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Architects plan affordable home design competition in Lagos

By Bertram Nwannekanma
22 April 2019   |   3:50 am
Determined to find solution to the nation’s housing crisis, the Lagos State chapter of Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) has entered into a strategic partnership with Sterling Bank Plc to promote affordable home designs.

Members of the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), Lagos Chapter, Ebenezer Odeyale (left); Moniba Odulami; Secretary, Biodun Fatuyi; Chairman, Lagos chapter, Fitzgerald Umah; Treasurer, Abimbola Ashiru; Public Relations Officer, Gbenga Akinsete and Ayoade Adedipe at a briefing to herald Lagos Architects’ Forum 2019.

Determined to find solution to the nation’s housing crisis, the Lagos State chapter of Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) has entered into a strategic partnership with Sterling Bank Plc to promote affordable home designs.
  
Designed for young professionals and tertiary institutions within Lagos, the competition will be the high points of its 2019 edition of Lagos Architects Forum  (LAF 2019), tagged: “ Lagos 10.0- An Architectural Regeneration II: The Lagos Response”.Chairman of the chapter, Fitzgerald Umah, who disclosed this at a media briefing, said urbanisation has created population explosion and severe housing problems that results to overcrowding as well as inadequate and unplanned dwellings.He said the situation has left over 60 per cent of Nigerians homeless. “Research has confirmed the profound inadequacies in the housing circumstances of Nigerians,” he said
    
According to him, housing of low-income earners, who incidentally constitute majority of the population have not shown any significant improvement over the years.He explained that the competition promoted by Sterling Alternative Finance would ensure an affordable, eco-friendly, efficient and purpose-built residential community in Lagos and create a utopian living experience for its residents.
 

 
“We desire a modern efficient, affordable housing inspired by the African culture of tolerance, co-existence and communal living, reflecting our architectural heritage with empathy on the natural environment. “The community must seek to improve the quality of life of the urban population as well as assist in reversing the harmful cases of urban migration that leads to poverty. “It is expected that the community will challenge conventional wisdom and seek a more efficient, affordable, traditional and aesthetic solution to each component of modern living.
   
The components of modern life and living we seek include, a clean, green and sustainable community that seeks to improve the quality of urban living or slow down negative impact of urbanisation, an affordable and budget friendly community that reduces the cost of living of its members who are expected to be of mixed income class”, he added.
Umah said the chapter has resolved to build a prototype of an affordable house in Lagos. He said the competition seeks to actualise policy decisions on affordable housing and use of design exploration as well as themes to provide insights / awareness to address the current housing deficit in the country, especially in Lagos.
   
He stressed that the competition is a closed-entry and all submissions will be identified only via alpha-numeric code composed of 5 digits+3 letters (of their own choice) + 2019.He stressed that the first price winner in the professional category will get N1 million, the   2nd prize is ₦750,000, and while the 3rd prizes is ₦500,000.“In the tertiary institution category, the winner goes with ₦750,000, the first runners up goes with ₦500,000 While the second runners up goes home with ₦250,000.
  
United Kingdom based Nigerian, Armstrong Yakubu, Jennifer Mpysi of Uganda, Olusola Seriki another Nigerian based in the United States of America, Maddalena D’Alfonso form Italy, David Majekodunmi, Stefanie Theuretzbacher, from Austria and Kunle Adedeji are named as judges for the competition. On the architect’s forum, Umah said the event provides participants and partners opportunity to meet with various key players and stakeholders in the construction industry.Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode   will be the chief host, while the governor-elect Babjide Sanwo-Olu will be the special guest of honour and His Royal Majesty, Alhaji Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu of Bauchi as   the royal father of the day. Also speaking, the secretary, Mr. Abiodun Fatuyi said the several activities has been lined up which include educational and professional development sessions. 

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