ROLES OF COMPUTERS IN ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE

  The role of computers in architectural practice involves the degree of application of computers by architects in discharging their duties.  It ranges from the design stage to the execution of the project and maintenance of the building.

 CAD APPLICATIONS

       CAD is the acronym for Computer Aided Design. It refers to the application of computers in designs in general (Architectural or Otherwise). The aspect of design that computer applications are used to achieve better result in terms of quality and speed include the following areas:

PRESANTATIONS

     Production of presentation drawings is one of the most common applications of computers by Architects. It is usually a sketch proposal produced to communicate a design concept to the client or users. There are various Software in the market for this purpose. Many of these software have the capability of 3d-presantations, walk-through and realistic rendering of materials and textures. Example of such software includes Autocad, Catia, CAD-S5, Form Z, Microstation, Minicad Vectorworks, 3d Studio Max, Rhinoceros, Chief Architect, 3d Home Architect, Ravet etc.

       Presentation media is now taking different formats that are more effective in terms of cost and quality. Drawings are now presented on vcd, dvd and with digital projector. Corrections and cost of printing are made easier and cheaper.  

   

MODELLING AND ANALYSIS

  This is the realistic expression of the Architectural design concept developed to communicate intended design idea. It provides an avenue to visualise, analyse, comprehend and criticise design ideas such that modification of the idea can take place in the path towards a satisfactory design solution. Some of the areas for analysis through cad models include:

o   CAD and Structural analysis

o   CAD and Lighting analysis

o   CAD and Acoustic analysis

o   CAD and Thermal analysis

o   CAD and Bio-climatic analysis

o   CAD and Spatial analysis

o   CAD and Design Theory ( modulor, Golden section etc)

WORKING DRAWINGS

   The construction drawings produced by the Architect to communicate the technical details necessary for the various craftsmen and allied professionals to enable them interpret and erect a design is also produced with CAD software. Many of the CAD software mentioned above can also be used to produce traditional blue prints and details. Some have hundreds of ready made details with the possibility of editing. CAD software made it easier to develop preliminary sketches to working drawing more than ever before.

QUANTITIES AND ESTIMATES

       Generally, one of the common features of CAD software is the possibility for creating materials list and readings of quantities such as distances, area, volume, and other mass property. This makes it easier to link objects with data base and partial automation of the production of bill of materials including costs and other relevant information.

ANIMATION

Another CAD application that is becoming more popular and likely to be the dominant trend is animation. This is the simulation of the design with live activities and sounds in a movie form. It enables the designer to simulate a whole neighbourhood for instance, including pedestrian and vehicular traffic, sources of pollution and recently odours etc.

           COMMUNICATION

       Architect in discharging his duties, he often works in team with other allied professionals, contractors, suppliers, manufacturers, sub-contractors, Government agencies etc. To professionally perform this duty there is need for effective means of communication. The traditional methods of communication like mails, meetings, telephone calls etc have all been reformed by the computer “revolution”. A brief of such new methods are as follows:

E-MAIL

   This is instant messaging through internet where text, pictures, sounds, video clips etc are sent to another party irrespective of his location in the world. This is threatening the traditional mails delivery through postal services for its noticeable relative advantages.

                     WEBSITE

          This refers to the file of information located on a server connected to the World Wide Web (WWW). The WWW is a set of protocols and software that allows the global computer network called the Internet to display multimedia documents. Web sites may include text, photographs, illustrations, video, music, or computer programs. They often include links to other sites in the form of hypertext, highlighted or coloured text that the user can click on with their mouse, instructing their computer to jump to the new site.

           This affects the activities of architect by providing a bidirectional means of information exchange and method of exhibition of the activities of an organization.

NET MEETING/VIDEO CONFERENCING

   This a meeting held between two or more persons over the internet. It is very much like the conventional meetings except that in net meetings there is no need for the participants to be in the same place, township, or continent. This is faster, safer and cheaper way of holding meetings.

    The traditional site and other meetings that use to occupy Architect in practice are simplified. The cost of transport, accommodation etc may not be necessary.

                      HYPERLINKS AND I-DROPS, EXTERNAL REFERENCES, ETC

      These are other aspects that computers significantly simplify the practice of Architecture. They can be used for ordering materials, making references and descriptions, provide linkage with manufacture/supplier and allow team work with automatic updates.

Hyperlinks: provide a simple and powerful way to quickly associate a variety of documents (such as other drawings, bills of materials, or project schedules) with an AutoCAD drawing. You can add hyperlinks to your drawings that provide jumps to specific files or websites.

i-drop: is a drag-and-drop method of inserting content from the Web into your current drawing. Using i-drop, you can easily insert content such as drawings and catalog items into a drawing. Specific examples of i-drop content that you can insert may include an AutoCAD block of a chair or window or a bitmap of a linoleum sample.

