Abstract

Visual quality plays a critical role in deciding whether a building is considered a work of architecture as well as how much admiration it receives from users and design professionals. Scholars are challenged with the task of tying the idea of visual quality to a single plain discourse because it is relative and subjective, similar to the idea of aesthetics. The study assessed selected public buildings in Lagos, Nigeria, to have a better understanding of their visual quality. The research used a mixed-method approach to gather the data by first identifying the components of visual quality in architecture. The visual quality of the selected public buildings was then assessed using a closed-ended questionnaire. Data were assessed using descriptive analysis. The study revealed that visually appealing public buildings in Lagos had celebrated entrances, large curtain walls, and external walls without balconies. A variety of roof styles were generally accepted as visually appealing.