiz
believed in a trans-disciplinary approach to teaching were
knowledge will be acquired virtually online, while on-site
education will be based on real projects and active learning;
Zellner on the other hand, sees the school of architecture as a
Cramer, J. P. (2012). A Proposal to Improve Architectural Education. Design Intelligence,
self-sufficient intellectual and cultural institute rather than just
REFERENCES

www.di.net/articles. Accessed 24th July 2020

Dare-Abel, O. A., Alagbe, O. A., Aderonmu, P. A., Ekhaese, O. N., and Adewale, B. A. (2015).
Pathways to Architectural Education and Practice Success in an occupational enterprise.
Nigeria. Journal of Education and Practice, 6 (4), 169-175.
Ortiz, C. Do we really need to change our Architectural Education?
www.arch2o.com. Accessed 31st July 2020.
31
Tzonis, Alexander (2014). A framework for Architectural Education. Frontiers of Architectural
Research, Vol. 3, 447-479.
For architectural education therefore to be impactful and 9. Establishing a reward system for educators with
having indispensable value in the future, certain measures as excellence and great performance. Initiating a pay for
proposed by Cramer (2012) and summarized below, must be excellence will result into a thrilled leadership tutoring of
align with by schools of architecture in Nigeria: students of architecture.
10. Incorporating digital, virtual and distance learning as a
1. Educators and students alike require updates and way of encouraging non-accredited trained practitioners to be
knowledge sharing on state-of-the-art indicators and metrics equipped for licensure.
on the current realities in the profession.
2. Incorporating into the architectural education The focus of architectural education should be on the
curriculum, business management and communication skills integration of; multi disciplinary practices, designs that are
towards building students' vigor and their voice towards driven by sustainability, more services and experiences or value
advancing into the future. for money, and artificial intelligence (AI) driven by new
3. More emphasis should be placed on students technology. In order for architects to have more relevance in the
practicing the art and science rather than studying it. future as the main driver of the built environment, architectural
4. Creating an educational environment that brings educators must support the evolution and changes taking place
practitioners into school both digitally and to campus for in the design profession. The changing trends in 'technological
continuing education. advancement, demographics, urbanization, construction
5. Creating an opportunity for regenerating both veteran
delivery, globalization, and economic shifts' have to form part of
and tenured architectural educators, in form of schools of
the curriculum of architectural education, in order for the fully
architecture exchange programs, that will encourage their
trained architect to be equipped for certain undying phases of
participation in the unfolding future of the profession.
disrupting vicissitudes.
6. Every studio project should be inclusive of current
finance metrics, marketing, professional services and In conclusion, finding ourselves in a digitally facilitated,
operations. This will reveal to the students, project research-oriented, and intelligently inquisitive world, the
management information available, and by so doing, students architect in training must be equipped with the requisite
will as well understand the operations of firms and processes knowledge and abilities that would be deploy in that ambiguous
involved. future.
7. Schools of architecture or architectural educators
establishing formal roles with firms, as policy board members, Architecture schools in Nigeria must therefore take advantage
or advisor in technology, or experts in specialized area such as of the rapid development in information communication
acoustics, lighting, energy efficiency, ethics etc. technology and its various applications in architecture as a way
8. Architectural firms taking up responsibilities or of taking advantage of the new opportunities proffer solutions to
commitments towards contributing financially a percentage of the new challenges that are arising daily. According to Tzonis
their annual return on investment as chairs and endowments in (2014), Architecture education has the formidable task of
any school of architecture of their choice. identifying how their graduates of today can acquire the
knowledge needed to work together creatively, to conceive and
construe the future complex, highly interdependent interactive
structures of human – made and natural environment.

32
 ADDRESSING CORPORATE IMAGE IN
ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE TO BOLSTER
FUTURE IMPACT by: CHIZZY AKANI (Ph.D) & WAREBI BRISIBE (MNIA, Ph.D)

