2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background to study
1.2 Statement of research problems
1.3 Justification of the study
1.4 Aims and objectives
1.5 Study area
1.6 Relevance of topic to urban and regional planning
1.7 Expected contribution to knowledge
2.0 Literature review
3.0 Research methodology
3.1 Data sources
4.0 Findings
5.0 Recommendation
6.0 Conclusion
3. ADVANCEMENTS IN CITY DESIGN
Abstract
The era of organically growing cities is fast becoming obsolete. Now, governments and other
stake holders are taking proactive measures and well thought out plans of action in the search
for the all-encompassing, functional and futuristic city. Following in the footsteps of our
predecessors, there now exists a no-holds-barred and out-of-the-box approach to designing
cities and inculcating modern technology available. It will seem that aesthetics has become of
indispensable priority to developers, investors, planners, architects and even the consumers of
real estate.
Key words: city design, technological advancements
4. 1.0 Introduction
Throughout the rise and fall of several civilisations, different authorities have had different
views on the issue of design of their cities. Some have had seemingly outrageous dreams and
ideologies which they sort to manifest in the way their capital cities looked and were
perceived. Others generally pursued luxury and a better life for the citizenry with the
provision of better infrastructure and houses.
It has always been the goal of any government to continuously provide better living
conditions for its citizenry in every aspect of life. Regardless of the distribution of natural
resources, population and other important features, governments world-wide still thrive to
ensure the best in terms of income distribution for the populace. Thus, nation states no matter
their size or developmental status strive to achieve some level of consistency in development
planning and good governance. (Moti, 2015) To achieve this however, there exists a need for
the government to draw out a plan of action in order to clearly highlight the strategies it
wishes to adopt to achieve success.
Drawing out such a road map for nation building has been identified as crucial and
indispensable in the growth of every nation. As government seeks to achieve varying levels
of success in diverse sectors of the economy, clearly drawn out strategies for each identified
sector is an important move towards achieving sustainable development. The ideology of a
development plan if implemented is a planning tool for social, economic and sustainable
development and greatly improves the scenery of a nation’s economy. A plan according to
Ogunjimi (1997) is intended to largely solidify a solid base upon which a long term economic
and social development plan will be built.
When the government sets out to outline a vision for growth of the economy, improvement of
living conditions and all aspects of governance, this can be described as development
planning. Jhinghan (2005) defines development planning as a deliberate control and
direction of the economy by a central authority for the purpose of achieving definite targets
and objectives within a specified period of time. Moti (2015) buttresses this by saying that
development planning comprehensively involves predetermining a nation’s visions, missions,
policies and programmes in all facets of life and the means of achieving them.
Over the years, several dispensations have come forward with different papers seeking to
redirect economic growth to a preferred area of interest. This has been done with the design
of a framework for national improvement in the form of policies. This document which
explicitly states the current goals of the government and the means to achieving said goals is
referred to as a development plan. Nigeria has had quite a few development plans with areas
of interest spanning several facets of the economy each having varying levels of successes.
These development plans must however take cognisance of design principles in physical
planning.
Up till modern times, people have always planned the lay out their territories in different
ways, giving priorities to different things for different reasons and ideologies. Varying
degrees of grandeur have been pursued by different world leaders either for purposes of
5. establishing their individual superiority or for their own personal pleasures. City design as a
concept has come a very long way to its modern-day presence as a celebrated school of
thought amongst professionals in the built environment. While some seem to be on the fore-
front of constant evolution in urban design thoughts and efforts, some others are at a standstill
basking in the dimming lights of their past glories while others seem to be on a slow slide
down the mountains.
1.1 Background to study
Cities have had a long standing history. Ever since man started to settle in relatively more
advanced ways and patterns in order to facilitate better communication. Improved workability
of the city as an entity means that diverse parts had to work in an interdependent fashion.
Work places had to be linked to homes, markets, schools etc with utilities provided therein.
With more and more advancements in technology came better and faster ways of solving
problems and this made cities become more and more self sufficient.
