EKOTECTURE QUARTERLY | JUNE 2020

EKOTECTURE QUARTERLY | JUNE 2020

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Architecture

The Future of Road & Rail Transportation in Lagos, NigeriaArchitecture & Social Distancing

Rethinking the future workspace

Flexible work spaces� � � ��� �� � � � �� � �� ���

Living at the Hospice:Architecture of Palliative

Care in Pandemics

The future of Road and Rail Transportation in Lagos,

Nigeria

Influence of Novel Corona-virus 2019 (COVID-19) on Buildings Design Amidst

the Pandemic

Photo by Kate Sade on Unsplash

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to the EQ (EKOTECTURE QUARTERLY) June 2020 Edition.

Today the world is ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic which has brought her to a standstill. Many lives have been lost, many businesses have gone bankrupt and many people have lost their jobs.

The Built Environment and the construction industry are not left out as many projects have been suspended or put on hold. While some have been cancelled entirely, some others are having a slow start. The Architecture profession is witnessing a new wave of unprecedented crisis and only a total rethink of the practice/ profession can save it.

As the lockdown is eased in di�erent countries, we have began to see new trends in response to COVID-19 and the consequent social distancing. We are noticing new design concepts for restaurants, schools etc. as well as redesign or rearrangement of public spaces. Architecture of today must respond positively to the GLOBAL PANDEMIC and look further to 50years ahead bearing in mind that we may face similar situations in the future as viruses keep emerging.

As a chapter, we commenced virtual meetings in April 2020 with a seminar on the Economic Impact of Covid 19 on Architecture and the Construction Industry. In May 2020 business meeting, we featured Autodesk with a virtual workshop on HELPING YOU TO STAY CONNECTED FOR COLLABORATION (COLLABORATION FOR ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS). This held on Thursday June 4, 2020. The Chapter has been forced to post-pone LAF 2020 in view of Covid 19 and are revising other programmes while ensuring we keep our members active.

This edition of EKOTECTURE QUARTERLY will focus on Covid19, life during lockdown, social distancing and ways to survive the economic crisis.

Colleagues, every situation presents di�erent opportunities. Let us stay Positive, Refo-cused and Resolute and we will get through this together.

Welcome to EKOTECTURE QUARTERLY June 2020 edition and Happy Reading.

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Arc. Fitzgerald Umah MNIA, RIBA, AIA (Int’l Assoc.)

Chairman, Nigerian Institute of ArchitectsLagos State Chapter.

Chairman’s Desk

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Editorial

Public health managements across the world unintentionally issued out new architectural design “nudges” to help retard the devastation of coronavirus: physical distancing, social distancing, self - isolation, stay at home, work from home and other personal hygiene non-pharmaceutical protocols.

As these were enforced in lockdown orders of global and local municipals, little did we know that design professionals will be com-pelled to nudge for solution? Based on the idea promoted by Cass Sunstein and Richard Thaler, the nudge theory inspires us to do the “correct thing” by making the preferred action easy, more noticeable and more normal.

But how far does nudging work in the planetary environment of a worldwide pandemic, and what are the limits elicited for architec-tural design, practice and profession? If architects are expected to nudge their way out of a crisis, what conceptual or participatory design conundrums or slurry need to be removed or rede�ned?

In this special EQ Edition, the authors suggested possible ways out of the uncertainties for architecture in the push and slush in the era of COVID-19.

Editorial TeamClaude Opara (ADVISOR)

Eromosele Anetor CHIEF EDITOR

Mokolade Johnson EDITOR

Sunday Kuti SECRETARY

Tolu Aka MEMBER

Babalola Tobiloba MEMBER

Fiyin Jibowo MEMBER

Abolaji Kareem MEMBER

Gbenga Opebiyi MEMBER

Ukeje Uche MEMBER

Mokoládé Johnson Ph.DDepartment of Architecture, University of Lagos, Lagos. Nigeria

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Contributors

Mokoládé Johnson MNIA Ph.DDepartment of Architecture, University of Lagos, Lagos. Nigeria

Yakubu Aminu DodoPh.D. GreenRE CM, MyCREST QPAssistant ProfessorDepartment of Architecture,Faculty of Architecture and Engineering, Istanbul Gelisim University, 34310 Istanbul Turkey

Tolu Aka (Arc)Arc Tolulope Aka is presently an associate partner at Anetor and Associates, Tolu is a registered architect from Covenant University with interest in Construction, Interior design, HSE and Project Management.

Abolaji Kareem (Arc)Abolaji Kareem is a student of Architecture, a content creator, and a budding entrepreneur. As a prospective architect, Abolaji is particularly interested in respon-sive and sustainable architectur-al design.

Olayinka Agunloye (PhD)

Dr. Olayinka O. Agunloye is an expert in Transportation and Logistics. He is a Senior Lecturer, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of

Lagos, Nigeria

Faizah Mohammed Bashir Ph.D

Assistant ProfessorDepartment of Interior Design &

DecorationCollege of Engineering

University of HailSaudi Arabia

Sunday Kuti (Arc)Sunday Kuti is a registered Architect. He studied Architecture at yaba College of Technology, Yaba Lagos; He is a certi�ed musicologist and the Principal partner at Symbolik Design & Co.