External References:  an entire drawing can be attached to the current drawing as an external reference (xref). With xrefs, changes in the referenced drawing are reflected in the current drawing. Attached xrefs are linked to, but not actually inserted in, another drawing. Therefore, with xrefs you can build drawings without significantly increasing the drawing file size.

    By using xrefs, you can coordinate your work with the work of others by referencing other drawings in your drawing to keep up with the changes being made by other users. You can also assemble a master drawing from component drawings that may undergo changes as a project develops.

             PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Another prime role of an Architect is project management. It is also affected by the computer applications. Special software for project management programming are available. Examples of such software are Microsoft Project, Primavera Project planner, etc. Other areas that computer application in project management is commonly used are as follows:

                       E-COMMERCE

    This refers to the practice of buying and selling electronically. It enables the project manager or more especially the contractor to source for building materials and services over the internet. The possibility of observing samples and placing orders electronically are available. Payments using credit cards are becoming more popular everyday.

MONITORING

    Monitoring project progress on site may not necessarily involve physically visiting the site. Arrangement for digital video coverage and instant messaging of the same can be made. The Architect or project manager can now monitor activities on site from his office.

PROGRAMMES AND PLANNING

       As mentioned earlier, specific software on project management are already in the market. Such software simplifies programming and scheduling of the construction activities on site. Provisions for alerts, reminders, daily events, materials delivery, manpower, critical paths etc are all made within the software. Progress can be assessed and re-evaluated regularly and with ease.

            OFFICE MANAGEMENT

                          The way and manner by which an Architect operates his office is equally affected by the advent of computers. The traditional office practice involving secretariat services, book keeping and accounts, personnel management, Archives and record keeping etc are all affected as discussed below:

SECRETARIAT SERVICES, BOOKKEEPING AND ACCOUNTS

   This is the most common aspect of computing that is used commonly in the society. Word processing software with templates for different formats of correspondences and applications are available.  Documents are easily edited and reproduced. Functions of a typist and secretary are being fused together. Many times an Architect may perform such tasks by himself without much difficulty. Keeping books and accounts records are affected in the same way.

                      PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

    Generally, computers make Architectural practice office to shrink. The traditional offices of several staff including Architects, Draughtsmen, and Secretaries/typists are now smaller in size. Highly efficient and effective practices with only two Architects and one or no supporting staff are possible.

     Performances of the workers can also be monitored with the use of log files and registers that come with many of the CAD software. Clients can be billed based on hours spent to produce drawings.

                      ARCHIVES AND RECORD KEEPING

     The practice of keeping volumes of large drawing sheets will not be necessary. Large amount of data worth thousands of sheets can be saved in a very small compact disk and other storage media. Backup copies can easily be made and stored with the best economy of space. Retrieving information and browsing archives is simplified with an adoption of a precise filing system.  All records can be centralised and accessed by permitted members of staff using server-client networks. Security and access control are at the best with the use computers.

                      MARKETING

The traditional method of meeting clients through personal contacts, and other accepted norms may not be as relevant. New ways of advertising services through web sites are becoming popular. Architectural firms are now maintaining web sites with samples of their works, contact address, etc. Jobs are now obtained, executed, paid without physically meeting the client.

COMPUTER APPLICATION BY PRACTICING ARCHITECTS IN KANO.     

         A survey of 27 organisations cutting across both public and private sector was carried out. 135 questionnaires were distributed out of which 110 (81%) were responded (see table 1 and chart 1).

S/NO	COMPUTER APPLICATION	RESPONDENTS (USERS )	% PERCENTAGE	S/NO	COMPUTER APPLICATION	RESPONDENTS (USERS )	% PERCENTAGE
1.	Presentation Drawing	25	23	12	External Reference	4	4
2.	Working Drawing	24	22	13	E-Commerce	1	1
3.	Modelling	6	5	14	Monitoring	2	2
4.	Analysis	-	0	15	Programs and Planning	6	5
5.	Quantities and Estimates	4	4	16	Secretariat Services	27	25
6.	Animation	3	3	17	Bookkeeping	-	0
7.	E-Mail	26	24	18	Personnel Management	13	12
8.	Web-site	1	1	19	Archives and records keeping	11	10
9.	Video conferencing	-	0	20	Marketing	1	1
10	Hyperlinks	1	1	21	Completely illiterate	39	35
11	I-Drops	-	0

TABLE 1: COMPUTER APPLICATION BY PRACTICING ARCHITECTS IN KANO.  

