With the growth in collaborative engagements for solutions to society’s complex problems, the role of co-designing to address climate change issues of low-income human settlements is becoming significant. This informed a design workshop/charette hosted at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. Twenty-six young architects and urban planners worked with non-academic stakeholders from coastal communities in Igbokoda, Ondo State during the five-day event. Structural (building and neighborhood setting) and non-structural (programmatic) ideas for climate adaptation and resilient housing in the low-income coastal communities were outcomes of the collaborative work. This paper reports and draws lessons from the process and outcomes of the design workshop/charette. The outcomes were well-received by the stakeholders and follow-up projects have since been conceived. This thus affirms the value of collaborative approach towards exploring and co-producing solutions in the era of a changing climate.
Growing plants along the vertical axis of a building façade is currently re-emerging as a technique for (re)integration of greening into the urban fabric. This article reports an exploratory study that involved the design, development and evaluation of vertical greening within low-income communities in Lagos, Akure (Nigeria) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania). We highlight the vertical gardens’ contributions to food production (vegetables). Challenges identified include high maintenance, pests, vandalism, tenure status and socio-cultural misgivings about growing vegetables on walls. It is crucial to evolve policy initiatives and programmes that promote citizen-led, community-based vertical farming within the urban fabric in sub-Sahara Africa.
PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of built environment professionals on the benefits and impediments limiting the widespread acceptance of vertical greening systems (VGSs) in Lagos, Nigeria. This study contributes to the knowledge on the adoption of VGSs from the socio-technical dimension.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed a survey method. An online questionnaire was used to obtain information from the respondents. The questionnaire was divided into four (4) sections. The first section focused on the socio-demographic variables while the second section addressed knowledge of VGSs, willingness to educate clients on the use of VGS and the possibility of VGS improving city image in Lagos. Section three (3) focused on the VGS benefits, subdivided into environmental, economic and aesthetic qualities and measured on a five-point Likert scale. Lastly, section four (4) concentrated on the impediments to the use of VGS in Lagos.FindingsProfessionals are willing to adopt the use of VGSs if their clients agree to the benefits it delivers to occupants, the environment and the building fabric.Originality/valueThis paper fulfills an identified need to study the perceptions of professionals toward VGSs patronage.
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