Gbenga Opebiyi (MSc. Arc)Gbenga Opebiyi is an alumnus of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology and Caleb University. He has a decade of experience in Architecture and Construction. He is presently a principal partner at The

Dotmund Concepts Nig. Ltd.

Arc. Ukeje Uche MNIA. M.Sc. (Proj. Man), LiverpoolUkeje Uche is a practicing Architect and Urbanist based in Lagos with expertise in commercial, multi-family residential and industrial projects. He is currently the Managing Partner of UKJ Consultants Nigeria, a �rm of Architects, Urban designers and Project Managers.

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01 - The Future of Road & Rail Transportation in Lagos, Nigeria

02 - Influence of Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) on Buildings Design Amidst the Pandemic

03 - Living at the Hospice:Architecture of Palliative-Care in Pandemics

04 - The COVID 19 pandemic and the Evolution of the Workspace

05 - Space and Social Distancing

06 - Rethinking the future workspace

07- Building out Pests:Mitigating the Reoccurence of Epidemics

08 - Emerging Norms in the Design and Building Industry Post COVID-19

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pg 19

pg 33

pg 37

pg 29pg 7

pg 13

Sunday Kuti (Arc.)

Arc. Ukeje Uche MNIA. M.Sc. (Proj. Man), Liverpool

Abolaji Kareem

Gbenga Opebiyi (Msc, Arc.)

Dr. Olayinka O. Agunloye (MNITP, RTP, CMILT)

Dr. Yakubu Aminu Dodo (GreenRE CM, MyCREST QP)

Mokolade Johnson (PhD)

Tolulope Aka (Arc.)

Content

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The Future of Road & Rail Transportation in Lagos, Nigeria

01Source: Google

by Olayinka Agunloye (PhD)

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he transportation system in Lagos, Nigeria is supposed to be a pacesetter in transportation for other states in the country as

it has a presence of intermodal transport facilities. Unfortunately, the intermodal operation cannot be felt when compared to best global transport practices and standards.

This could be as a result of ‘majoring-in-minor’ in some salient transport issues, which can be consulted for. It could also be a result of a lack of state transport policy, which could have shown a concrete direction for the future of road and rail transportation in Lagos, Nigeria. This suggests that one cannot develop a meaningful transportation plan without

a transport policy that can give direction from its decisions. Road transport, on one hand, is the major mode in Lagos State even as rail, air, and waterways transportation modes exist.

There are various types of the road network, which extend to di�erent parts of Lagos State. By 2001 the total length of tarred roads was 5,514 kilometers which include: Trunk A roads maintained by the Federal -

TRoad transport, on one hand, is the major mode in Lagos State even as

rail, air and waterways transporation modes

exist

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Government; Trunk B roads maintained by the State Government and local roads that are maintained by the Local Governments with aid from the State Government (Lagos Urban Transport Project, 2002; Oni, 2004).

The primary road network (Federal and State roads) which link the major population centers cover some 4,921 kilometers. The majority of the primary roads are 3-lane, while some are 2-lane with a width of 13.2 meters. In terms of road surface, about one-third of the roads in Lagos State are made of concrete deck, 43% are asphaltic concrete while some 23.2% are bituminous (Lagos Urban Transport Project, 2002).

Source: Google

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Rail transportation in Lagos on another dimension requires large capital and recurrent expenditure to build and sustain its networks. Nigeria developed 3,505 km of the rail network in spurts of activity between 1898 and 1964. Thereafter, development stalled until 1987 when the construction of 326 km of standard gauge rail line began on the Itakpe-Ajaokuta line (52 km) and the Ajaokuta-Warri line (274 km).

The Lagos-Kano Railway Modernization Standard Gauge project was also started, but progress was hampered because of a lack of concrete funding plan (MITI, 2014). The construction of railways in Nigeria started from Lagos Colony to Ibadan in March 1896, by the British government. The Lagos Government Railway began operations in March 1901 and was extended to Minna in

1911, where it met the Baro–Kano Railway Station that was built by the government of Northern Nigeria between 1907 and 1911. (Carland, 1985). The two lines were amalgamated in 1912 into the Government Department of Railways, the predecessor to the Nigerian Railway Corporation. The railway reached its northeastern terminus of Nguru in 1930 (Yakubu; et al, 2005).

After coal was discovered at Udi, the Eastern Railway was built to Port Harcourt between 1913 and 1916. This railway was extended to Kaduna in 1927, connecting the Eastern Railway to the Lagos–Kano Railway (Chuku, 2015). The Eastern Railway was extended to its northeastern terminus of Maiduguri between 1958 and 1964 (Yakubu; et al., 2005).

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The Eastern Railway was extended to its northeastern terminus of Maiduguri between 1958 and 1964 (Yakubu; et al., 2005).

Based on the afore-mentioned and best global practices, the future of road and rail transport in Lagos, Nigeria should involve a transport policy that will consider the provision of both road and rail transport system that is safe, a�ordable, sustainable and accessible to all. Notable improvement on road safety, by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations; women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons.

Secondly, the future of road and rail modes of transport need to employ services of urban transport planning consultants who will develop a connectivity plan of all existing transport modes.

Thirdly, the future of road and rail

transport in Lagos should ensure access to a�ordable, reliable and modern energy transport services. Cases of deaths and injuries from road tra�c accidents in the state should reduce to at least half. Transport infrastructure and retro�t industries need upgrade to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use e�ciency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies.