 CONCLUSION-The Challenge to Schools of Architecture.

        It can be noted from the table above that the trend of computer application by architects in Kano is highest in secretariat services, E-mail, presentation and working drawing. Despite numerous other areas that computer can be applied, the data represented in this paper indicates that only three usages are patronised by more than twenty per cent. Four applications are not used by anybody at all, while another four are only used by one respondent each. Thus, on general terms computer application by architects in Kano is poor. The factors that may be responsible for the low usage of computers by architects in Kano may include the fear that computer threatens jobs, the cost of acquiring computer hardware/ software, training and retraining of staff, internet crimes, privacy, security, attitude, ignorance etc.

            The challenge to schools of architecture is beyond graduating computer literate students, but in addition educating the students about other important applications that are less utilised by architects in practice. This will involve evolving and constantly updating a curriculum that covers all areas and trend in the industry. The schools’ proprietors should be made to understand the need for equipping the schools with the necessary facilities such as computer hardware, software, power supply, networking, staff training and retraining etc.

REFERENCES AND FURTHER READINGS

1. Decree 10 of 1969: Architects [Registration etc] Decree 1969.

2. LONGMAN Longman English Dictionary (2000) 

    © Pearson   Education Limited 1999

3. Snyder, Timothy Law, (2002)  COMPUTER

    Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2002. © 1993-2001 Microsoft

    Corporation.

4. Ogunsote, O. O. and Prucnal-Ogunsote B. (2003)  Sourcing Building

     Materials On The World Wide Web: Nigerian Perspective.   

    Seminar paper, Nigerian Institute of Architects BGM 2003.

5. Peter Szalapaj (2001) CAD Principles for Architectural Design 

    Architectural Press- Butterworth-Heinemann Linacre House, Jordan

    hill, Oxford.

6. Porter, Glenn, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. (2002) INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

   Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2002. © 1993-2001 Microsoft  

   Corporation.

7. www.nigerianinstituteofarchitects.org (2004) Nigerian Institute of

     Architects Web Site.

8. www.nigeriapropertiesonline.com  (2004) Nigeria Properties Online

   Web Site.

poverty Reduction

The environment consists of all the living and non-living things that surround man. It is made up of two major aspects namely the physical and non-physical. The physical environment consists of air, water, land and the physical features such as hills, mountains, vegetation, etc. and also climatic factors such as rainfall, temperature and humidity. The non-physical aspect of the environment includes the social, political economic and cultural dimensions of the  environment, among others.

The physical angle of the environment is of utmost importance to man because that is the part of the environment where all his social, political, economic, cultural, religious, and residential activities among others take place. The physical environment supplies practically all of man’s needs by way of providing him with all manner of natural resources. Man also renders services in the environment as his own contribution towards the maintenance of equilibrium in the ecosystem. The components of the physical environment that concern the architect most are buildings and other facilities or infrastructure, all of which are built to support the various activities of man in the environment.

Urbanization gingers up the migration of man from the rural to the urban areas in search of better conditions of life. Although urbanization helps to create the built environment for man’s habitation, this same process also consumes it. This is because as man gets disillusioned about the better life in the township earlier hoped for, urban poverty sets in. This results from poorly paid employment or joblessness which makes it impossible for the urban dwellers so affected to meet the basic needs of life for self and family. The end result is the resort to habitation in squalor settlements which do not work in tandem with the natural and original beauty of the built environment.                                                                  2  

This paper will try to proffer a sustainable development strategy for the reduction of this nagging urban poverty through the practical application of user-participation in problem solving by adopting the integrated  project methods mechanism proposed by Nwanguma (2002)

2.0 Urbanization Trends in Africa.

The urban environment has been known to exist in Africa for a very long time. As Peil and       Sada (1984) observed, urban settlements have existed in tropical Africa for more than 2000 years. However, it was not until the twentieth century that the number and size of cities grew quite significantly. That was as a result of the massive influx of people into the urban areas following the liberation of many African nations from colonial stranglehold. Ever since then, the population of the urban centres in African countries, including Nigeria, has grown phenomenally.

The rapid rate of growth of the urban population has been said to be one of the most striking features of the demographic shift taking place in the world today. This is proved by the fact that in 1800, only 2% of the world’s population was urbanized. The figure rose to 30% in 1950 and 47% in 2000. It has been projected that by 2008, more than 50% of the world’s population, of more than six billion persons, will be living in urban centres, and  60% by the year 2030. (United Nations, 1996). The urban population in developed countries has stabilized at about 75% and is expected to rise to 84% by 2030.

