AN EFFECTIVE NEIGHBORHOOD LAYOUT DESIGN

AN EFFECTIVE NEIGHBORHOOD LAYOUT DESIGN

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
Housing, literally is defined as Buildings or other shelters in which people live, a place to live, a dwelling etc and to Nations a critical component in social and economic fabric. Housing represents one of the most basic human needs.

As a unit of the environment, it has a profound influence on the health, efficiency, social behavior, satisfaction and general welfare of the community. To most groups housing means shelter but to others it means more as it serves as one of the best indicators of a person’s standard of living and his or her place in the society. It is a priority for the attainment of living standard and it is important to both rural and urban areas. These attribute make demand for housing to know no bound as population growth and urbanization are increase very rapidly and the gap between housing need and supply becomes widen.

Cultural factors such as preferences and values or social status, taste and financial resources, also influence a home physical characteristics. In Nigeria, poor housing delivery has been attributed to inadequate mechanisms and systems for land allocation, funding, mortgage institutions and infrastructure.

Despite the significance of housing adequate supply has remained a mirage to all carder of the society in Nigeria. The situation is very particular to most developing countries where population grow at exponential rate and rapid urbanization becoming a norm, and discrepancy in housing need and supply is high.

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT
According to the study carried out, a carefree attitude by estate dwellers, lack of social interaction, non availability of neighborhood facilities and less standard of buildings in terms of functionality, structural stability and aesthetics are observed and to be addressed in this project.

1.3 PROBLEM SOLUTION
i. To provide an effective neighborhood layout design to include all necessary facilities for a better standard.
ii. To provide facilities that would foster interaction between the intended dwellers.
iii. To make use of all architectural materials to achieve a better standard in terms structural stability, functionality and aesthetics.

1.4 PROJECT JUSTIFICATION
Housing is seen as one of the most important for the physical survival of man after the provision of food. It contributes to the physical and moral hearth of a nation and stimulates the social stability, the work efficiency and the development of the individuals. But in spite of these facts there is no doubt that housing in quantitative terms is still one of the major problems facing the Nigerian Urbanities and governments beside the characteristic slums and conditions it is becoming increasingly difficult for average Nigerians to own houses. Also it is very difficult to procure decent accommodation at reasonable rent in the market. The rents are high in each state and fairly high in the other state capitals, but still not commensurate with the monthly incomes of all categories of low, middle and upper wage earners and the self-employed.

The major cause of high rent is that the supply of housing is fair less than demand. To find houses to rent is a big problem and if such houses are eventually found, they are let out at very exorbitant prices that take a large percentage or the monthly income of the acceptant not minding the location and the accessibility of the residence to the place of work. Until recently for an was becoming exceedingly very difficult for an average wage earner as well as the self –employed individuals to build houses of their own within a long period of time say ten years through their private savings. Also, the cost of building materials is very exorbitant, cost of land, labor and professional fees are very high which has led to the situation whereby the construction cost per square meter is far more than what an individual could meet after the provision of food and other social needs.

1.5 AIM AND OBJECTIVES
Aim
The project is focused at providing an effective neighborhood layout design to include all necessary facilities for a better standard, to provide facilities that would foster interaction between the intended dwellers and to make use of all architectural possibilities to achieve a better standard in terms structural stability, functionality and aesthetics.

Objectives
i. To provide an affordable housing for medium income earners.
ii. To design a structurally stable building that would stand the taste of time.
iii. To ensures structures are aesthetically appealing to the eyes.
iv. To foster religious and ethnic unity among dwellers.
v. To achieve an effective and integrated housing neighborhood layout
design.

1.6 ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
i. To provide shelter and accommodation for medium income earners.
ii. To present an aesthetically befitting structure for dwellers/inhabitants.
iii. The study is meant to improve the lives of the users.
iv. The study has enabled the identification of problems experienced by estate dwellers, therefore offer appropriate solutions to the problems architecturally.
v. The project will help to identify the problems faced by the estate dwellers and thereby improve the shortcomings observed in the case studies.

1.7 SCOPE OF DESIGN
Some of the areas to considered in the project includes
1.7.1 Interior units
Ante room
General living room
Entrance/car porch
Study
Kitchen
Store
Bedrooms
Toilets/bathrooms
Private living room
Stair hall
Relaxation
Dinning
Sit out
1.7.2 Exterior units
Lawns
Car parking lots
Relaxation
Generator house
1.7.3 Site layout services
Housing units
Commercial buildings
Educational building
Fire service building
Neighborhood centre
Health facility
Water treatment and distribution plant
Waste management office
Security unit
Corner shops
Library

1.8 LIMITATIONS
It is universally acknowledged that the conduct of a research from beginning to conclusion involves varying degrees of discomfort and pain staking effort.

i. The first problems related to difficulty in obtaining finance to commence and conclude the research in reasonable time true to the general observation that finals for worthwhile pursuits rarely come easy.

ii. Another side of the coin concerning data collection was where government officials were willing to help but was hankered by lack of relevant data concerning the area of need. Also worth data were not available due to the relevant data were being used for the official purposes.

iii. Due to the security situation in the country it was quite difficult to gain more access to ask more questions as people were afraid to answer question on their ways of live as it is affected by the building structures.

iv. Bad internet network also impeded gathering some important information as at when needed.

v. Finally, the risk and transport cost involved during the research.

1.9 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
There are various means by which data was collected or gathered in the cause of this project. The research mediums include
i. Case studies of already existing projects.
ii. Internet facilities
iii. Consultation with other professionals involved like the urban and regional planners.
iv. Through consultation with my lecturers.
v. Books such as:
a. Architectural data
b. Space standards for urban development
c. Construction handbook
d. Town planning manual

1.10 DEFINITION OF TERMINOLOGIES
i. Estate: This can be said to be all of somebody’s property, the whole of somebody’s possession and capital especially the property of somebody who is dead. An area of rural privately owned property that includes large residence or building structures for sale or for rent.

ii. Housing: Houses and other building structures where people live in collectively. A planned area of house buildings usually built at the same time to a similar design and planned for comfortability.

iii. Housing scheme: A housing scheme is an estate built by a local authority made up of homes to be rented by the public.

iv. Medium: An intermediate state or condition halfway between two extremes. This is said to be either low or high middling size or dimensions, neither large nor small.

v. Earners: Somebody who earns a particular level of income. Income from paid employment not from investment.

vi. Capacity: A measure of the amount that can be held or contained by something.

vii. Facilities: Something with a particular function, something designed or created to provide a service or fulfill a need.

viii. Utilities: Service provided by public infrastructures, a service such as electricity, gas or water that is provided by a public amenity.

ix. Residence: A house, apartment or other dwelling in which somebody lives in.

x. Commercial area: This is an areathat is related to buying and selling of goods or services. Appropriate or sufficient for the purpose of trading.

xi. Health centre: A place offering heath services, a place that houses a medical fraction and other health care services.

xii. Recreational area: A public recreation for sports and games often incorporating a children’s playground. An area used for pleasure or relaxation rather than work.