I
n a practice where aesthetics and visual appeal image concerns. This will build advocacy for a
account for three quarters of product quality and progressive future. Building broader and more
projects success, it remains indisputable to affirm creative/collaborative relationships outside of the
that image is everything. Conceptions that the built environment confines with professional like
creation is always a clear representation of the true industrial chemists, production/polymer engineers,
nature of the creator, provokes classical philosophical aqua-culturists, mining engineers and human
arguments from divergent perspectives. Vast resource managers for improved innovativeness will
disparities evident in present and evolving boost corporate image in the industry. Supporting a
architectural interventions locally, regionally, 'design to specification market' as against a 'design to
nationally and internationally, portend certain factual availability market' will further boost innovativeness
confirmations of this conception. There is a distinctly and creativity while establishing sustainable
clear distance between architectural creations on collaborative relationships with these production
different scales. These differences clearly perceptible based professionals. Transference of knowledge is
to the anticipated patronizing audience are leading to also key to achieving a sustainable future, where
increased incidences of outsourcing to foreign corporate players in the practice can provide viable
corporations and copy-cat/replica requests from evidence of human resources empowerment and
clients more often. This highlights the concern of development as an initiative towards boosting their
perceived questionable competence in architectural corporate image.
practice in Nigeria in present times, providing a need
for the examination of corporate image dimensions in Current global technological enlightenments also
practice. The general public assessment of formal create avenues for reconsideration of regulatory
structures, physical infrastructure, workforce /human perceptions on media and advertising as these
resource co-ordinations, innovativeness, policy restrict the wide spread recognition of efforts of deep
development and collaborative attitudes provide creativity which could boost local profile. These
clients decision making platforms based on a firm's regulatory guidelines in some negativity have also
corporate image. As a consistently neglected key provided opportunities for unworthy practice
concern over the years, this has continually environments detrimental to the wholesome
mortgaged public trust in the capabilities of locally corporate image of the industry.
trained or indigenous architects, grossly diminishing
On the whole, a review of the corporate image
growth prospects for the future.
concept in the practice will provide opportunities for
Though practice guidelines highlight certain points to investment in physical infrastructure, encourage
bolster formal approaches in the profession, rapid innovation, foster collaboration and competitiveness
advances in technology and broadening global and immensely increase prospects for the future.
business perspectives interpret that practice in
indigenous contexts is reviewed to address corporate

33
1.0 Introduction

Many schools of thought opine that when history is obliterated

future generations are likely to repeat the mistakes of the past.
Again it is critical to anticipate the likely changes in the future in
order to succeed when the future becomes the present.
Architecture in Nigeria like in other parts of the world is faced with
The Future of
overwhelming pressures arising from population growth,
migration, information-technology revolution, emerging socio-
cultural realities, arrival of new technologies and materials,
Architecture in
ecological transitions and the latest impact of a post-COVID 19
era. However, it will be a misnomer to assess the past, appreciate
Nigeria:
the present and anticipate the future of architecture in Nigeria
devoid of the educational programme that produces the architect.
Toward a Responsive Curriculum
for the Polytechnics
2.0 The Programme and Practice

The first school of architecture in Nigeria awarded diploma in

by: Marcel-Okafor, Udochukwu O.S.
architecture and subsequently produced architectural MNIA, MAARCHES
technologists that assist architects (Sagada, 2002). Over the
years, institutions awarding diploma in architecture have
increased. In the UK however, the architectural technologist has
evolved from the previous role as the architect's assistant or
draughtsman to a relatively modern professional . A position
championed by the popularity and efficiency of pre-fabricated
building types used to mitigate housing challenges of post-World
War II era in Europe, which enhanced the advancement of
technology driven designs. Architectural technology gradually
advanced to reflect the technology of architecture, and has been
recognised as linking the gap between theory and practice
resulting in a new nexus involving architecture and construction .
Reflections on the transition are crucial, especially since the
foundation of the programme in our country mimicked the British
module.

“Architectural technology gradually

advanced to reflect the technology of
architecture, and has been recognised
as linking the gap between theory and
practice...”

Advancements in Computer Aided Design and Draughting

(CADD) especially with the emergence and subsequent
dominance of Building Information Modelling (BIM) have
emphasised the roles of architectural technologists. BIM is closely
linked with the specialisations of architectural technologists,
which links design and building technicalities with the lifespan of
buildings through the complex integration of technology .

Though practice guidelines highlight certain points to bolster

formal approaches in the profession, rapid advances in
technology and broadening global business perspectives
interpret that practice in indigenous contexts is reviewed to
address corporate. However, the relationship between what is
taught in schools and the skills required for practice has remained
a fundamental concern in architectural technology education in
Nigeria . This involves critically understanding the dynamics of
practice in order to proffer relevant changes in the curriculum.