Finally, the future should consider the integration of climate change measures into a proposed Lagos State sub-national transport policy, strategies, and planning with intermodalism, cost and time-e�cient public transportation, safe and secure transport services and smart transport system.

T h e F u t u r e o f R o a d a n d R a i l T r a n s p o r t a t i o n i n L a g o s , N i g e r i a

Dr. Olayinka O. Agunloye (MNITP, RTP, CMILT)

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References1. Agunloye, O., Ajakaiye O., Akinola, A., Okagbue, H. & Afolabi A (2018). Data sets on factors in�uencing the urban environmental quality of intra-urban motor parks acrossdensity areas of Lagos metropolis. Data, in brief, 19(2018), 2109-2118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2018.06.116

2. Atubi, A.O. (2006). Road Tra�c Accident Patterns in Lagos State from 1970 to 2001. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Department of Geography.Carland, John (1985). The Colonial O�ce and Nigeria, 1898-1914. Hoover Press. pp. 135–83. ISBN 9780817981433.

3. Chuku, G. (2015). Igbo Women and Economic Transformation in Southeastern Nigeria, 1900-1960. p. 156. ISBN 9781135469405.

4. Lagos State Chamber of Commerce and Industries (2004). 16th Lagos State

International Trade Fair Catalogue Vol. 16, Lagos, Nigeria.

5. Master plan for an Integrated Transportation Infrastructure in Nigeria (MITI) (2014).

6. Oni, I. (2004) “Development of Urban Transportation” In Vandu C.J. Ogunsanya, A.A. and

7. Sumaila, A.G. (eds) Perspectives on Urban Transportation in Nigeria. Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Zaria.

8. Yakubu; et al., eds. (2005). Northern Nigeria: A Century of Transformation, 1903-2003.

9. Kaduna, Nigeria: Arewa House, Ahmadu Bello University. p. 352. ISBN 9789781351426.

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Influence of Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)

on Buildings Design Amidst the Pandemic

In recent times, however, various organizations

around the world have had to adopt the

work-from-home model, as the coronavirus spreads like

wildfire, and the world remains on lockdown.02

Photo by Drew Beamer on Unsplash

by Yakubu Aminu DodoPh.D. GreenRE CM, MyCREST QP

&

Faizah Mohammed BashirPh.D

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he COVID-19 pandemic has transformed how we work globally. F r o m t e l e c o m m u t i n g ,

distance learning to virtual other events. Building designers have to shift their practice to address this trend in�uence by the pandemic as it sees the rise of both self-imposed and mandated social distancing (ArchiDaily 2020).

The built environment serves as possible transmission vectors as most man activities are being carried out in buildings and other structures with the mode of transmission linked to virus droplets on surfaces within the built environment and through viral exchange and transfer via the air. Therefore the pandemic is a�ecting the design of our buildings in several ways.

Nearly most organizations are getting pummelled by the adverse

e�ects of COVID-19, and the Architecture profession is no exception. Already a�ected big and small �rms globally; with some �rms already furloughing employees and slashing pay. Foster + Partners, announced that its 1,400 employees would take a 20% pay cut for three months.

The bubonic outbreak that began in China in 1855 changed the perspective of design. From the light-�ooded generation of white-painted rooms to hygienic tiled toilets (Wainwright, 2020). A shift to buildings speci�cations that are antibacterial inclined, as well as well-ventilated boulevards. Our cities and structures have continually been fashioned with the aid of disease given room for establishing new bye-laws; modern-day street grid, sewage systems, and other building codes (Wainwright 2020).

The National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) is congressionally -

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COVD-19 Pandemic Effects

mandated to assist the built -environment, bringing professionals to the table to discuss and address challenges that face our industry; this responsibility is more essential than ever.

COVD-19 Pandemic E�ectsThrough an overview of the sequence of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and critical literature review, COVID-19 is a�ecting global activities; almost bringing the world to a standstill. The building’s design practice was not left out amidst the pandemic, with three crucial factors that need global attention; health, economic sectors, and civil disorder. Addressing these 3 critical points will bring an ease to other segments of our daily activities.

Architectural professionals need to play their roles as administrators of the built environment. Our profession houses the essential critical infrastructure where almost all activities are carried out by humans �gure 1(WBDG 2020) and we need not count on our governments to do miracles (Commercial Design 2020).

I n fl u e n c e o f N o v e l C o r o n a v i r u s 2 0 1 9 ( C O V I D - 1 9 ) o n B u i l d i n g s D e s i g n A m i d s t t h e P a n d e m i c

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The COVID-19 outbreak is anticipated to carry several long-lasting and short-term negative consequences. These may also consist of disruptions to work or cancelled projects; probably less demand for “non-essential” projects like o�ces, entertainment, and sports facilities; reduced/missed payments by owners; and a slow �nancial rebound across many industries.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching consequences beyond the spread of the disease itself and e�orts to quarantine it. The pandemic caused the largest global recession in history, with more than a third of the global population at the time being placed on lockdown.

Types of structures that are a�ectedSince most human beings spend 90% of their day-to-day lives inside the built environment, it is vital to apprehend the practicable transmission dynamics of COVID-19 inside the built environment ecosystem. There are also e�ects on human behaviour, spatial dynamics, and constructing operational processes that possibly promote and mitigate the spread and transmission of COVID-19 (Dietz, 2020). The structures that will be critically a�ected are; housing, hospitals, malls and commercials centres.