On a comparative basis, however, it   has been found that, although Africa had only 37.3% of her population living in urban areas in 1999, yet, with a growth rate of 4.8% per annum, Africa is the continent with the fastest rate of urbanization in the world today. (United Nations, 1996).

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3.0 Urbanization Trends in Nigeria

Generally speaking, urbanization is the upgrading of a rural area by the addition to it of the features that characterize city life (Webster, 1995) The city may also be described as “a relatively large, dense and permanent settlement of socially heterogeneous individuals”. (Wirth, 1938). Although this definition has been challenged by several authors on the ground that it is not all encompassing (Peil and Sada, 1984), this paper shall adopt it because the paper will discuss urban poverty in terms of permanent urban residents in Nigeria. Having given a picture of what the urban setting could mean in Nigeria, it  will now be appropriate to discuss urbanization trends in Nigeria.

The rate of urbanization in Nigeria is quite amazing, just as is the case in many other African nations. In the past three decades, Nigerian’s urban population has been growing at a rate of almost 5.8% per annum. This   figure is far above the African growth average of 4.8%, and ranks among the highest urban population growth rates in the world. [Department of Urban and Regional Development (DURD), 2003].

According to the same report, in 1980, about 15% of the total population of Nigeria was living in urban centres of more than 20,000 inhabitants. The figure rose to 23.4% in 1975, and 43.3% in the year 2000. It is projected that by the year 2010, more than 50% of Nigeria’s entire population will be living in the urban centres (DURD, 2003). In line with this trend of rapid urban growth, Lagos has already been named as one of the world’s mega cities – that is, cities with a population of over 10 million inhabitants. It is expected that very soon, other cities, such as Ibadan, Kano and Port Harcourt would join this league of mega cities. (United  Nations, 1996).

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4.0 Nigerian Urban Dwellers

These are people who live permanently in Nigerian urban centres; people who come from different backgrounds and ethnic origins. Peil and Sada (1984) observed that the rapid growth of towns and urban centres in Africa is largely due to the influx of migrants from rural area, and elsewhere, who come in search of better economic opportunities than they have at home. However, this argument is countered by Donohue (1982) who reports that the United Nations studies in 1980 show that 61% of the urban population growth in developing countries (including Nigeria) results from natural increase rather than migration, which accounts for only 39%. Indigenous inhabitants of the urban centres also constitute a part of the urban dwellers.

In any case, the place of origin of the urban dwellers is not as important as the consequences of unprecedented urban agglomerations. In effect, the rapid urban population increase naturally changes the social, political, and economic equations of the urban society.

5.0 Urbanization Problem in Nigeria.

Although Tolba (1984) stated that urban areas are creators of wealth, the location for, and supporters of employment–generating activities, as well as, agents of the social change necessary for development, it is now clear that most urban centres in Nigeria are no longer capable of meeting these socio-economic requirements to an acceptable level. Thus, urbanization generates some problems in Nigeria. These problem will be discussed in three dimension namely physical, social and economic structure. (Fadamiro and  Fadariro, 2000).

5.1       Physical Problems

The major physical problem encountered in Nigerian urban centres is that of housing. The supply of housing and other ancillary amenities, such as water, electricity, access roads, and waste disposal systems are grossly inadequate to cope with the teeming urban population. The demand for housing and other facilities, eventually degenerates to the proliferation of shanty towns and squatter settlements in the urban areas which destroy the natural beauty of the environment. Such urban slums may be seen at Ajegunle and Mushin areas of Lagos state, Ugwuagor and Obiagu areas of Enugu and Gwange and Bulumkutu areas of Maiduguri.

5.2              Social Problems

Many urban dwellers in Nigerian large cities such as Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu Kano, Onitsha Kano, Aba and Abuja, among others, are constrained to live in over-crowed, slum accommodations, under an excruciating high cost of living, among other deprivations, all of which have a negative psychological impact on them. The result is the high rate of turn-over of criminals among such settlements. In such circumstances, even the attempt to maintain law and order may be hampered due to the ruggedness and impassability of the terrain.

5.3              Problem of Economic Structure

The massive influx into the urban centres also results in unprecedented levels of unemployment, with swarms of employable youths roaming the streets in form of area boys or street urchins. This is because the few available jobs would not be enough for all.

Joblessness may eventually lead to over-indebtedness, uncomfortable economic dependence, lack of dignity and social freedom, inability to provide the basic needs of life for self and family, lack of access to good housing, land and credit, and inability to save and own assets. The above scenario qualifies to be taken as a classical definition of a situation of poverty. Thus we arrive at the issue of urban poverty.