Cities are now becoming a collection of inter-related yet self sufficient entities. The life of the
modern day working man is a combination of several complexities which arise as a result of
all the several needs of the new age urban town. From advancements in housing, road layout,
provision of facilities etc, there has been a lot of attention on aesthetics and physical character
in modern cities.
Oyewale (2009) highlights some of the qualities of a good working city as availability of
communication routes, fertility of the land or presence of mineral wealth, availability of
defensive sites among others. Modern urban life consists of diverse intricacies in order to
provide people a more satisfying life. The many complexities involved in the everyday
functioning of a city require the active participation of different arms. This includes physical
and unseen services, administrative procedures and infrastructure. Because of a general lack
of sufficient land in urban areas especially in the face of an ever growing population, more
and more cities have started to adopt an all-encompassing approach towards housing with
concepts like mixed use high rise buildings, serviced apartments and other real estate and
planning ideologies that generally tend to make optimum use of scarce land while ensuring
maximum comfort for all residents of such a city.
The Baton Rouge urban design handbook views urban design as the discipline through which
planning and architecture can create or renew a sense of local pride and identity. It has great
potential for enhancing the visual image and quality of neighbourhoods by providing a three-
dimensional physical form to policies described in a comprehensive plan. It focuses on design
of the public realm, which is created by both public spaces and the buildings that define them.
Urban design views these spaces holistically and is concerned with bringing together the
different disciplines responsible for the components of cities into a unified vision.
Noted essentials of an urban design plan include the plan itself, the preparation of design
guidelines for buildings, the design of the public realm - the open space, streets, sidewalks,
and plazas between and around buildings and the public interest issues of buildings. These
6. include massing, placement, sun, shadow, and wind issues. Urban design plans are almost
always prepared for specific goals in various areas, including downtowns, waterfronts,
campuses, corridors, neighbourhoods, mixed-use developments, and special districts.
Concerns to be considered include existing development, proposed development, utility
infrastructure, streets framework, and sustainable development principles. Urban design plans
require interdisciplinary collaboration among urban designers, architects, landscape
architects, planners, civil and environmental engineers, and market analysts.
As the city continues to expand through deliberate moves in the form of new towns, housing
estates and commercial hubs, it is imperative that we use pay unparalleled attention to the
design and overall workability of cities and seek to tie it in with the accepted standards of city
design implemented in the great cities around the world. This goal to pursue perfection in
cities and towns has led to urban planners, architects and other stakeholders in the built
environment to pursue the realisation of cities that are functional, self-sufficient and that are
works of art. The characters of modern cities have therefore become more of an issue of
design rather than plot allocation. This paradigm shift as experienced in modern cities have
led to the existence of cities with an interesting architectural story to tell which all residents
are proud to call home. This leads to an increase in productivity level of residents especially
in the service industry sector.
1.2 Statement of research problems
The aesthetic value of cities has come into view in the past century as more and more
thoughts have gone into their planning and design. However, several cities seem to be clearly
lagging behind in this regard. It is on this note that this study seeks to answer the questions
surrounding the disparities in the general outlook of cities. Since city design is completely at
the discretion of the government and relevant authorities, there is a need to highlight its need
and benefits in overall urban prosperity. It is therefore imperative that said standards be
defined in the aspects of city design and infrastructure provision with the view of establishing
a baseline for others to meet and ultimately strive to surpass.
A vacuum of design understanding and implications in the built environment seems to exist
in the bodies of research conducted by scholars and professionals. There is therefore a need to
redirect attention of research to the possible latent values of artsy, advanced and breath-taking
designs in modern cities. This paper will complement existing knowledge in urban design
drawing attention however from the short term goals of aesthetics to the effects such urban
beauty will have on the city in all ramifications be it economic, social, political,
environmental or otherwise.
1.3 Justification of the study
Efforts have been made by several world authorities to promote urban beauty in the aspects
of architectural dominance, infusion of cutting-edge technology in overall city design and
development, self-sufficiency in housing such as breakthroughs in green buildings, advanced
transportation systems, energy efficiency in industrial, residential and other land uses. This is
seen to be all geared towards providing visually satisfying and economically viable pockets
7. of archetypal cities. While some seem to pursue a futuristic approach towards city design,
some others in the urban design school of thought drum up support to promote era
appropriate city designs.
