Adaptive Architecture: Exploring Resilience and Community Engagement in Design
Adaptive architecture via sustainability, modularity and technology integration, delivers adaptable answers
to environmental and economic demands. Currently, Nigeria’s economic index: with inflation escalating to 26.00% by
2024, real estate contributing 5.20% to GDP in Q1 2024, and construction 4.01%, stress the necessity, for approaches of
this type.
Theo Lawson’s Architectural Legacy: Technical Ingenuity, Resilience, and a Socio-Ecological Framework in the Transformation of Freedom Park, Lagos
This paper demonstrates how resilient design, architectural ingenuity, and socio-ecological strategies,
can convert oppressive historical sites, to vibrant, adaptive public spaces. It is premised on Theo Lawson's
transformational improvement of Lagos’ Freedom Park.
Retrofitting Parking Lots to Reduce Urban Heat and Promote Sustainability at Najran University
This study identifies, efficient solutions, suitable for Najran’s hot desert climate. The work
investigates sustainable retrofitting systems, for parking lots at Najran, using a mixed-methods approach
that includes climate analysis, design-based research, in addition to site observation.
Lessons from Al-Madinah Al Munawwarah, City Transformation Initiatives, Development, and Transformation: An Urban Retrofitting Perspective
This research examines the complex nature of urban reconstruction in a city marked, by its sacred and
radial urban structure, with its great recurrent strain, from millions of pilgrims, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah. With the
urgency of current sustainable advancement and accelerated growth, the study highlights the serious ordeal, of
merging material and abstract heritage preservations.
A Sustainable Mixed-Use Vertical Development with emphasis on energy efficiency and minimised carbon emission Ahmadu Bello Way Lagos
The population of Lagos is on regular increase which is estimated to cross 30 million marks by 2030 according to
National population commission statistics. This would increase the demand for built environment meeting
sustainable Development goal 11 (Sustainable cities) in line with International Union of Architects (Uia) 2050 vision to
actualize Architectural projects that are Carbon-free and low energy thus leading to the choice of the Research
topic A sustainable mixed-use vertical with emphasis on minimising carbon emission and energy efficiency as a
means to having a built environment that contribute positively to climate change.
JOURNAL OF THE NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS (NIAJ) September 2025 Vol. 2
Journal of the Nigerian Institute of
Architects (NIAJ) is an academic
journal, which is coordinated by the
Library and Publications Committee
of the Nigerian Institute of Architects.
The first issue of NIAJ was published in
1981. Before 2023 all copies of the
journal were printed with ISSN 2315-
8913, however since 2023, the journal
is printed digitally.
The Value of Precedent Usage in The Design Process of Architecture Students in Nigerian Universities
This study investigates the role and value of precedent analysis in the architectural design process of
Nigerian universities. While precedent studies are a mandatory component of the studio method employed in design
pedagogy, research into their effectiveness and application remains limited. This research examines how design
mentors perceive the value of precedent studies in the design process, expectations from student case studies, and
current practices across Nigerian architecture schools.
Co-Designing Public Spaces: The Role of Community Engagement in Shaping Urban Landscapes in Nigeria
Public spaces are major subsets of an anthropological settlement, which provide vistas for social interaction,
cultural transmission, and economic enterprise. In Nigeria’s rapid infrastructural development, the planning of public
spaces seems to overlook the various needs of the communities that will use such spaces. This study focuses on
communities’ involvement in the birthing of public spaces through participatory design in Nigeria. It focuses on how
these participatory processes can influence the urban landscape towards creating a more inclusive, culturally
sensitive, and ecologically sound human habitat.
Cargotecture (Container Housing): An Exploration of the Construction Mechanism
Container housing has emerged as a viable alternative in modern construction, offering a cost-effective
and sustainable solution to address housing shortages and urbanisation challenges. This research explores the
construction mechanisms involved in container housing, focusing on how shipping containers can be adapted as
habitable spaces. The study analyzes four case studies: the Proposed Tech Hub at Heliu Health and Tourism District in
Enugu, Nigeria; Container City in London, UK; Container House by Plannea Arquitectura in Chile; and KODA by
Kodasema in Estonia. Each case demonstrates unique design elements, construction techniques, and modifications
specific to local environmental and regulatory contexts.
Inclusive Design: Principle-Based Case Studies of the Nigerian Built-Up Space
Inclusive Design (ID) is a paradigm that is hinged on the basic need to accommodate the variegated needs
of all individuals, irrespective of their age, ability, and social and financial status as they interact with a livable space.
As urbanization accelerates across our clime, the need for accessible, equitable, and user-centred spaces has
become increasingly crucial. Even though the Nigerian built space is making concerted efforts to latch into the
philosophy of Inclusive Design (ID), there are still observable shortfalls in the adoption of associated inclusivity
strategies in its housing development schemes.
