Architect Harps On Environment Friendly Designs

An architect in Port
Harcourt, Ola Osei has challenged his professional colleages to come up with designs that will have minimal negative impact on the environment, as well as meet the yearnings of their clients in the new era.
Osei who was responding to questions from The Tide shortly after a housing forum in Port Harcourt, stated that there is no life without architects just as space does not exist without time.
He said “Architects are agents of change in Urbanisation which is a process but not an event, adding the need for architects to be advocates with society as our client.
“Efforts should be made to develop new designs that will meet the present day demands and realities, inasmuch as such designs will have minimal negative impact on the environment for real sustainable development.
According to him, one of the ways architectural design could be favourable  to the environment is by the use of Local Materials, which he said will also be cost effective.
The architect maintained that when professionals focus their attention on designs that will utilise local materials, it goes a long way to reduce cost adding that such designs are sustainable.
To this, he said that designs should not only be for the high income earners, but that Nigerian population is on the increase and that this population make demand on land for living.
He said architect should come up with designs where four families, especially in the low income group could occupy a plot of land, and still enjoy necessary facilities required, without much harm done to the environment.
According to him, such facilities like parking lots, playing space could also be provided in addition to the rooms available.