Regardless of their underlying reasons for the pursuit of beautiful cities, there seems to be a
relegation of the study of the effects of a beautiful design on associated aspects of the city.
This might be a possible explanation as to why some cities are more efficient than others,
why some look and feel great while others are relatively drab and why some cities grow at a
much faster and more sustainable rate than others. This anomaly in comparative city feeling
and attractiveness necessitates a look under the hood of sorts as to identify the need if any to
pursue design consciousness in urban layout and planning. This will aid in the decision
making process for relevant authorities especially in prioritising proposals for development
and their subsequent approvals.
1.4 Aims and objectives
This paper seeks to highlight the supremacy of design in cities and towns and how the
advancements in technology can ultimately help to ensure self-sufficiency in our cities. It
seeks to analyse the success rate of cities which have been designed with a great deal of
attention paid to design and ensuring self sufficiency to see how they continue to adapt to
new standards in design and incorporate said new standards into the city. With global
attention on productivity, this paper will try to find the link between beautiful and
technologically advanced cities to the productivity level and how new standards are created.
It will also try to explain the inter-relationship that exists between sustainable city designs
and prolonged city life.
Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the consequences of advanced urban design in
all aspects of human endeavours.
To achieve said aim of this study and to construe its underlying goal, the following objectives
have been formulated.
1. To examine different reasons for varying levels of acceptance of urban design
thoughts by different authorities.
2. To assess the effects of design on overall regional growth and development.
3. Identify the vibrancy or prosperity level in better designed settlement.
4. Note the key stakeholders in the built and natural environment who possess the
jurisdiction on matters of urban design and planning.
5. Determine the degree of importance of urban design within the wider urban
management framework.
6. To seek to explain regional inequalities from the viewpoint of urban design
assessment.
8. 1.5 Study area
The focus of this study will be Nigeria, one of Africa’s most vibrant countries. It will take a
brief yet close look at different states in the country and relating their visual appeal with their
economy and municipal management approaches. It will also focus on the comparative
ratings of different cities in the country based on their overall layout design or the concepts
around which they were built.
Geographical location and general characteristics
Nigeria is a West African country that shares a common boundary with Benin, Chad,
Cameroon and Niger. It is a tropical country with diverse geographical features including
plateaux, rivers, mountains, grasslands, highlands to mention a few. The country reported to
cover a total land area of over 900 000 sq. Km consists of 36 states with Abuja as its capital.
Historical background
The rich roots of Nigeria can be traced well back centuries. Evidence indicates that early
settlers in thrived in the eastern part of what is now known as Nigeria. The historical outlook
is dotted with the rise of several high sounding empires from the Yoruba kingdoms, Benin
kingdoms, Nri of eastern origins, Kanem and other northern empires.
As the impressively fierce empire of Britain continued to expand their rule in the continent of
Africa, they created several commercial bonds with Nigeria. By the turn of the 19th
century
Nigeria had been converted into a division of the British Empire. Through the political
struggle for independence and development of the country, Nigeria has evolved with a
glorious past into a force to be reckoned with in the international community.
1.6 Relevance of topic to urban and regional planning
Urban and regional planning is concerned with the laying out of land uses with the ultimate
goal of achieving high effectiveness, functionality and aesthetics. It generally deals with the
allocation of scarce resources within the built and un-built environment. Modern
understanding and implementation of urban and regional planning thoughts and movements
however, are seen to transcend just the use to which land is put but to the overall
improvement of a region in all ramifications. This means that practitioners of the field have
become diverse scholars in several fields such as urban psychology, transportation, urban
economics, housing, industrial development, gentrification, architecture and a range of others
within the greater scope of modern urban planning.
Much attention has been paid to the layout of towns and regions with an undertone of conflict
avoidance or resolution or general development of the economy and the safe guarding of
public health and safety. A crucial aspect however, is the issue of city design and
conceptualisation of the layout, governmental policies and city management techniques
around a cultural, historical, contemporary or even mythical ideology or mascot.