Figure 1: Essential critical Infrastructure workers; (adopted WBDG 2020)

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I. More to retro�tting of available buildings and structures to cater for the overwhelmed patient isolation centre we already have.

II. Redesigning functional �ows and usage of malls, commercials centres, and public spaces.

III. Integration of stationery or mobile sanitizing and screening cubicles in old and new buildings.

IV. The social distance of at least (2m) becomes a design criterion.

V. Already a revolution on types of speci�cations for items use in our buildings that we frequently touch with our hands

VI. An Architecture design in�uenced by “quarantine spaces”

VII. New design (if within the period of the pandemic) will consider all items mention above (I to VI) as possible design considerations.

VIII. A rethink toward implementing

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) with a focus on Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) as building codes and bye-laws.

IX. The pandemic is a�ecting; social and economic aspects of �nancing buildings designs’ and constructions.

X. A lot of ‘force majeure’ will be witnessed in both big and small Architecture �rms globally.

Conclusion

COVID-19 pandemic has come to stay until we discover a vaccine. Living with the virus will without a doubt be part of our design considerations in terms of new designs and the one that would undergo retro�tting. COVID-19 is in�uencing the design of our buildings amidst the pandemic in various ways;

Yakubu Aminu DodoPh.D. GreenRE CM, MyCREST QP

Assistant ProfessorDepartment of Architecture,Faculty of Architecture and

Engineering, Istanbul Gelisim University,

34310 Istanbul Turkey

Faizah Mohammed BashirPh.D

Assistant ProfessorDepartment of Interior Design &Decoration

College of Engineering University of Hail55417 Saudi Arabia

1dyaaminu@yahoo.com2faizahbash@yahoo.com

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Living with the virus will without a doubt be part of our design considerations in terms of new designs and the one that would

undergo retrofitting

Photo by Nastuh Abootalebi on Unsplash

References1. Archi-Daily (2020). How Will COVID-19 Shape the Future of Work? retrieved on 4th May 2020 available @ https://www.archdaily.com/936632/editors-talk-covid-19-and-the-future-of-work

2. Brown, E. N. (2020). The architecture industry is getting slammed by COVID-19 retrieved on 4th May 2020 available @ https://www.fastcompany.com/90488026/the-architecture-industry-is-getting-slammed-by-covid-19

3. Commercial Design (2020) Architecture in times of a pandemic Since the world is reeling under a global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, architecture is an e�cient tool to kindle a spark of economic growth retrieved on 4th May 2020 available @ https://www.commercialdesignindia.com/6020-impact-of-covid-19-on-architecture-industry

4. Dietz, L, Horve P. F., Coil, D. A., Fretz, M., Eisen, J. A., Van Den Wymelenberg K. (2020). 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic: built environment considerations to reduce transmission. mSystems 5:e00245-20. https:// doi.org/10.1128/mSystems.00245-20.

5. Wainwright, O. (2020). Smart lifts, lonely workers, no towers or tourists: architecture after coronavirus. The Guardian Mon 13 Apr 2020. Retrieved on 4th May 2020 available @ https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/apr/13/smart-lifts-lonely-workers-no-towers-architecture-after-covid-19-coronavirus

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Living at the Hospice:Architecture of Palliative-Care in Pandemics

03

by

by Mokoládé Johnson Ph.D

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In the 1920-1930 decade a bubonic plague of graver outcome ravaged

Lagos

he intrusion of the novel coronavirus on the global platform is destined to shift architectural design paradigm as we know it.

It’s uncertain what the design landscape will look like when a vaccine eventually come along. In the 1920-1930 decade a bubonic plague of graver outcome ravaged Lagos and housing schemes such that Lagos State Development and Property Corporation was later introduced to checkmate the physical impact of the epidemic.

The 2020 Abu Dhabi World Urban Forum declared 2020-2030 a Decade of Action as catalyst to achieve Sustainable Development Goals resonating the positions of other global frameworks. In the aftermath of the Spanish Flu in 1931, Le Corbusier churned out a design metaphor in his infamous cliché ‘the house is machine for living’. Ironically, the ‘home as machine’ or ‘living organism’ later hypothesized by Frank Llyod Wright -

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now has a new design ‘brief’ through the invasion of Covid 19 which originated from Wuhan, China in December 2019. The ‘stay at home’, ‘work from home’ or ‘self-isolate at home’ from governments globally now constitute a new architectural design order and health policy jingles in the cyberspace.

At the neighbourhood and city scale, the planning and design paradox is another platitude ‘maintain physical and social distancing’. This confusing ‘orders’ con�ict with established design theories as professionals know it. Hence architecture and stakeholders in the built environment and public health

managers are re-strategizing to curtail the spread. Within a six month period, the number of con�rmed cases of infections rose over 4million, 300,000 deaths and over 1million recoveries worldwide.

At local level, the panic situation prevailed as authorities’ frantically �gure out containment in the face of a fragile public health system.

Architecture as a profession, discipline and practice must rede�ne, reconceptualise, and re-contextualize to address new demands to spatially reimagine the architecture of where we live, work, play, and isolate.

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The ‘stay at home’, ‘work from home’ or ‘self-isolate at home’

from governments globally now constitute a new

architectural design order and health policy jingles in the

cyberspace.