Abubakar, A. (2012). Perceptions of educators and practitioners on the relevance of architectural curriculum of Nigerian Universities to the building industry. In S. Laryea, & S. A. Agyepong (Ed.),
REFERENCES

4th West African Built Environment Research (WABER) Conference, (pp. 1-7). Abuja.
Akeredolu, F. (2019). Solving Nigeria's 22 million housing deficit with the blockchain. Retrieved December 22, 2019, from africa.com: https://www.africa.com
Armstrong, G., Comiskey, D., & Pepe, A. (2013). Architectural technology: A brave new design? 4th International Congress of Architectural Technology (ICAT) at Sheffield Hallam University,
Sheffield, UK, (pp. 1 - 11).
Baiyewu, O. B., Jolaoso, B. A., & Onolaja, O. A. (2007). The Condition of schools of Architecture in Nigeria Today: the polytechnic experience. Journal of the Association of Architectural
Educators (AARCHES J), 72-79.
34
Cheetham, D. W., & Lewis, J. (2001). Productivity, Buildability and Constructability: Is work study the missing link? 17th Annual ARCOM Conference (pp. 5-15). Manchester: University of Salford,
Association of Researchers in Construction.
 Architectural technology practice in Nigeria is influenced by Although such technologies are yet to be explored
both the drive to adopt technologically advanced generally, as approximately 90% of buildings in Nigeria is
techniques, and constantly emerging social, cultural and built in-situ using sandcrete blocks . This may be linked to a
economic variables. The estimated housing deficit of over curriculum that is not abreast with emerging urban
17 million units and a staggering record of over 100 million challenges, and as such deficient in producing the relevant
Nigerians living in substandard housing present a skilled manpower necessary to alleviate the existing
conspicuous challenge to professionals in the building challenges.
industry . Of equal significance is the fact that Nigeria has
not recorded any noteworthy milestone targeted at 3.0 Conclusion
ameliorating the housing shortages. Architectural practice in
It is as important to know the origin as it is to know the
Nigeria has been largely computerised and only
destination. The curriculum of architectural technology
architectural technologists proficient in Computer aided
education in Nigerian polytechnics should produce robust
design and draughting (CADD) are relevant and employed
professionals that can adapt to varying situations and
(Baiyewu, Jolaoso, & Onolaja, 2007; Lawal & Abdulrahman,
provide practical solutions to social and cultural problems of
2007; Oladapo, 2017).
the built-up environment. Although the present scenario in
Architectural technology programme, as an integral part of the nation's housing stock reveals a gap between the
technical education, must lead in the Nigerian technological service providers and the services provided. The call for a
advancement agenda . Therefore, the curriculum must complete overhaul of the curriculum is now more urgent
target advanced digital design and construction solutions to than ever. Given the peculiar events emanating from the
remain relevant and suitable within the Nigerian milieu. present pandemic and obvious challenges that are most
Furthermore, extensive adoption of building technologies likely to arise, the curriculum must reflect responsiveness as
like pre-fabricated building types and multi-storey designs well as concern for the future.
which target mass housing provision and delivery requires
adroit competence of the architectural technologists.

CIAT. (2014, October). What is a Chartered Architectural Technologist? Retrieved 2020, from Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists: https://ciat.org.uk>about-us>what-is-a-chartered-
REFERENCES

architectural-technologist.html
Emmit, S. (2009). Architectural technology. London: John Wiley & Sons.
Emmitt, S. (2002). Architectural Technology. Oxford: Blackwell Science Ltd.
Lawal, L. A., & Abdulrahman, M. E. (2007). Teaching Business Skills to Architecture Students: a case for curriculum change. AARCHES Journal, 49-54.
Nkwogu, U. O. (2008). Architectural Education for Nigerian Development. Architects Colloquium: The Architecture Forum, 65-85.
Okpoechi, C. U. (2006). Equipping the Polytechnic Graduate of Architecture for the Reality of Self-Employment. AARCHES Journal, 5(1), 7-17.
Oladapo, A. A. (2017). The Impact of ICT on Professional Practice in the Nigerian Construction Industry. The Electric Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, 24(1).
Olotuah, A. O., & Taiwo, A. A. (2015). Housing strategies and quality of housing in Nigeria: what lessons from Wales. IISTE, 1-7.
Opoko, A. P., & Oluwatayo, A. A. (2015). Architectural Education for Today's Challenges. Arts and Design, 8, 24-30.
Sagada, M. L. (2002). Architectural Education and Practice in Nigeria: Reflections on the contemporary situation. AARCHES Journal, 21-25.
World Bank. (2018). The World bank Nigeria affordable housing project (P165296). Retrieved December 22, 2019, from World bank documents: documents.worldbank.org
35
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