ASPECTS OF MATERIALS AND METHODS DEPLOYED IN LOW INCOME SELF – HELP HOUSING: THE DELETERIOUS EFFECTS AND PROPOSED REMEDIATION

Arc. Joseph O. Oko & Arc. James I. Demenongu  

Department of Architecture,

University of Jos, Jos.

Email: agaba30 @ yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

As a result of the necessity and quest to have own shelter emanating mainly from the ever rising accommodation rent cost, there has been a great thrust by poor urban dwellers, low and middle income earners to move to the urban fringes and start their shelter – somehow. The paucity of funds engenders the practice of cutting expenditure to the extent and effect that several building materials and methods employed are unconventional, deleterious and detrimental to the health, safety and security of such owners and users. This study investigated the extent and depth of this practice in a selected area (Gamajigo community) an urban fringe of the city of Jos, in North Central Nigeria with a view to proffering solution to the anomalous materials and methods. The methodology employed involved first of all identifying buildings that were in active construction process, investigating the methods and materials applied in their construction. Thereafter, knowledge of Architectural theory and practice was applied to propose better and more wholesome materials and methods. The findings were that the use of several cost saving measures (materials and methods) which had detrimental consequences were very pervasive. The study also found that in as much as cost saving measures were desirable to attain a low cost, low budget housing, there were some incontrovertible fundamental costs that building owners should not run away from bearing. The study therefore proffered better ways of attaining cost saving measures that would not jeopardizing health, safety and security of the owners or occupants. This study was significant and contributed to knowledge in that by adhering to the provisions and suggestions of this study, low cost housing could be attained by the urban low and middle income earners through self – help methods without jeopardizing health, safety and security of the owners of such dwellings. The study also has the promise of enhancing the durability of such structures coupled with the additional benefit of maintaining minimal expenditure for housing procurement.

Keywords: Building Materials / Methods, Deleterious Effects, Low Cost Housing, low/Middle income earners Income Earners, Self – Help Housing, Urban Poor.

Table of Contents

The Diminishing Role of Architecture in the Building Industry:

A Case Study of Jos Metropolis

Erekpitan Omoikhefe Ola-Adisa, Emmamoge Orewere, Mangut Salihu,

Gideon Koyan Benjamin, Inalegwu Inalegwu Ellaand

Raphael Iyima Eshaleku                                                                                  1-16

Soft Landscaping and Its Impact in Enhancing the Status of Nigerian

Urban Centres: A Case of Jos City Centre, Nigeria

Emmamoge Orewereand Ajibola Ruth Ogenyi                                              17-36

Assessment of Surface Water Quality in Rivers and Ponds for

Sustainable Irrigation Practice in Nigeria

Samaila Kunden Ishaya, Marcus Nengak Danjuma &

Kwarfwang Kevin Jack                                                        37-55

Aspects of Materials and Methods Deployed in Low Income Self –

Help Housing: The Deleterious Effects And Proposed Remediation

Arc. Joseph O. Oko & Arc. James I. Demenongu                                             56-70

SOFT LANDSCAPING AND ITS IMPACT IN ENHANCING THE STATUSOF NIGERIAN URBAN CENTRES: A CASE OF JOS CITY CENTRE, NIGERIA

Emmamoge Orewere¹and Ajibola Ruth Ogenyi²

¹Department of Horticulture and Landscape Technology,

 Federal College of Forestry, Jos

²Department of Science Laboratory Technology,

Federal College of Forestry, Jos

emmamoge200xpd@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

A city centre is the central commercial, cultural and social centre of a city where natural and man-made physical objects combine to create a vibrant urban environment with modern amenities in order to serve the needs of all people. Little attention has been given to appropriate landscaping of our houses, neighborhood, towns and cities in recent times. This is traceable to a number of factors among which are, industrialization, agriculture, environmental pollution (noise, air, water, land) urbanization, street open trading, level of awareness have exerted negative impacts on the environment especially in the urban centres. The urban image of the city centre of Jos reveals that there is no functional and interesting landscape elements to modify and beautify the environment, the dryness one experiences in the day usually has side effect on the city dwellers. The immediate pictures queue reveals poorly maintained accents at traffic roundabouts, air pollution, indiscriminate dumping of refuse, and ramshackle structures as a result of street open trading, hawking etcetera. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to examine the positive impact of soft landscaping in enhancing the status of Nigerian urban centres. The study area is Jos the capital of Plateau State situated in the North-Central geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Data for this paper was gathered through site survey, case study and literature review. This study posits that appropriate landscaping beautifies our private dwellings, government owned structures as well as creating pleasant scenes of our major roads, roundabout, recreation centers which invariably gives a healthy environment devoid of environmental hazards. The paper recommends that appropriate awareness programmes on values of landscaping should be intensified to individuals, professionals, Government and Non-governmental organizations.

Keywords: Jos City Centre, Nigerian Urban Centres, Soft Landscaping.

THE DIMINISHING ROLE OF ARCHITECTURE IN THE BUILDING INDUSTRY: A CASE STUDY OF JOS METROPOLIS

Erekpitan Omoikhefe Ola-Adisa ¹, Emmamoge Orewere ², MangutSalihu¹, Gideon KoyanBenjamin¹, InalegwuInalegwu Ella¹ and Raphael Iyima Eshaleku¹

¹Department of Architecture, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Jos

²Department of Horticulture, Federal College of Forestry, Jos

Email: olaefeadisa@gmail;com;

ABSTRACT

The study examined the causes of the diminishing role in architectural practice in Nigeria, with a view to determining the factors that militate against sustainable architectural practice in Nigeria. Several internal and external factors have been found to contribute to the diminishing role of architects in practice globally and especially in Nigeria. The study also examined specific challenges facing Architectural practice in Nigeria. Using qualitative methods, the focus groups (consisting of undergraduate, postgraduate and architecture professionals and clients) examined reasons why the architects’ role is diminishing globally and especially in Jos Metropolis, Nigeria and discovered that the societal perception of architects is largely negative due to an obscure image presentation which is also evident amongst students of architecture. The study also made recommendations to mitigate the negative effects of the societal perception the architects’ role.Keywords: Diminishing Role, Organizational Challenges, Professional Service Organization