Architecture of Housing

A r c h i t e c t u r e o fP a l l i a t i v e - C a r e i n

P a n d e m i c s

The UNHabitat, WHO and SDGs proclaimed housing as a compulsory fundamental human right for all, however the manifestation of this declaration is not so in Nigeria’s urban centres with an estimated housing de�cit of around 17million coupled with governments’ cursory attention to the sector.

Housing production accounts for a large percentage of the construction projects for architects, therefore as a palliative-care, vigilance and pandemic preparedness, it is imperative to reinvent a new design metaphor for consensual solution.

Lending from Frank Lloyd Wright’s design metaphor, ‘the house is a living organism’, it can be argued that a new design thinking is germane to tackle the spread of the COVID 19 contagion.

Photo by Victor Garcia on Unsplash

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A r c h i t e c t u r e o fP a l l i a t i v e - C a r e i n

P a n d e m i c s

Source: Unsplash.com @giulia_�lidei

Architecture of housing as a palliative product for caring must design for wellbeing at the home, neighbourhood and urban scale.

Today, architecture is at a professional cross-road in Nigeria because of its checkered history impacted by Pre-colonialism (1800), Colonial Dominance (1914-1960) to Post-colonial Period (1960-2020). The later wrongly assimilated is Post-Independence Tropical Modernism model in fast globalization era, resulted in the mix-match architecture of Nigerian cities of today.

The profession have been unable to develop an autochthonous philosophy to guide local framework for the well-being of where we live today. The architectural design conundrum demands solution to how to design a house in favour of physical and social isolation while

still maintaining social engagement, privacy, quietness, family bond, security and all daily activities typical of Nigeria.

How can existing o�ces or work spaces comply with physical and social distancing requirements in the face of high urban land? A qualitative structured interview of 30 practising architects with professional practise experience of 10-25years revealed that all of them had designed and supervised the construction of at least two family-house type at one scale or the other.

This is not so for other building types. The 100% record for housing show that a signi�cant number of registered architects are engaged in housing production.

An anecdote goes to say that ‘the house, is the only ‘vaccine’ available to confront covid19 today’.

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How can existing offices or work spaces comply with physical and social distancing

requirements in the face of high urban land?

In projecting solutions from today for tomorrow, this paper posits that a house should be organic in nature, able to grow (�exibility), to breathe (expand and contract) and take advantage of local elements of the ecosystem in a way bene�cial to climate.

The zeitgeists are predicting the criticality of housing and daily living practices as pandemic antidote, this demands synchronization with best global practises and the creative assets of designed home spaces. It is advocated that architects ‘design like

they care’, using home-grown concepts as pivotal groundwork for healthcare.

At this juncture, a new design philosophy grafted on eco-friendly school of thought such as the one advanced by Wright is desirable. This paper postulates ‘The house is a hospice for living’ a new design philosophy for palliative-care for the wellbeing of vulnerable communities.

Conclusion

Mokoládé Johnson Ph.DDepartment of Architecture,

University of Lagos,Lagos. Nigeria

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o begin to envision the impact of the current pandemic - Covid 19 on the future design and use of the work-place, one may have to

review the development of the work-place over the past 100 years. Identify the drivers engendering changes up till now and postulate what impact, if any, the current pandemic might have on the future of the workplace.

The Workplace: Historical OverviewThe modern commercial o�ce designs have their roots in the Taylorist concept that was itself, inspired by the e�ciency of the factory �oor. These layouts driven by operational concerns and output maximization. Fredrick Taylor’s Scienti�c Management Theory, in�u-enced most o�ce building layouts of

the early 20th century to early post war architecture of the late 1940s.

From the 1950s, as northern European countries were getting more a�uent, their political socialism and egalitarian-ism in�uenced the internal layout of their o�ces and Burolandshaft layout – o�ce landscape - was introduced in Germany.

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The COVID 19 pandemic and the Evolution of the Workspace04by Arc. Ukeje Uche MNIA. M.Sc. (Proj. Man) Liverpool

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The Taylorist O�ce (Google images)

Source: Brusk Dede on Unsplash

As the world transits from an industrial to a knowledge-based economy from the 70s to the 90s, the short comings of both concepts to the knowledge economy became more apparent; lack of privacy, visual and audio distractions and ease of spread of diseases.

To mitigate these short comings, Robert Prost and Herman Miller introduced the unsuccessful “Action O�ce 1;” a system

that allowed for customizable environments and partitions for privacy. The very successful “Action O�ce 2,” de�ned the o�ces of the 80s and early 90s. The cubes, as they were later known, became so successful that it enabled developers to sit as many people as possible, in rows upon rows of cubes, reminiscent of the worst of the Taylorist layouts.

From the 90s, as the knowledge economy took root and companies started shifting their focus from the e�ciency of the seat count in an o�ce space to user experience, and the comfort of their sta�, the o�ce layout would change yet again. The cubes were replaced by the modern open plan o�ces.

As people became more environmentally

conscious in the early 21st century, environmental

issues crept into workplace design.

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Source: Google

These changes were made possible by changes in technology; the World Wide Web and personal computers were becoming more available. Many technology and consulting companies were dependent on the output of their members of sta� and needed to provide them with spaces that encouraged more collaboration and productivity.

