ABSTRACTS
Many countries has remain relevant in the geographical world through the architectural product associated with it. Iconic buildings, especially, have represents the culture and the practice in a locality. It has also serves in capacity of economic revitalization, preserve historical events, keeps order and meaning of religious concepts and expresses the evolving architecture of a locality. This means that iconic buildings in its originality, representing the sited community, exhibits the uniqueness of their architecture, thereby, capable of improving the economy of the locality through tourism. Therefore, this study was carried out to evaluate the hypothesis that the iconic buildings in Nigeria does not represent the culture and architecture of the sited locality. A total of 480 copies of questionnaire returned was used to examine twelve selected iconic buildings in two prolific cities of Lagos and Abuja in Nigeria. The originality of the iconic buildings was evaluated through the compass of the sited neighbourhood and inhabitants socio-cultural characteristics. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used to establish the relationship between participant neighbourhood and socio-cultural characteristic and the selected iconic buildings. The study concludes that the majority of the architectural landmarks in Nigeria lack cultural and lifestyle representation of the sited communities, thereby fails in its expectation of social and cultural relevance. The implication is that it lacks the uniqueness of local architecture and cultural potentials that is sellable for an economic boost.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Buildings that captivate a city, nation and even sometimes the world, exemplifying uniqueness is referred to as an iconic building. This type of building portrays an identity borne out of the geography, tradition, behaviours, visions, and history of a community, region or nation of its emergence (Torabi and Brahman, 2013; Ede, 2014). Such building inspires confidence and comfort when its identity is correctly interpreted, being the first thing to be experienced even before the exploration of the building functionality and usability (Jashari-Kajtazi and Jakupi, 2017).
Thus, the sense of belonging and the relationship with the inhabitants of the community are two priorities to be considered during the design and construction of such building (Adam, 2012). Such buildings helps inhabitants practise their existence with thoughtful purpose and meaning, thereby aiding their memory on who they are (Pallasma, 2007; Jashari-Kajtazi et al., 2017).
An iconic building shows the community’s advancement in architecture and technology, its aesthetic ideals, and portrays the uniqueness of who perceived and its moral concerns (Colin, 2000). For Tuan (1977), such exemplified unique architecture instructs and reveals, to the degree that there is a straight appeal to the feeling, to the senses and the subconscious with symbols and teachings that make faithful respond with involuntary often acts.
The importance of relating design product with the identity of the residing community, being responsible for the conservation of collective memories of cultural potentials, necessitate the need to investigate the inhabitants’ perception of the emerging iconic architectural forms in Nigeria. Therefore, this study examines iconic buildings in the cities of Lagos and Abuja in Nigeria, being among the prolific cities in the country to understanding the existential reality which the people experience through the emergence of these design products.
Through a quantitative methodology, a case of twelve iconic building in Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria was studied and analysed considering the people’s socio-economic characteristics as a measure of perception. The socio-economic relationship with the inhabitants’ perception was used to explore their judgement of forms and features of buildings considered iconic in their neighbourhood. This will help to investigate the cultural and lifestyle representation of the architectural landmarks in Nigeria.
1.2 Statement of Research Problem
The volume and mass, horizontal and vertical spatial dimensions, are criteria that the body feel and knows, and such feelings grow when seen in excellent construction work (Tuan, 1977). Colin (2000) relates that architecture has the capability to present to people much more than simple presence, not by physical signs but for what convey its forms. It recognizes architecture as verbal and that the physical features of the architectural object offer communication tools through which other concepts beyond the strict formal settings universe can be communicated. Therefore, forms and features of buildings supposed to be the product of inhabitants’ traditions, culture, believes and way of doing things.
However, it has been precise that architectural landmarks in Nigeria seems to lack cultural and lifestyle representation of the sited communities, thereby fails in its expectation of social and cultural relevance. An iconic building should show the community’s advancement in architecture and technology, its aesthetic ideals, and depict the mastery of who conceived and its moral concerns (Colin, 2000). For Tuan (1977), such exemplified unique architecture instructs and reveals, to the degree that there is a straight appeal to the feeling, to the senses. This implies, if otherwise, that the buildings will lack the uniqueness of local architecture and cultural potentials that is sellable for an economic boost.
