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Abstract 
Housing is a very important aspect of human development. People who lack construction 
experience often overlook critical factors such as climate, building design and interior décor 
when constructing a house. Whereas, these analyses are important in order to arrive at a quality 
accommodation for human beings. Sometimes, the plan and willingness to create a pleasing 
environment through architectural work are impeded by the economic challenges of providing 
decent housing and the inadequate implementation of housing policies.  The failure to adhere to 
guidelines for constructing or establishing a comfortable environment deprives inhabitants of 
the satisfaction of a contented life.  Although some people do not see the relevance of the artist 
(the architect) in converting the environment into the pleasurable use of human beings, however, 
the focus of this research work therefore suggests how to improve the environment for the benefit 
of mankind.  To achieve this, we shall employ the phenomenological method of research. The 
study concludes that prioritizing human well-being is crucial in architectural designs and 
environmental modifications. 

Keywords: Architect, Bioclimatic, Interior decoration, House, Nature  

Introduction 

Arts and artists play great roles in the well-being of human beings. The works of art both beautify 
the environment and create sensational or psychological satisfaction for those who appreciate 
them. “Just as modern physics teaches that every physical object is the center of a field of force 
which radiation outwards occupies all space and time” (Auden, 1935, 11), so do architectural 
works in the thought and consciousness of those in whom they elicit profound satisfaction. The 
metaphysical nature of artworks has drawn the attention of many disciplines such as architecture, 
music, philosophy of art, psychology of art, etc. According to Okoye and Ukanwa (2019, 84), 
“Architecture is an aspect of material culture as well as an element of cultural identity”. The 
above authors state that Igbo traditional architecture reminds the indigenes of their cultural 
values and even reflects their belief, religion, social class and climate (Okoye and Ukanwa, 2019, 
84). This means that there are two dimensions to what is known as architecture – the physical and 
the immaterial. 

However, the role of the architect as an artist in modifying the natural environment is contestable. 
On the one hand, there is the opinion that nature in itself is beautiful, intelligent, and orderly 
(Nketo-Lumba, 2015, 121). This perception has little or no value for the artistic creation of the 
architect. On the other hand, there are arguments that despite the wonderful qualities of nature, 
the ability of an artist to add, change, or restructure nature produces the feeling of having 
achieved one's expectations (Chansigaud, 2013). These divergent points of view raise a pertinent 

ARCHITECTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT: AFRICAN CONSIDERATION 
OF SPATIAL AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT 

ONAH, Aloysius Uchechukwu
Saint Thomas Aquinas' Major Seminary,

Makurdi, Benue State.
onah4u2000@yahoo.com

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4606-5080

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question: do architectural works contribute to the well-being of human beings? I argue that 
construction provides a framework for the fulfillment of the human person. In other words, 
construction is a process of using what is available in nature to create a suitable living condition; 
it involves harnessing natural elements to serve human beings properly. Effort in this direction 
explains the engagement of the architect in creating a satisfactory environment for mankind.   

I am going to explain my point of view in three points: the first point will give a theoretical 
description of the parameters that architects look at before construction. The second point will 
examine the role of nature in providing a habitable environment for human beings. The third 
point will propose the African perspective in building advocating for the ecological architectural 
plan.  

1.	 Theoretical Consideration in Creating the Plenitude for Human Existence

In recent times, the growth in science has given rise to different areas of specialization. Each 
discipline develops principles, methods, and objectives to affirm its authenticity and uniqueness, 
but also to show its importance in serving humankind. Even though the role of artists (architects) 
consists of making the mental picture of their clients, they also make projections of how their 
work would satisfy other people who are not their clients. These projections could be in terms of 
aesthetic value, cost of maintenance, comfort, or even in terms of exotic value. 

According to Deleuze & Guattari (1942, 177), “When Dubuffet sought to define a certain state of 
art brut, he turned first to the house”. This is because the sketching of the plan requires the 
architect to have a certain disposition and competence. With regards to disposition, the nature of 
his work demands some quietness which would permit the architect to bring out his or her pure 
ideas to life. The process of producing a plan is done without any desire to outdo another person 
neither is it inspired by the expectation of the public; a particular work of art is rather brought into 
being because of the preoccupation to give human beings unique work that would add value to 
their well-being. It could be argued that houses are not the only works produced in the state of art 
brut, artists such as musicians, writers, and poets are equally obliged to carry out their activities 
with inherent qualities proper to a perfect realization of specific work. 

