Christopher Okunade

Advisor: Lancelot Coar

The image compares traditional and modern architecture, linking materials like clay and wood to huts on one side and concrete and glass to skyscrapers on the other. A central "Design" element connects both styles, emphasizing materials, construction cycles, and environmental contexts.
The poster examines the evolution of Yoruba architecture, focusing on the loss of identity due to colonialism and globalization. It features a flowchart on design components and a modern Yoruba house blending traditional and contemporary styles.
The architectural drawing depicts a traditional thatched-roof structure with three sections, including an open courtyard with people engaged in activities. The surrounding environment features trees and a lightly sketched sky.
The model showcases a traditional Yoruba-style building with a thatched roof and earth-textured walls. It is framed in wood, accompanied by text highlighting the cultural and communal importance of Yoruba architecture.
The architectural cross-section shows the interior layout of a two-story house, with a bathroom and bedroom on the upper floor and a laundry room and kitchen on the lower floor. The scene includes figures interacting and an outdoor environment with trees.
The visual compares modern and traditional Yoruba architecture, emphasizing sustainable design through local materials and improved methods. It features diagrams, hand-drawn illustrations, and text on socio-cultural values and sustainability practices.
The image illustrates three clay construction techniques: rammed earth, brick making, and clay 3D printing, with step-by-step visuals of each process. It highlights tools, materials, and outcomes, from compacted walls to 3D-printed structures.
The image features a white geometric structure resembling a closed book with a triangular peak, set against a black background. A single tree on the left adds contrast to the minimalistic composition.

ILÉ TUNTUN ÌGBÀLÓDÉ : THE NEW CONTEMPORARY HOUSE

As time passes, the identity of Nigerian architecture fades amidst waves of colonial influence, the impacts from end of slave trade, and global industrialization on the Nigerian people similar to the experience of many other cultures worldwide, particularly in Africa. The growing dominance of international and postmodern styles is rapidly overshadowing and erasing the nation’s cultural heritage, sense of place, and architectural identity. Consequently, contemporary architecture in Nigeria has increasingly little connection to the cultural heritage and traditions of its people.

This study focuses on the architecture of the Yoruba, an ethnic group in the southwest region of Nigeria, explore how the architecture of place and identity can be restored in Nigeria. It examines the techniques, materiality, and methodologies of traditional Yoruba architecture, while also analyzing the way of life and traditions of this cultural group. Through the creation of drawings and models, alongside a qualitative study, the research provides a comprehensive evaluation of Yoruba architecture before the advent of colonial influence, and compares it with current dominant industrial architecture and building practice.

The findings reveal that beyond offering shelter, traditional Yoruba architecture served significant social and cultural functions, which have been lost in modern architectural practices. Moreover, traditional Yoruba architecture, which is deeply rooted in local culture and responsive to its environment, has a minimal carbon footprint compared to current architectural and construction practices, which often fails to reflect the people’s identity. The study proposes that instead of abandoning traditional architecture in favor of international or postmodern styles, it should be innovatively improved to meet contemporary needs while simultaneously preserving cultural values and heritage. Finally, traditional architecture offers a unique pathway to sustainable development, addressing contemporary challenges such as global warming, waste, pollution, energy consumption, and housing costs.