9. As doctors of the environment in diverse ramifications, it is crucial that new grounds be
broken in the aspects of the effects of every single human action carried out with different
approaches on the overall global community. A modern practice of urban and regional
planning or town planning as it is known in some parts of the world now sees each action on
land as a cause to an effect while noting that regional growth is indeed an incremental process
that requires steady calculated steps geared towards achieving complete and all-round
development.
New information or even a new perspective to already existing knowledge on the importance
of design within the framework of urban development will prove to be an epiphany of sorts in
contemporary town planning practice. It will highlight the golden thread of design that
seemingly binds all the aspects and advantages of proper urban planning in modern times.
From the resultant cityscape to the feel and viability of both town and country, this study will
serve as suasion for practitioners of the profession to develop beautiful places where people
will love to live, work and play not just because of aesthetics but because of the
consequential efficiency which it creates.
1.7 Expected contribution to knowledge
The purpose of this study is to attempt to complement existing information on the
significance of aesthetics and design in the field of urban and regional planning. As
urbanisation continues to reach its peak in developing African countries, authorities are
beginning to engage in deliberate attempts to create new towns that will possess the
advantages of urban as well as country (rural) life. This study is expected to highlight the
need to focus more on aesthetics while fully incorporating other sub-fields of the discipline
into the planning of cities.
10. 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
The urban design handbook for the city of Baton Rouge published in 2009 by the planning
commission defines urban design as the discipline through which planning and architecture
can create or renew a sense of local pride and identity. It identifies a great potential for
enhancing the visual image and quality of neighbourhoods by providing a three-dimensional
physical form to policies described in a comprehensive plan. It focuses on design of the
public realm, which is created by both public spaces and the buildings that define them.
Urban design views these spaces holistically and is concerned with bringing together the
different disciplines responsible for the components of cities into a unified vision. Compared
to comprehensive plans, urban design plans generally have a short time horizon and are
typically area or project specific
As Carr (1954) observed, modern man is said to have no larger a brain and no greater innate
capacity of thought than his ancestors. But the effectiveness of his thinking has been
multiplied many times by learning and incorporating in his experience and the experience of
the intervening generation. This effectiveness is clearly seen in the improvements made in
modern cities as a result of past experiences and the shortcomings identified and provided
for. The people we see, the sights we experience and the activities of everyday city living is
mixed with an unmistakeable ebb that leaves one in awe. It seems that modern day city
lifestyle strives to incorporate the element of surprise into every aspect of life. Mia Rotondi
(2012) described this City living as an adventure, each and every day. According to her, the
feeling of living in a modern city is simply irreplaceable. The past decades have seen the
debut of amazing advancements in how we access and use several facilities in our urban
areas. With all these recent advancements and improvements in city design, one can only
wonder what the future will look like factoring in all these beautiful innovations. In the same
view, Olatubara (2001) notes that cities as centres of human agglomeration have a fascinating
way of luring people. The dynamism of cities, he claims, creates conditions that make them a
source of attraction as almost all races are found there with varying cultures, customs,
cuisines, and a diversity of lifestyles. This apparent flexible nature of cities is what clearly
sets it aside from the almost static form of life found in rural areas. Both authors thus agree
that the modern cities with all their perks have the uncanny ability to bring people together
and keep them interested as new cultures are created as a result of the mix in ideas and the
provision of convenience infrastructure.
With recent attention paid to ‘the internet of things’ which promotes an urban lifestyle that is
all connected via the internet, designs in urban areas have continued to tilt towards the
actualisation of smart cities. The Habitat III issue papers highlights the emergence of the need
to promote compactness through mixed land use, maximize land efficiency, as well as to
promote sustainable, diversified, socially equal and thriving communities which should focus
on the following important highlights;
1. High quality streets and public spaces.
2. Proper and well-designed density.
3. Mixed Urban Uses and limited land-use specialization:
11. 4. Connectivity:
5. Mixed social structure.
6. Urban resilience:
7. Energy and Resource Efficiency
8. Practical and enforceable norms and rules
Incorporating “Smart” efforts into overall city design will not only enhance the efficiencies of
complex urban systems but will ultimately increase the quality and efficient delivery of basic
services through a variety of e-solutions; empower citizens through access to knowledge and
opportunities; and, to address environmental challenges and disaster risks through measures
enabled by new technology. The paper also advocates for innovation in planning by ensuring
the structuring and implementation of designs that are both all-encompassing and responsive
to changes and wants.