In addition to the notion that “the house is part of a whole becoming, it is also life, the 'non-
organic life of things'. In every possible mode, it is the junction of plans with a thousand 
orientations that defines the house-sensation” (Deleuze&Guattari, 1942, 170). This means that 
the artist (in this case, the architect) is bound to have a mental conception of the design (planning, 
building, and architectonics), the structure (layout, framework, make-up, shape), and the actual 
construction (style). The building has to reflect a specific purpose (Church, school, market, 
playground, etc.); it should be situated at a particular angle, considering natural forces and most 
especially the comfort of those who will use it. The conceptual grounds for undertaking the 
construction of any edifice become part of human accomplishment. For this work, I shall 
examine three conceptual aspects of creating the plenitude of human existence: bio-climatic 
factors, the compositional part/building plan, and the interior decoration.

a. Bio-climatic factors

For this work, I describe bio-climatic factors as a specific combination of temperature, rainfall, 
humidity, wind patterns, and sunlight that influence the distribution and abundance of life forms 
in a particular region or ecosystem. These factors affect the pattern of designing homes based on 
the climate of the region to provide an agreeable dwelling place. The bio-climatic factors are to be 
taken into consideration before building any structure, and they give orientation to the architect 
who is interested in them because of their importance in pleasuring the human person. This can be 

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achieved either with the use of modern apparatus (such as theodolite) or by having recourse to the 
natural distribution of trees, plants, and vegetation. Any of the above means is important to know 
the ideal angles to build a house. 

From the foregoing, heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) are indispensable means of 
controlling the climate inside any home. Supposing that a house is to be built in a cold climate, the 
architect would have to think of how to increase the interior temperature of the house by creating 
“blind walls” against wind, snow, and rain. Climate control can be achieved by making the best 
use of the heat gained on the southern side during the day through the passive systems; or through 
the use of bricks or stones. While the heat gained could be direct gain, indirect gain, or isolated 
gain, it is good to mention that bricks and stones that absorb heat during the day serve as 
insulators to maintain heat during the night. Before this century, continuous weather barriers 
outside, fireplaces, and wood stoves helped people to stay warm but in our time, modern 
appliances are used to heat the rooms to make them habitable for the occupants. In a related 
perspective, for the Igbo people of Nigeria, “climatic conditions are controlled mainly by two air 
masses, the equatorial maritime air mass from the south-east and the tropical air mass from the 
north-east, both of which are of tropical origin” (Nsude, 1987, 62; 76-78). 

Conversely, in a tropical region, the architect will make an effort to use the natural vegetation to 
reduce the temperature to make the house good enough to live in. We know that the sun rises from 
the east and sets in the west. From where the sun rises, it heats everything that is before it because 
that is its route. If it is going to point in a direction, it could heat all day long, the architect will be 
obliged to put up a blind wall, and the person who is in the Church for example is protected. 
However, the user of the house enjoys the light. From this point of view, an architect might ask 
one or more of the following questions: if I place the house at this angle, will there be a sun that 
will rise at a certain time of the day and then pass at a certain time of the day? During the 24 hours 
of the day, where will the inhabitants be and at which angle will I place the building? Which time 
of the day is most useful to me about the sunlight and wind? Besides, the architect would 
probably think of the potential dangers (such as earthquakes, floods, and volcanic eruptions) of 
erecting any building. The angle of a building is very important, not just because of the aesthetic 
value but most importantly because of the comfort it could give to human beings who will use it.

b. Composition/building plan

Building plan is a graphic representation of what a home would look like after construction. This 
comprises the site plan, floor plan, elevation (external and internal elevations), and landscape 
plans. Essentially, the components just mentioned are put together to form what will eventually 
be called a house. What defines a house are floors, doors, windows, and French windows. Other 
parts which compose what we call a building are walls, ceilings, roofs, etc. My interest in what 
composes a house is to show that the function of each of these parts is very important for the 
comfort of those who will use the building. For instance, the doors of any building are means of 
going in and coming out of it. The windows are protective panels used to regulate the amount of 
sunlight in a house. The roof of any building is the external covering at the top. It is intended to 
prevent direct sunlight from heating human beings, to give them a shed when it rains, or to protect 
them from snowfall. 

