INTEGRATION OF YORUBA TRADITIONAL HOUSING ELEMENTS IN THE DESIGN OF OLUBADAN PALACE

INTEGRATION OF YORUBA TRADITIONAL HOUSING ELEMENTS IN THE DESIGN OF OLUBADAN PALACE

ABSTRACT

Yoruba traditional housing through semiotic principles using symbolic objects, signs, and elements to create visual expression and linguistic meaning in architecture reflected social, economic value and cultural heritage of the Yoruba people. Availability of building materials, spatial quality and feel of natural environment, sustainability, symbolism, privacy, cultural continuity, and suitability for traditional inheritance were some of its advantages. However, over the years, Yoruba traditional housing lost its identity as most architects in modern society adopt the European house type at the expense of traditional housing which leads to the influx of conventional ways, materials and methods in housing design. This transformation process led to a new housing type termed modern housing and thus led to the extinction of Yoruba traditional elements in architecture in south western Nigeria. Therefore, general comparative research works were done in the past by early scholars to incorporate traditional housing features into modern architecture in Africa context. Unfortunately, no extensive work was done to integrate the lost elements of Yoruba traditional housing in the design of a Yoruba king‟s palace. As such, there exist a gap in knowledge due to the decline of Yoruba cultural heritage and resource preservation in Oyo State, Nigeria. This resulted to the need to critically examine the benefits of the restoration of a sustainable cultural heritage which aims to explore the possibilities of integrating the lost elements of Yoruba traditional housing in the design of Olubadan Palace in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. The research design adopts descriptive and historical with mixed method approach to analyse the quantitative and qualitative data collected. Out of the 350 open ended questionnaires administered to the respondents, 265 questionnaires were returned by the students selected from tertiary institution and building professionals. 10 respondents were also selected for interviews in the field work. Visual observation and review of the relevant literature were used to establish the theoretical framework. All the respondents were selected using purposive sampling from Oyo and Osun State because these States were known to represent the core central of Yoruba culture and tradition. To control the system of response, questionnaires were delivered to the respondents personally. Descriptive statistical tools such as mean, tables, charts, graphs and tables were utilised in result analysis. Findings from field study supported the literatures from early scholars that African traditional housing elements such as ornamentation, symbolism, spatial layout, and building materials had faded out in most modern housing. The research contributes to knowledge through recommendations such as creative use of Yoruba traditional building materials and cultural practices that are sustainable, expressive use of ornaments, bright colours, rectilinear form and cone shape, are core part of Yoruba traditions, all the spaces must be hierarchically zoned to depict the culture, value and family ties of the Yoruba people and togetherness is an important culture of the Yoruba people which should encourage a link between outdoor living spaces, communal and social activities of the Yoruba people.

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