ADAPTATION OF TRADITIONAL DESIGN CONCEPTS FOR KANO STATE HISTORY AND CULTURE BUREAU COMPLEX

By

Author

Presented To

Department of Environmental Design

ABSTRACT
There is a growing concern from different communities towards the continuous decline of their traditional heritage. This declined is brought about by the industrialized society. One third of the world's population faces the strains of adopting to the impositions of modern architectural style -Traditional style not considered fit from the beginning of the twentieth century. Hausa land is not left out from the present confusion of accepting modern style brought about by the industrial society. Many traditional buildings in Kano are fast disappearing and some are losing their traditional out-look due to infiltration of modern culture into our traditional cities. In the design of Kano State History and Culture Bureau Building, traditional culture played an important role. Three concepts of Hausa traditional designs are employed. They are: the concept of versatility, which is the building is only two stories reflecting the traditional concept of vertical height. Other concepts are the use of large, open courtyard; the concept of decorations on the building wall, the use of less glass area at various approaches to the building. And the concept of space-Hierarchy of space in domestic traditional architecture. The product of the design is the combination of traditional culture with that of modern conception of space-Hybrid concept. In whole, there is the complete adaptation of traditional design concept in the office design of the Bureau and at the same time utilizing the modern architectural and planning ideas of office design in the Bureau's complex. The building is an overall semblance of a Hausa land Architecture - Kano in particular. The result is Architecture of regional identity peculiar to Hausa region and at the same time looking aesthetically modern.