Meanwhile, the meaning of the wall differs depending on the context in which it is used. In sports 
especially football, it is “a row of players who stand ten yards away from where a free kick is 
taken to make scoring directly from the free kick more difficult” (Cambridge Dictionary, Wall), 
but in psychology, it would mean “a way of feeling or behaving that completely prevents two 
groups of people from communicating with or understanding each other”. (Cambridge 

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Onah               Architecture and The Environment: African Consideration  of Spatial and Human Development



Dictionary, Wall). However, about buildings, walls are structures that serve to defend those who 
live in a building against strong wind, cold, and other threats. There are blind (or closed) walls 
and open walls. To have light, the builder takes advantage of the open walls, and to protect the 
occupants of the house from wind and heart, the builder takes advantage of blind walls. The blind 
walls are the external parts of the building that have neither doors nor windows while the open 
walls are parts of the building which have doors and windows. They are called open because they 
let sun and air in; while the other is called close because they defend human beings against excess 
wind. 

Likewise, different functions are attributed to the wall, the ground floor, the roof, the panels (wall 
panel, window panel, floor panel, slope panel), the frames, etc. It is good to note that “it is on this 
compositional plane as on 'an abstract vectorial space' that geometrical figures - cone, prism, 
dihedron, strict plane - are traced” (Deleuze&Guattari, 1942, 177). Any of those components are 
capable of producing sensations of concern, enthusiasm, excitement, interest, pleasure, etc. The 
sentiment that a building plan elicits will be explained in detail as I focus on the interior 
decoration. It is however important to note that this depends on the techniques and the materials 
used in furnishing and finishing the building.

c. Interior decoration

According to Cottington (2005, 46), “decoration was 'the specter that haunts modernist 
painting'”. This is because the works of some painters do not allow those who see them to go 
beyond the visual pleasure to “the world of interiors”. Spectators are either incapable of 
transcending the external qualities they see due to a lack of understanding or are fixated on the 
here and now. Irrespective of the nuances in the meaning and use of the terms interior decoration, 
interior designer, and interior elevation, I would like to observe that they express the yearning for 
what is beyond the physical.

With regards to interior decoration, it should be noted that the appreciation varies in terms of 
differences in age (child, adolescent, adult), gender (male or female), socio-cultural 
backgrounds, lived experience and the sense given to a particular work of art, etc (Francès, 1979, 
22). Another perspective in the appreciation of interior decoration has to do with “'formal' 
qualities of painting – colors, shapes, volumes, spaces, and their interrelations, independent of 
their mimetic value – (…) visual pleasure of decorative surfaces such as carpets or wallpaper” 
(Cottington, 2005, 45). It is important to explain that the use of particular elements of nature such 
as sunrise, moon, star, etc. in painting, is an imitation or representation of nature. This attitude of 
mimetic artists fashions the minds of human beings and their conscience to recognize that they 
have the same capacity to comprehend (epistemology), behave (psychology) and act (ethics). 
Contrary to Plato's critique of mimetic art in The Republic (Bk X), its significance should be 
understood against the background of Aristotle's empiricism.   

In this regard, Cottington (2005, 45) remarked that Denis made screens and wall panels for the 
drawing rooms of wealthy Parisians and friezes for the city's public buildings, but I state that 
interior decoration is not limited to these. It comprises lightning types, furniture design and floor 
patterns. They create emotional effects on those who live in a building and add to their social 
importance (Auden, 1935, 2). Moreover, the internal state of being and involuntary physiological 
response or reaction to the representation of artwork which is part of the finissage of any building 
are manifestations of satisfaction and contentment. In a way, this could be the objective for which 
the architect undertook the project of construction. 

An important element in interior decoration among the Igbo people of Nigeria is “the use of 
carved wooden doors as well as Uli painting” (Okoye and Ukanwa, 2019, 87). Different things 

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are given preeminent importance while considering Uli wall painting and mural decoration: 
although it is normal for most titled men to use carved wooden panels at the entrance of their 
compounds the paintings (of animals) on the walls have sacred representations. More so, the 
setting and organization of Igbo villages reinforce the idea of togetherness and oneness. I shall 
explore the next subtopic, natural consideration by showing how a perfect harmonization of 
nature's gift to mankind by the architect can procure the plenitude of human existence. 