From the 2000s onwards, as di�erent studies established a strong correlation between sta� productivity and workplace comfort, companies responded by making the work place more social. With the introduction of di�erent lounges, breakout spaces, pods, gaming rooms, meeting rooms, gyms etc.

The work environment also became the social environment and the “worcial” spaces became the norm. The blurring of the work-life divide within the workplace encouraged long hours of work, serendipity, and innovation. As people became more environmentally conscious in the early 21st century, environmental issues crept into workplace design. Biophilic buildings, drawing nature into the workplace are now being proposed.

The carbon footprint of o�ces, use of natural lighting, passive cooling and the BEEM ratings of buildings have become of utmost concern to developers and Facility Managers.

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Burolandshaft layout (Pinterest)

The Workplace: Post Pandemic ProjectionsThe COVID 19 pandemic has introduced social distancing in an era where interaction and collaboration are perceived as the harbingers of innovation.

Corporations are torn between creating spaces that encourage innovation for the survival of their businesses, and the health of their sta�. The tension generated at the con�uence of these two requirements would generate the conceptual, technological and spatial innovations of the workplace of the future.

There are three areas that might be profoundly a�ected in the workplace post Covid 19:Internet of the Workplace (IOW): This is the technological integration of the Internet of Things, Building Management Systems and O�ce Management Systems in Apps capable of running on handheld devices supported by 5G.

As remote working takes hold, hot desking would become common practice and IoW would enable members of sta� to schedule the usage of desks, meeting rooms, printers, online meeting times and tables at canteens and lounges from their handheld devices, on and o� site.

Access controls, lift/door ingress and egress and identi�cation would be e�ected by iris scans and QR code scans to minimize human contact. Cur-rent meeting Apps would be improved upon to allow for more informal inter-actions and collaborations.

Virtual reality (VR) and Augmented reality (AR) technologies would mature to become mainstream o�ce tools to improve and sustain innova-tion while minimizing human to human contact. Robotics will make the jump from the factory �oor to o�ce suite.

Source: Jessica Arends on Unsplash

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Action O�ce 1. K2 space.

Interstitial SpacesDesigning interstitial situational spaces between functional zones in the o�ce would take precedence over designing functional zones. As economics, social and health concerns make working from home our new reality, companies and organizations would seek to turn intersti-tial spaces within the o�ce into serendipi-tous zones that engender interaction and innovation.Situational design of the o�ce would replace functional design, as most func-tions would be in�ux and indeterminable at the point of design. Organizational growth would not necessarily mean an increase in �oor plate, as o� location

growth becomes the new normal. Corri-dors would transform into experiential zones, encouraging loiter and chance encounters.

As environmental consciousness becomes mainstream, biophilic concepts would become the norm. Indoor and outdoor o�ce environments would merge, just as our work and social lives have merged in the early 21st century.

Flexible SystemsCurrent building systems are too restric-tive and expensive to constant changes required for the evolving o�ces of the future.

Source: Daria Shevtsova on Unsplash

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O�ce partition systems and services need to be more �exible and durable to accommodate very cheaply the constant changes to the o�ce land-scape that would be required to sup-port the o�ces of the future. These enclosure and service systems can be delineated into three categories:

The fully permanent elements (20 years and above) that de�ne the perimeter of o�ces and support systems including the structure, lifts, HVAC, electrical, plumbing and other mechanical systems. These building elements should be made with durable materials and scalable systems to support constant changes to the internal environment.

The Semi permanent elements (5 years and above) that de�ne inter-stitial zones within the o�ce envi-ronment. Experiential zones within future o�c-es would be changed less regularly than functional zones and future building elements should allow for the possibility of several changes of these elements within the life-cycle of the building.

The fully �exible elements (1 year – 5 years) that enclose the con-stantly evolving operational zones within the workplace. As the relationship between work and social life’s and the environment continue to evolve, this aspect of the workplace, would require to con-stantly change and evolve to meet the requirements of the future.

ConclusionThe workplace preview of the past century indicates that the major driv-ers of change have been: Institutional (e�ciency and experiential) and Socio-economics (society and tech-nology). During di�erent eras, one or two of the above drivers had led to profound changes in the workplace. How these forces interplay in the post pandemic era would continue to in�uence the workplace environ-ment for sometime to come.

Arc. Ukeje Uche MNIA. M.Sc. (Proj. Man), LiverpoolUkeje Uche is a practicing Architect and

Urbanist based in Lagos with expertise in commercial, multi-family residential and

industrial projects. He is currently the Manag-ing Partner of UKJ Consultants Nigeria, a �rm

of Architects, Urban designers and Project Managers.

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Architecture:

Space & Social Distancing

05

by Sunday Kuti (Arc.)

Photo by Simon Hustchon Unsplash

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rchitecture, from simple housing designs to urban and cityscapes, is a social vehicle of human interactions. Starting with design concepts to design complexities,

Architecture has always displayed some form of sociological or behavioural characteristics. That perhaps, de�nes developed cities from underdeveloped ones worldwide.

Well planned, landscaped and organised cities or environment have greatly in�uenced the lifestyle and interactions of its people. Equally so, are enclosed spaces and units, be it residential, commercial, institutional or recreational. But a great inequality, limiting Architecture and Architects themselves is nothing but the very tool with which they work, that is space. By this, I am referring to the limited and de�ned land area for most designs within urban areas.