It is with this view that this study investigates the perception of iconic buildings by the inhabitants in two prolific cities, Lagos and Abuja in Nigeria, with the view of assessing its relevance and potential for the improvement of the cityscape and the economy of the country. The perception of the inhabitants was measured by considering their socio• economic and socio-cultural characteristics and level of its reflection on the selected iconic buildings in the areas studied.
1.3 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of this study is to evaluate the perception of user’s on iconic buildings and its social cultural impact on the development of buildings within the study area.
To achieve the foregoing, the objectives to be pursued are to:
1. Examine the socio-economical characteristics of the respondents in the study area.
11. Evaluate user’s perception on the architectural identity and character of iconic buildings with specific reference to the development of their communities.
111. Evaluate the relationship between respondents’ socio-economic characteristics and their perception on the selected buildings.
Iv. To adopt various iconic architectural elements in the design of an office complex that captured the users and aesthetically pleasing.
1.4 Justification of Research
Many countries have remained relevant in the geographical world through the architectural product known with them. From the architecture of an ancient temples to hyper-modem skyscrapers, these master pieces represent historical lost ruins to exploratory lavish palaces. These architectures are known to represent sensual charges, cultural representation and practice, history and memories of a locality, architecture of place, religion and mostly, economic boost (Bakhshi, et al., 2008).
For instance, the Ochre-tinted enclave of the Alhambra in Spain and the Sydney Opera house were distinctive architectural landmark recognisable of the twentieth century for their sensual appeal to first time visitors (Francis, et al., 2006). Baalbek in Lebanon, Segrada familia in Spain, Taj Mahal mausoleum in India, Atomium in Belgium built for Expo ’58 were creation of symbolism of peace, honour and power. Burj al Arab in Dubai and Guggenheim museum, in Spain are exemplary architecture masterpieces that have a transforming influence and economically influence the inhabitants of where it was sited.
Also, iconic buildings have represented culture and practice of the people and it has been used to preserve historical events and memories of a particular locality and season. Notable examples are Monte Alban of the Zapotecs people of Mexico emphasizing the dominance of nature and their people; the Tokyo Sky tree tower fusing futuristic design with traditional Japanese aesthetics; National centre for the performing Art and Beijing National stadium constructed for the 2008 summer Olympics, the famous Colosseum amphi-theatre in Rome, and the Angkor Wat religious building that integrates the Cambodian identity so much that it appears on their national flag. All these examples of architectural masterpieces have on its form and features representing the culture and value of the sited communities and influential to their economic developments.
However, majority of such buildings in Nigeria hardly attracts even the people within the country and hardly rated. Evaluating this building from the inhabitants of where the selected buildings are sited will help to unfold the challenges of the building and foster recommendations for better performance.
1.5 Scope of Study
The study examined user’s perception of iconic design of some selected public buildings in Lagos and Abuja cities. The study evaluates the users’ visual judgement of architectural design product through the speck of collective memories and values of cultural potential an iconic design product always represents. Further works can be done to evaluate other subjective factors that could be influential to overall perception of the residents.
1.6 Limitation of Study
The study had numerous confines. First, samples in the study were restricted to just two out of six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. There is possibility that some ethnic may be less or not represented in the sampling. Since the study has cultural undertone in lagos and Abuja, it may be challenging to generalise the result on the vast ethnic groups in Nigeria. Second, the study was cross-sectional in design, and data may not certainly reflect all time points. Also, some architectural features were not under considerations such as equal number of floors and prevalence of some specific materials. Despite these latent restrictions, this is most likely the first study to examine the perception of iconic building by the residents in the areas the buildings are sited.
This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research
EVALUATION OF USER’S PERCEPTION OF THE ARCHITECTURAL ATTRIBUTES OF ICONIC BUILDINGS TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN OFFICE COMPLEX ABUJA NIGERIA
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