Natural Consideration in creating the Plenitude for Human Existence

It is worth noting that the term “nature has over sixty-five different meanings, which makes it a 
challenging subject to discuss the relationship between humans and nature (Congar, 1974, 687). 
Some authors argue in favour of the connection between human beings and nature (King, 2001, 
64; Grasse, 1971, 19), while others argue against it (Casañas, 1980, 10). Nature can be described 
as that which in “appearance is neither standardized nor valued (…) until this appearance is 
annexed by art or by social movements that value it” (Francès, 1979, 21). As an artist, the 
architect re-creates the appearance of nature according to a particular vision of human beings. 
Deleuze&Guattari (1942, 166) are of the view that nature is not silent; nature speaks to human 
beings and adds value to the existence of human beings. They also believe that it would not be an 
exaggeration to say that in the absence of human society, nature can serve as a companion to 
human beings. In this sense, nature satisfies the deepest yearning of human beings – 
companionship.

However, it is the creativity of the artist that makes it possible for nature to be able to play this 
role. The architect finds nature already in existence. He does not create nature. The architect only 
influences our perception of what he or she has modified in nature. They present their work to us 
and through them, “appeal” to us to share in their accomplishment. Even though architects 
“discover” nature, they still must plan or prepare in advance by putting into an orderly 
arrangement what they see in nature. Aron (1987, 150) tries to interpret this job of the architect to 
mean that human beings have a responsibility towards the environment. This task does not 
destroy but develops the environment so that people can savour the effort of these specialists in 
construction.     

The thought of nature permits one to talk about the habitat of animals. Deleuze & Guattari (1942, 
174) relied on classical works to describe the life of birds in the rainforest in Australia and how a 
perfect choice of place of construction could create a feeling of accomplishment in human 
beings. By implication, art is not limited to the treatment of materials, but consists of the postures 
and colors of the body, in the songs composed by birds of their notes and cries of the animals that 
mark the territory. These authors do not distinguish between colors and sounds insofar as they 
become expressive (the philosophical concept of territory) (Deleuze & Guattari, 1942, 174). The 
therapeutic effect of living in the environment just described is beyond measure. Deleuze & 
Guattari (1942, 174) claim that it is these blocks of sensation in the territory, of colors, postures, 
and sounds, that sketch out a total work of art. This is why the planning of the cities should make 
provision for a holistic accomplishment of man in the following dimensions: acoustic, aesthetic, 
cultural, ecological, psychological, social, spiritual, etc. 

From the above, it can be concluded that architects' most crucial responsibility is to plan and 
design structures that meet the various needs and desires of those who utilize them. In essence, 
their primary goal is to create buildings that cater to the diverse yearnings of their clients. 
“Planning is the process of particularizing and, ultimately, of harmonizing the demands of 
environment, use, and economy”. This involves creating space for various purposes – recreation, 

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refuse dump, shopping, worship, etc. Nonetheless, the traditional Igbo people of Nigeria do not 
build close to the evil forest because of the belief that they could be haunted by evil spirits 
(Nsude, 1987, 119).  

Nevertheless, in a world dominated by the forces of industrialization and modernization, the 
natural considerations are either abandoned or, where they are considered, technicians try to 
manufacture what looks like nature (synthetic turf, camouflage trees, artificial flowers, animals, 
etc) just for aesthetic values and not for their significance in purifying nature (carbon dioxide 
removal). For instance, moss and algae could become serious problems in certain regions and 
under specific weather conditions. While the ecological impact of the endless expanding range of 
industrialization continues to be “politicized”, it seems reasonable to propose the African 
perspective as a solution to conceiving, designing, planning, and building modern cities.   

African Consideration of Spatial and Human Development 

The fact of thinking about the plenitude of human existence from the African point of view is an 
approach that intends to reveal the fundamental concern of every school of architecture about the 
threat of climatic change. By implication, the idea of improving the environment for the benefit 
of mankind should be ultimate. It is worthy to note that the African appreciation of art is 
determined by cultural developments which are at the same time divergent in terms of 
characteristics but convergent with regards to value. In other words, different historical 
experiences orient the creation of artistic works of architects but the importance given to them is 
almost always the same. This reality is widespread in the sub-Saharan region, especially when 
one takes a critical look at their belief system. From this perspective, the idea of “home” among 
the Igbo people of Nigeria expresses “the ideal world where everything is supposed to be at 
peace” (Nsude, 1987, 43). This truly depicts the philosophy that guides the architecture of the 
Igbo people.  