The ravaging Corona Virus Disease (Covid-19) has busted this limiting design factor with the demand for more spaces in human interaction

A

Architecture:

Space & Social Distancing

The challenge is to still have functional space allocation for human

interactions within the available land space

that caters for healthy flow.

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in the name of Social Distancing. Space can be linear or m u l t i d i m e n s i o n a l , horizontal or vertical. Either of these will have its root on the available land area. The challenge is to still have functional space allocation for human interactions within the available land space that caters for healthy �ow.

To ensure future individual and corporate wellbeing, the present pandemic cannot be ignored. It is obvious that the nature of our cities, houses and workplaces, mostly allow for Social

Closeness and not �exible for Social Distancing as part of social wellbeing. I would disagree that it is part of our culture to be crowded and in commotion.

Architecture, more than ever, must collaborate to spread design beyond the horizontal land space to the vertical and upward. Cost of urban land, land availability, statutory constraints, and cost of construction are all serious factors that have restricted Architects and designs in Nigeria and the developing world.

S p a c e & S o c i a lD i s t a n c i n g

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A concise solution to Architecture, Space and Social Distancing should then be multidimensional and multidisciplinary. It has become more imperative to encourage de�nite research into a�ordable vertical and upward designs and construction to meet mass housing and social needs in sub-Saharan Africa.

Redesigning and reconstruction of our cities, in segmented forms, are now compelling. It is hoped that a seemingly new world order of improved urbanization due to Covid-19, will not leave Nigeria and other developing nations with more disorder and social pressure.

It has become more imperative to encourage definite research into affordable vertical and

upward designs and construction to meet mass

housing and social needs in sub Saharan Africa.

Photo by Simon Hustchon Unsplash

Sunday Kuti (Arc)

Sunday Kuti is a registered Architect. He studied Architecture at yaba College of Technology, Yaba Lagos; He is a certi�ed musicologist and the Principal partner at

Symbolik Design & Co.

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Rethinking the future Workspace

In recent times, however, various organizations

around the world have had to adopt the

work-from-home model, as the coronavirus spreads like

wildfire, and the world remains on lockdown.

06by Abolaji Kareem

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he last two decades have seen signi�cant changes in how we live and work-- as technology keeps changing the way

we interact and collaborate.

Nowadays, geographically diverse teams can now work together from di�erent parts of the world, thanks to innovations like virtual workplaces, video conferencing platforms, cloud infrastructure, and �exible work processes like Building Information Modelling (BIM), which is used in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry in the planning, sharing, and coordination of the di�erent models and data required for the implementation of building projects.

BIM fosters collaboration between professionals in a design team, without constraining all members of the team within the four walls of an o�ce space - as the technology transcends geographical boundaries.

As technological innovations keep

reshaping various industries in the business world, workforces’ needs are changing, and in response to this, the physical workspace is becoming more �exible than ever. The communication and collaboration mechanisms, as the major drivers of change, force architects to rethink workspace design.

In-person interactions among workers are becoming less prominent with the advent of virtual collaboration platforms like Slack, Trello, and Dropbox to name a few. Workers can now exchange ideas and documents in various formats without having to leave their workstations.

Another interesting contributing factor is the declining need for human labour - as many tasks are now being executed much faster and more e�ciently with automation systems and programs.In recent times, however, various organizations around the world have had to adopt the work-from-home model, as the coronavirus spreads like wild�re, and the world remains on lockdown.

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R e t h i n k i n g t h eF u t u r e W o r k s p a c e

With all non-essential commercial activities, closed-- companies had to improvise; having as many of their employees work from home. Consequently, there has been a big boom in the use of video conferencing apps like Zoom as millions of workers around the world found new workspaces at the corners of their rooms.

With future technological advancements in areas like Arti�cial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, and Internet of Things-- one can’t help but wonder if working from home is the future-- and if so:

How would architectural designers respond to this? How do we strike a balance between work and life happening in the same space or

building?

These are interesting questions every architect should ask themselves. A famous quote states that: “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” Architects are already inventing the future with their designs and creative problem-solving skills.

Now is the right time to learn and rethink the future workplace.

Abolaji Kareem (Arc)

Abolaji Kareem is a student of Architecture, a content creator, and a budding entrepreneur.

As a prospective architect, Abolaji is particularly interested in responsive and

sustainable architectural design.

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A famous quote states that: “The best way to predict the

future is to invent it.” Architects are already

inventing the future with their designs and creative

problem-solving skills.

Photo by Drew Beamer on Unsplash E Q | 3 2

Building out Pests:Mitigating the Reoccurrence of Epidemics

by Gbenga OpebiyiMSc. Arc.07

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rom one generation to another man has continued to underestimate pests, but rather build strong doors to stop burglars and sophisticated defence

mechanisms to �ght wars, while they penetrate our homes cheaply to infect us with incurable diseases. Here we face another Pandemic today; a cost of inattentiveness. Architects owe the world the responsibility not just to create spaces for man to live within but also for pests to live without. Only if we could pay more attention to the required details, we would have saved lives.