6.0`      Urban Poverty in Nigeria

Admittedly, the National Planning Commission, NPC, (2004) recognizes that urban poverty in Nigeria ranges between 56% and 71% depending on the locality in question. It also agrees that the main cause of poverty in Nigeria is inadequate economic growth. Other factors include problems in the productive sector, income inequality, weak governance, social conflict, inter-sectoral and environmental issues. (NPC, 2004). The limited growth of investment and technological innovation has hampered the labour absorption capacity of the productive sector, thus exacerbating poverty.

As stated earlier, the urban poor are constrained, by lack of financial means, to live in slums and squatter settlements. These are usually characterized by old, dilapidated, and overcrowded housing, lack of safe drinking water, electricity or good sanitary conditions. There are also bad roads and non-functional drainage systems.

In an environment like this, the urban poor is exposed to further impoverishment by incurring expenses on medical treatment for diseases resulting from the polluted and  unsafe environment. It is in this poor environment that the poor urban dweller lives; it is there that his children go to school; it is there that he fulfills his religious obligations; it is there that he socializes; it is there that his poverty is manifestly expressed and noticed!

6.0  Sustainable Development Strategy

The concept of sustainable development connotes the issue of carrying out a development strategy that will satisfy present needs without compromising those of the future. In the New Thrust in Sustainable Human Settlements Development in Nigeria, the Federal Government  revised the National Urban Development and National Housing Policies in line with the modern requirements for promoting sustainable urban development and social order to include citizens’ participation in decision making and programme implementation, monitoring and evaluation noting that such a scenario would promote confidence in governance and facilitate inclusion in national development. (FMHUD, 2003).

Government went further to roll out some programmes including:

(a)                The National Sites and Services Programme

(b)               The Infrastructure Development Fund (IDF) Project.

(c)                The Urban Renewal and Slum Upgrading  Programme

(d)               The Urban Basic Services (UBS) Programme.

(e)                The Community Based Urban Development Programme.

The main reason for rolling out these programmes is to ensure adequate provision of low-income housing delivery and improve the conditions of health of urban dwellers, as well as that of the environment, all geared towards the reduction of urban poverty.

It should be noted that most of these programmes are well intentioned, but may not actually lead to the actual solution of the problem at hand as a result of official corruption and programme inexactitude. This paper, therefore, advocates the adoption of the Community Based Urban Development Programme from among the rest. This is because it comes closest to our assumed position of integrated project approach solution.

The combination of theCommunity Based Urban Development Programme and the integrated project method will ensure proper and cost effective housing delivery. This is because there will be proper consultation with and participation of the users of the end products – housing and environment – in the planning and development of the facilities. It will not be appropriate to provide a one-bedroom flat where a two-room tenement structure is more appropriate The construction of the facilities may be cheaper because of the possibility of the use of communal help.

In conclusion, it is our view that if urban dwellers are properly involved in the plans to enhance their living environments, and architects adopt first principles in arriving at design solutions for the project, then the quest for sustainable development for poverty reduction would have been achieved in Nigerian urban centres.

7.0 Recommendation

With the idea of integrated project in mind,  we wish to make recommendations as follows:

(a)                Government should provide a proper enabling environment to ensure the full participation of all concerned in housing delivery programmes;

(b)               Students of architecture should be properly schooled in the integrated project system of housing delivery so as to create more avenues for proper research in architectural education.       

  

REFERENCES

Department of Urban & Regional Development,DURD, (2003). Sustainable Human Settlements Development in Nigeria: National Urban Strategies. Federal  Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Abuja, Nigeria.

Donohue, J. J, (1982). ‘Some Facts and Figures on Urbanization in the Developing World’ .Assignment Children Journal,57/58, UNICEF, Switzerland.

Fadamiro, J.A. and Fadairo, G. (2000). ‘The Persistent Urbanization Problems in Nigeria: A Challenge for Architects’. AARCHES Journal,Vol. 1, No. 5, p.101.

National Planning Commission (2004). National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS), Abuja, Nigeria.

Nwanguma, E. O.(2002). ‘The Integrated Project Method: A Veritable Tool for Educating Future Architects in Nigeria’. AARCHES Journal, Vol. 2, No. 2, p.65 – 67.

Peil, M. and Sada, P. O. (1984). African Urban Society. John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Tolba, M. K. (1984) ‘Poverty too Close to Home:One Home, One Earth’. Habitat 7.

United Nations (1996). ‘World Urbanization Prospects’.

Webster. N. (1995). The New Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language    (International Edition). Lexicon Publications Inc., USA.

Wirth, L.(1938) ‘Urbanism as a Way of Life’. American Journal of Sociology, 44,

pp.1-24.