From the foregoing, Nsude (1987, 92) states that Igbo architecture conforms to the Igbo 
cosmological worldview on the existence of three worlds and the association of god, the living, 
being forces, the dead, and the unborn. Hence, the architectural plan could make provision for 
temples in the form of mbari or mbaja (among the Owerri and Umuahia people); statues, 
drawings, and paintings that have religious connotations, and even shrines for market (which is 
considered a sacred institution) (Nsude, 1987, 110). There are many other sacred objects, 
carvings, and spaces in the architectural plan of the Igbo people that explain their religious life, 
social life, and philosophy of life. Based on their inclination and indebtedness towards Chukwu 
(God), the Igbo people see the home as a perfect place for the realization of all the ideals of 
religion and moral principles (Nsude, 1987, 99-100). This goes contrary to the objectives of 
building a house for prostitution, strip clubs, or for pimps/madams to hawk sex.

It can be said that in Africa, 

building and transforming the environment are done according to 
cultural values and philosophical conceptions of the world. In 
making a shelter for their dwelling, human beings create forms of 
habitat and adapt spatial constructions between the tangible and 
the intangible. Using his knowledge and know-how, he expresses 
the artistic and architectural values and expressions of his 
community in the field of construction (Cisse, 2016, 2). 

In most African villages, it is possible to still find houses that reflect traditional African 

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architecture but the cities are full of emerging “foreign” architecture that is “inappropriate and ill-
suited to the economic and bio-climatic context (Cisse, 2016, 2). Some foreign architectural 
buildings are “inappropriate,” not because of the building designs but because of their 
geographical locations. Thus, the ambition to build houses that reflect foreign architectural 
designs divides people along social classes. On the one hand, this is evident in the noncompliance 
with specifications on whether to build a bungalow or upstairs. When a person builds upstairs 
where the development plan specifies that it should be a bungalow, this violates “dwellers' sense 
of belonging, privacy, enjoyment, self-worth and well-being” (Imrie, 2004, 422). On the other 
hand, defiance of regulatory laws of construction has motivated the enactment of laws for the 
demolition of “old buildings”, for instance, the destruction of part of the old Zaria city (Nsude, 
1987, 36). In any case, those who go against the regulations of the development plan of a 
village/city/town forget that nonconformity goes against the “interest of public health and safety” 
(Imrie, 2004, 420).

African architecture is characterized by its objective to enhance architectural integrity and 
environmental quality, it is also imbued to promote adherence to green architectural principles of 
energy efficiency and utilization of local materials (Okoye and Ukanwa, 2019, 85). In their quest 
to know how African architecture is relived by urban dwellers Onuorah, Agbonome, and Obiadi 
(2023, 100) note that the goal of African architecture includes “maintaining cultural aspirations 
and ensuring housing pleasure in a harmoniously built environment”. The goals that guide 
construction in Africa are seen in the use of the same material to build a house irrespective of the 
design. This does not create class division but reinforces unity. From this point of view, 
traditional forms of construction among the Igbo people of Nigeria could either be circular and 
oval or square and rectangular. While the circular shape of the building reflects the ideal of social 
success and achievement, and the oval reflects the continuity of tradition, the square and 
rectangular shape of buildings indicate that there could be the possibility of future expansion 
(Okoye and Ukanwa, 2019, 85; Nsude, 1987, 74). Whatever meaning one chooses to give to the 
term “expansion”, it does not discriminate nor differentiate. This point of view gives one 
possibility to talk about traditional African architecture and modern/contemporary African 
architecture.

Traditional African architecture is represented in the practice of harmonizing inhabited space and 
landscape planning which continues among the Dogon people. They use techniques for 
interweaving the cultural and natural elements that make up their environment. They take 
advantage of what they find in nature (landscape, materials, etc.) to conceive and develop their 
socio-cultural realities as well as their religious beliefs and precepts (Cisse, 2016, 4). This 
tradition hopes that the materials in its immediate environment which have resisted harsh weather 
or climatic conditions could protect human beings and provide the latter with conducive habitat. 
In opposition to the disposition to use available resources in one's environment, the studies of 
Nsude (1987, 57) revealed that the Igbo people generally do not use stones for building, even 
when they are readily accessible. His research made it clear that this could be either due to a lack 
of traditional building mortar that is highly cohesive or a preference for mud houses in local 
conditions. In this regard, the capacity to explore, discover, and use available natural resources is 
being tested. In the same perspective, many cultures in Africa believe that human beings “have 
been charged to take care so that the initial energy put by God in nature grows according to the 
plan that He judiciously pre-established for him” (Buakasa, 1988, 33). 