Major Areas to Pest Proof in Design We need to always ask; what are the expected pests within a neighbourhood and what attracts them? The common ones are mosquitoes, rodents, cockroaches, birds, �ies, snakes, scorpions and many more. They are lured by poor drainage, moisture, food, light, darkness, harbourage, tiny openings, wrong materials, and many of our design features. Hence, we need to review our designs with the consciousness of these pests and identify how we could repel them.The most important area to look into is

Foundation and Slabs. Wooden materials should be avoided at this stage and foundations must be properly damp proofed. Also, all tiny cracks and openings must be �lled.

Exterior and Entrance Lighting is another important aspect to manage. Poor light intensity creates a perfect environment for some pests to operate. But if high light intensity is not positioned strategically, it invites �ies, birds, wall gecko and more. Motion detector or timer can be introduced to disperse a crowd of light �ies. Also, direct light should be avoided around openings into the building, but re�ected light should be considered instead. There are some particular plants that attracts rats and other pests. Examples are; Star Jasmine, honeysuckle and Algerian or English Ivy, Leeks, Cauli�ower, Zucchini and many more. However, they can be replaced with plants that repels pests, such as; Basil, Chives, Chrysanthemums, Fennel, Geraniums, Lavender, Lemon thyme, Lemon grass, Oregano, Parsley, Petunias, Venus �ytrap and Rosemary.

Eaves and roof should be designed to discourage birds, �ies and bees from building their nests. Open roof courtyard

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should be avoided in designs. It is a loose end for pests to penetrate buildings.

Doors&Window Frames Weep holes in frames are major access for pests, so it needs to be tiny and covered with net. Most window sashes do not sit closely on the window sill tracks, which is the most common access for rats into homes. Mice just need a tiny opening like the diameter of a pencil, 6mm, to penetrate a space. All window ledges need to slope out to prevent bird perching and roosting. Automatic door sweep or bristle door sweep may be considered for external

doors. A well lighted and empty foyer should precede the entrance door to the living space.

Also, a well lit and empty lobby should lead directly to the outside after an exit door. This will deter pests from �ying or sneaking in when external doors are opened. But for a public space, where doors lead to the outside directly, the air door curtain can be adopted in the form of a blower installed on the door head. All external doors must be equipped with self-closing devices.

M i t i g a t i n g t h e R e o c c u r e n c e o f E p i d e m i c s

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Mice just need a tiny opening like the

diameter of a pencil, 6mm, to penetrate a space.

Gbenga Opebiyi MSc. Arc

Gbenga Opebiyi is an alumnus of Ladoke Akintola University of

Technology and Caleb University. He has a decade of experience in

Architecture and Construction. He is presently a principal partner at The

Dotmund Concepts Nig. Ltd.

There are many more areas that may be prone to pest in�ltration. It is peculiar to the type of building, its use, the neighbourhood, climate and many other factors.

Some of the details in this article are familiar but mostly overlooked. However, it is sacrosanct for architects to prioritize pest-proo�ng in designs to preserve lives.

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Emerging Norms in the Design and Building Industry Post COVID-1908

Photo by @nicotittoon Unsplash

by Tolu Aka (Arc)

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Larger square areas will be allocated per staff; work stations

will also feature higher partition screens.

ur built environment and the way we do things have always been shaped by several factors like advancement in technology and science, population growth, diseases, etc.

The most prevalent factors as of today is as a result of the COVID-19. While most countries like ours are still �ghting to overcome this pandemic, several professional disciplines including architects are discussing and predicting the possible impact on life as we know it today. No one truly knows what the future holds but we can speculate some changes that might occur post COVID-19.

Improved quality of living space:Architects will make a conscience decision to make wellness and health the core consideration in residential designs. This is a direct consequence of people expectedly spending more time in their homes. Elements like larger windows, gardens and outdoor relaxation areas will become the standard. More attention will be given to the interior designs of homes to improve the comfort of users with the exploration of lighting systems, �nishes, textures, colors, etc.

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Workspaces and o�ce layout design: Larger square areas will be allocated per sta�; work stations will also feature higher partition screens. Companies might also have a preference for smaller o�ces in place of large open o�ces. Companies will prefer natural ventilation to arti�cial ventilation so as to dilute airborne contaminants and lower transmission opportunities where possible.

Automated �xtures and �ttings: There will be an increase in the installation of automated �xtures and �ttings in public

spaces as an attempt to avoid the spread of diseases through surfaces. Some high rise buildings with heavy tra�c might also install voice control lifts for the vertical movement of people and goods.

Meetings:E-meetings will become the primary medium for brief collection, presentation of designs and design collaboration between all members of the design team. We might also see a shift from physical site meetings to online meetings where consultants only visit site based on request and necessity.

E m e r g i n g N o r m s i n t h e D e s i g n a n d B u i l d i n g I n d u s t r y P o s t C O V I D - 1 9

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Progress of works on site will be monitored

through video or virtual technologies.

Progress of works on site will be monitored through video or virtual technologies. This in turn will foster national and international collaborations in the industry.

Diversi�cation: The pandemic will give architects and designers opportunities to explore product design with the aim of controlling the spread of diseases in the future.

Adapting to environmental, technological and social changes have been a recurring theme in Architecture from time immemorial. It will be interesting to see how the building design industry responds to this current pandemic.

Tolu Aka (Arc)

Arc Tolulope Aka is presently an associate partner at Anetor and Associates, Tolu is a registered architect from Covenant Universi-ty with interest in construction, interior

design, HSE and Project Management

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COVID-19 Humour

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COVID-19 Humour

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