Planning and design from this perspective therefore should focus on: public space layout that
minimizes transport needs and service delivery costs while optimizing the use of land. It
ought to also involve street patterns that enhance mobility and space for civic and economic
activities with attention paid to open spaces that provide areas for recreation and social
interaction and thereby enhancing quality of life. Thus there is a need to re-evaluate existing
approaches in order to identify good practices suited to local cities with a view to balance
them out with international standards, and secure an integrated approach to city design or re-
design across all sectors. A report by the Design Commission buttresses this point by arguing
that designers now need to work closely with technologists in order to create new forms of
social and economic value in this digital economy. It recognises the designers as critical
agents who will be able to mediate between people, places and technology and will ask
bigger questions that will put people at the centre of the economy. Both reports show clearly
the supremacy of design especially when synchronised with technology and how they can
create cities which are better equipped to handle real life issues that arise from modern day
city living.
How cities are subsequently designed and even managed will in the next few years play a
huge role in the level of development such a city can achieve. From priorities in
infrastructure, character of users and frequency of use as a result of the uprising of
technology and its resultant effects on how we live, urban designers will have to participate
fully in the dawn of this new age of design-oriented lifestyle even as the world’s population is
seen to grow at alarming rates. Alusi et al (2011) states that the way cities are designed,
managed and used is likely to shift substantially based on demands created by two powerful
trends which are; a growing awareness of a threat to the sustainability of the Earth’s natural
environment; and the rapid rise in the number of people moving into and living in cities. Put
together, these trends therefore call for a massive development of new buildings and
infrastructure, along with new social and cultural institutions, to accommodate vast numbers
of city dwellers without irreparably harming the natural environment. Their paper suggests
12. that government agencies, developers, urban planners, designers, builders, technologists and
financiers involved in urban projects ought to launch efforts that are unprecedented in kind
and in scale. Although the idea of creating fully functional technologically advanced and
beautiful cities is directly tied to the creation of new towns, capital cities and other planned
communities, there is still a need to factor in the viability of such an effort in the re-design or
management of existing cities.
Impact of design on urban mobility
The faultless and efficient movement of people in cities has been a main concern for
government in urban areas. Mobility options seem to be essential to providing a full-bodied
platform for economic activity and human relations within the urban context.
As a result, rapid technological advances coupled with shifts in demographics and public
preferences are dramatically altering the nature of transportation in contemporary cities.
Technology’s ever-growing impact has profound and far-reaching repercussions for the
future of urban mobility.
According to the national league of cities, Technology is leading cities to a more dynamic
transportation system where people can alternate easily between multiple modes of
transportation depending on their needs. A typical day in the life of an average Nigerian
might see him take a bus or train to get to and from work, take a car to run errands, hop on a
bike to visit a friend, and even combine different modes of transportation in a single trip. The
underlying operative models in this picture are availability of a wide range of options and
straightforwardness of use. The ultimate goal of cities must be to combine diverse transit
modes into a coherent whole, so that moving from place to place is easy, reasonable and
pleasant.
The interruption of traditional industries and economic development patterns will only
continue to occur with greater frequency as we continue to progress and witness higher rates
of urbanisation. Therefore, thinking about and anticipating the future is an intrinsic aspect of
the success we hope to achieve when it comes to city planning and economic development.
Unbeknownst to many, the technological advancements that will determine the future of
mobility are already taking shape. Cities of all sizes have transportation plans that project
quite far into the future.
Impact of design on urban prosperity
So does city design really affect urban productivity and growth? Does the aesthetic value of
cities play any role in the way in which cities thrive or is it just simply serendipitous?
Although several city residents have tilted towards clean and beautiful layouts, many cities
have grown out of a mediocre design and layout. However, architectural masterpieces, awe-
inspiring layouts and technologically advanced cities have become beehives of urban
agglomeration and even constituting urban tourism sites. There is a need to briefly look at a
couple of towns in the Nigerian framework. This brief narrative will highlight the way cities
have grown from relatively ordinary pasts to world thriving urban centres.