Conversely, modern/contemporary African architecture may consist of the use of local materials 
to realize modern structures. It is the application of ancient and modern techniques that are 
economical to maintain in construction. This could alter the social organization of life and modify 

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Onah               Architecture and The Environment: African Consideration  of Spatial and Human Development



the values related to fraternity and communal life. Meanwhile, the idea of modern and 
contemporary African architecture raises important questions: “What is contemporary 
architecture in African architecture? What are the integrating elements of good contemporary 
architecture? Is it a creative concept? Or is it modern architecture that integrates local cultural 
values by using locally available, sustainable, and economically viable materials while respecting 
the landscape context” (Cisse, 2016, 7). However, the complete alteration of modern African 
architecture does not express the African way of life, culture and tradition (Nsude, 1987, 41). 

Furthermore, the finishing of the building is always done with materials that are symbolic of 
humanity such as mud/clay (ajaoto/ejaotto, in Igbo language) (Chukwu, 2015, 8). In the pre-
colonial era, Africans mixed mud with dyes and used it as paint to decorate the inner part of the 
building. The finishing was equally achieved through the use of materials that were symbolic of 
African civilization such as wood (for the suspended floor, which is replaced in most places by the 
use of floor tiles), a mat made from raffia palm was used for doors and window but has been 
replaced with wooden or metal doors and windows. While I do not advocate the use of those 
materials for finishing today, I would like to enumerate some of the values inherent in their use in 
the time past: injurious chemicals were not used as paint to beautify the house, theft was minimal, 
the cost of the building was not much and it did not create imaginary or physical categorization of 
people. This means that maintaining indigenous architecture in the sense of “continuity by 
employing and improving the underlying architectural principles of many generations of the 
people” (Nsude, 1987, 40) is very important.  

Finally, African architecture should revolve around the ideals that Africans cherish. As a symbol 
of pride, I propose that government houses in the major cities in Africa (and state capitals) should 
bear the characteristics of what is indigenous to her people. Modernism has caused a 
disconnection between human beings and their buildings, and this has a great impact on the style 
of life especially, “the violation of collective memory acquired over centuries (Nsude, 1987, 37). 
This does not mean that a foreign architectural plan is bad but my objective is to draw attention to 
the fact that the social significance of architecture in Africa and Nigeria in particular should be 
seen and this should be manifested in the ardent desire, wish, and disposition of everyone.

Conclusion

This research reveals that architectural designs have consistently prioritized the well-being of 
humans. This shows that the most important factor in determining the appropriateness of a 
building is the level of comfort it provides to those who inhabit it. Aesthetic considerations come 
second to this primary concern. This idea obliges the architect to look for a good angle to build to 
control the effects of the heat (due to the direction of the sun) or cold (due to the direction of the 
wind). Architects of different cultures and civilizations take note of the comfort of human beings 
who will use the building they constructed, whether it is a residential, office, Church, market, etc. 
They are aware that the sun moves and that it could be captured or avoided depending on whether 
one wants heat or to escape cold. They also understand that good control of the bio-climatic 
factors can add to the beauty of the house and make the inhabitants comfortable.

The difference in architectural designs and constructions in the Western world and Africa could be 
attributed to several factors – belief, conservation/modernization, historical experiences/needs, 
technology, weather conditions, etc. In any case, traditional African architecture envisaged 
communal life in the same way modern architecture is planning for a more cohesive society where 
provisions are made for the establishment of different sectors that will cater to the multiple needs 
of human beings. To achieve its purpose, authorities have provided development plans and 
building plans.

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Notwithstanding the expansion in the areas of industrialization and modernization, recent 
development plans of modern cities always make recourse to traditional realities/culture and the 
necessity to safeguard the environment. This tendency to integrate what is cultural and traditional 
is well represented in what I exposed as modern/contemporary African architecture. There, I 
examined the difficulty of taking from what is exotic and also the measures to take. The 
management of natural resources for the comfort of human beings is at the heart of most 
architectural artwork. Given further research on the impact of architectural works in helping 
humanity to lead a fulfilled life, I would like to ask: what aspect of the natural environment should 
be taken into consideration? Owing to the enormous work of arrangement, ordering, and care of 
nature, the architect and those in charge of urban planning could envisage models of construction 
that do not destroy the forest for various purposes during the stages of building. This will 
contribute to a balanced ecosystem.  

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                                            Aquino Journal of Philosophy, Vol 4 Issue 2, June 2024.
ISSN: 2786-9792


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