13. The case of Abuja
The federal capital territory of Abuja is located almost dead centre of Nigeria. The unique
geographical features such as the savanna grassland, hills and tropical rainforests make it a
delight to see.
Up until the 18th
century, Abuja remained a commercial centre for the trading of goods from
merchants all over the northern part of Nigeria and beyond. However, from the early 1900s it
was occupied by the British colonial army and remained a quiet part of Nigeria. After the
country began search for a new capital territory in the face of challenges associated with
Lagos as then capital. Amongst 33 possible locations, Abuja was selected based on its
centrality, climate, land coverage, accessibility amongst other advantages of the site.
Information provided by the abujagalleria.com says that Legend has it that the first
inhabitants of Abuja lived at the base of the Aso rock for a very long time which is rumoured
to have mystical powers. The expression Aso rock has now been used to refer to not just the
physical formation of the most daunting rock in the vicinity but to Abuja as a seat of
authority and a representation of power. The city was redesigned to satisfy the status of a
capital territory.
Conceptualised after the three arms zone theme which is fashioned after the Washington D.C
Capitol Hill, the goal was for the presidential villa, the national assembly and the Supreme
Court to be within a short distance from each other and surrounded by a ring road. The city
design coupled with the impressive presence of several architectural masterpieces on
highlands forms a vista and awe-inspiring view from all points. The resultant stretch of the
city is a feel good atmosphere which people love to live and work in.
The Abuja city plan (source: landofhoneycity.com)
Authorities staged a design contest for the city of Abuja to select a reputable organisation to
handle the planning and implementation of the project. The planning for the project was
broad and took into cognisance the unique terrain. The design envisaged streets with an
individualised character and created two distinct zones which were first, a central zone to
accommodate the official buildings and cultural institutions laid out along very wide avenues
and a residential and commercial zone. Construction commenced in 1980 and by 1987,
14. infrastructure had been provided to cater for a population of one million. Seemingly a
successful stride, the city flourished and population grew rapidly. The comparatively pleasing
design of the city coupled with the unique climate and also it being the nation’s seat of power
prompted private developers and individuals to acquire land with the view to develop and
partake of the breath of fresh air which the city promised.
3.0 Research methodology
The aim of this study is to critically examine the consequences of advanced urban design on
the environment. To achieve this aim, the research methodology adopted will be a largely
qualitative analysis of data on the subject matter and related issues.
3.1 Data sources
Data scrutinized in this study will be secondary in nature as it tends to seek out discrepancies
and binding factors within existing knowledge. The data will be sourced from already
available information collected by scholars which deals with small sections of the greater
urban functionality theme.
3.2 Likely risks connected with the methodology
The methodology and approach adopted is also riddled with its own risks. Secondary data
almost always has the problem of not being completely relevant to the particular study
because units of measurement might not exactly be the same or the conceptual framework
might differ.
Secondary data which is used for this study might also be outdated and redundant. Therefore,
the dependability of its findings might be in doubt.
4.0 Findings
All available information on the importance of design on the success of urban areas seems to
agree that they do play an important and indispensable role. There seems to be inconclusive
data on the effects of architectural or otherwise aesthetics on urban prosperity. All over the
world, authorities are using huge urban design programs to showcase a wide range of
environmental, social and financial sustainability practices to demonstrate their commitment
to the viability of their projects and repositioning themselves as cities of the future. Much
more sophisticated technologies are constantly emerging and creating prospects for
improving the sustainability or urban projects.
It is pretty much clear that there is a great appetite in the research community to create work
that is commercially successful through collaboration with the relevant authorities. However,
this can only occur through a willingness on the part of the government to fund work on the
trickle down effects of city design.
15. 5.0 Recommendation
There is a need to infuse aesthetics into the overall planning of cities with a view to
producing beautiful towns that attract. The study highly advocates for the design conscious
approaches towards city planning. New towns and older areas in need of re-planning ought to
be futuristic in their design approach as well as conceptualising the overall plan around the
natural landscape of the settlement.
One recommendation is the expansion and development of funding work linking design to
the urban economy. This should cover all kinds of creative clusters and knowledge bases and
the skill sets connected therein. This might include new research on links across the
experiences of the economy and creative economy hubs, assessing their value.
Also, new forms of Design and Knowledge exchange should be encouraged and even funded.
They should link research scholars with practitioners in different areas of design, for example
medicine, health, industry and arts, to undertake joint projects located in both university and
practice environments. This will bring researchers and other stake-holders closer together
developing creative and clusters to share best practices and lessons learnt. These synergistic
alliances will help to easily identify localised opportunities for growth and new kinds of
social and economic value.
It will be a relatively easier attempt to attract private investors into a well designed town with
technologically advanced infrastructure. Roads laid out in artful lengths into vistas forming
interesting shapes will always appeal to all. Governments of different states in Nigeria ought
to pursue urban design schools of thought to manage their cities and towns. In the provision
of new or complementing infrastructure, there is a dire need to strictly do so with knowledge
of the implications of the overall outlook on the various aspects of the economy.
The core value of user-centred design as a means to release new forms of social and
economic value needs to be woven through future town planning efforts either at the
conceptualisation stages or at the implementation stages. This can be achieved both through
supporting a design research base in universities as well as other institutions of higher
learning, and through supporting design-led developmental projects.
Government should also increase its investment in the provision of great and sophisticated
infrastructure as this has been seen to propel development and progress.
Urban managers and stakeholders should seek to make advancements in the design of their
cities with a view to positioning them among their global counterparts. Urban design has
been identified as a powerful tool for economic growth and must be pursued in both new and
existing layouts.
Much more in-depth studies are needed in this research effort to provide conclusive findings
on the topic.
16. 6.0 Conclusion
Throughout the course of this inquiry I have sought to highlight some of the areas of growing
convergence between design and modern day town planning practice, and recommend some
ways in which design can be aligned to engender new forms of value within the development
of urban areas.
I believe this can be accomplished across the whole Nigeria by means of the development of
existing and future advanced cities. This proposal is greatly supported by my evidence-
gathering around the role that the design discipline has yet to play in the economy of the
future. However, we have also indicated some direct ways in which the urban economy can
only be successful by training future designers in the varied skill set needed to operate in the
modern world.
This has been an area of great interest for many design conscious stakeholders. As such, I am
compelled to suggest the following ideas for future research. More work needs to be done to
develop ideas and stimuli for the urban economy (including concerns relating to intellectual
property, ownership of conceptual plans, and how design innovation can be stimulated
without infringing on personal rights). This must not be confined to design and urban
planning, but should include contributions from a wide range of other disciplines, and include
government officials and decision makers , all of whom are, after all, ‘users’.
As I have highlighted, the urban economy is tied strongly to physical location. I strongly
recommend that any future government strategy should include current research in this area
to help drive the design clusters and unleash growth throughout Nigeria, and not just in the
urban centres. In addition, more detailed work is needed to explore how current urban and
regional planning study and research funding mechanisms might encompass advanced design
thoughts and correspondingly focus on user-centred design.
17. 7.0 References
Abuja, the founding. (blogs.umb.edu)
Aledare K (2008) Issues in urban planning and management.
American Planning Association(2006) Planning and Urban Design,
Baton Rouge: Horizon Plan, April 1992
Baton Rouge: Unified Development Code, March 2003
DuPuis N, Martin C, Rainwater B (2015) National League Of Cities; city of the future,
technology and mobility
Edgerton, D (2008) the Shock of the Old: Technology and Global History Since 1900
Fishbein, M (2008) readings in attitude
Florence, A (2007), African research review, interests, preferences and the realisation of
goals: Nigeria and vision 20:2020
Fort Collins Urban Design Guidebook, Edition 1, May 2000, Fort Collins, Colorado
Getting To Know Smart Growth, (2002) International City/County Management Association
KPMG and Clayton Utz (2014) urban renewal guidebook
Mabogunje, A. L. (1968): Urbanization in Nigeria; London: University of London Press Ltd.
Mia Rotondi (2012) City living as an adventure.
The Abuja city plan (source: landofhoneycity.com)
