Urban Design Portfolio by Adeposi Stanley

M.ED Environmental Design (2021)

BSc. (Hons.) Architecture (2019)

Adeposi Stanley Adeogun

URBAN DESIGNER

Project Title: Lagos Linear Park

Date: January 2020

An interconnected off-road bicycle transportation system which runs along wetland, linking points of interest, offers innovative urban farming opportunities and establishes a green corridor for the city. The Linear Park complies with the Lagos Urban Transport Masterplan and the Non-Motorized transport policies , providing public infrastructure for Lagos’ present and future needs.

Status: Urban Activism/ Research Proposal

Role: Architecture and planning concept development, visualization and project research.

Aerial Vertical Farm

ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES IN LAGOS

Traffic Congestion & Pollution

The over reliance on road based transportation system has contributed to increasing rates of trafficrelated emission and atmospheric pollution.

In one year, 46,750 persons dIed as a result of outdoor pollutIon In nIgerIa (WHO 2016)

Flooding

In November 2019, 30 people had died as a result of flooding in Lagos State. News outlets reported 50 flood-related casualties in 2018 and 30 in 2017.

LAGOS IS SINkING wIth thIs water. If we don ’ t take care of thIs water, we are already lIvIng on It, tomorrow, everybody would sInk - Mr. Mofid Karameh

To address these core challenges, the Linear Park Project is an initiative that

• Introduce an 8kM OFF-ROAD BIkE TRAIL along the Ogudu river.

• CONNECTS NEIGHBOURHOODS to provide an easy, convenient and efficient means of transportation.

• The construction of the bike trail with its supporting infrastructure (bike storage, bike workshops, bike sharing models, bike training) will create LOCAL INCOME OPPORTUNITIES and even has the potential to kick start a local bike industry.

• The development of the abandoned site will INCREASE SECURITY AND SAFETY within the neighbourhood.

PROJECT HISTORY AND ACHIEVEMENTS

Highlighted the problems addressed by the Linear Park. Established a study area and investigated the impact on economy, connectivity, transport and recreation. Studied the topography, soil and environmental details of the site.

SDG INTEGRATION

Presented the concept of the Linear Park to the interministerial committee, accepted constructive criticism and discussed solutions. Implemented feedback from the committee into the design of the Park.

Presented the Linear Park design to Governor who gave feedback, which included, requesting compliance permits from relevant ministries commercial viability and implementation of the project.

Bus Station, Obalende, Lagos

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

DESIGNER

LAGOS URBAN DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

Request required permits from relevant parties. Integrate all existing masterplans into the design.

(Adeposi as lead designer)

WASTE AUTHORITY

LAWMA

Request required permits from relevant parties. Integrate all existing masterplans into the design.

PLANNING AUTHORITY

MPPUD

Place signage on parcels of land to discourage encroachment. Review all existing masterplans. Collaborate with surrounding communities.

PRIVATE PARTNER

SPECTAPLAY

Development of Implementation and Costing plan.

ECONOMIC AUTHORITY

MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC PLANNING & BUDGET

Cooperate with the Ministry of Finance to review costing and implementation plan by private partners.

AGRICULTURE AUTHORITY

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE

Sign relevant permits for agriculture. Introduce support for local farming businesses.

PARkS AUTHORITY

Dialogue with Surveyor General regarding land ownership. Place signage on parcels of land to discourage encroachment.

TRANSPORT AUTHORITY

MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT

Integrate all existing masterplans into the design alongside LAMATA

LAND USE AUTHORITY

LASPARk SURVEYOR GENERAL & LAND BUREAU

Liase with the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure to enable legal framework around the park and promote new wetland parks.

Landfill section, Gbagada

Maryland bridge, Overpass

Urban farm section, Anthony

OVERARCHING PROJECT DETAILS

SITE AREA

1.15 km2

SITE PERIMETER

1.15 km2

MAIN TRAIL

1.15 km2

MOBILE KIOSK SPOTS

POCKET PARKS

• Anthony Senior School

• Bamidele Adebule St.

• Yetunde Brown

• Cane Craft Market

VISIONS FOR MAIN SPACES

BIkE TRAIL

4M WIDTH BIKE TRAIL, with appropriate markings for dual bicycle and pedestrian traffic, in accordance with Lagos NMT Policy. ELEVATED TRAIL DESIGN with damp-resistant materials to protect from seasonal flooding and touch lightly on the landscape.

BIRD SANCTUARY

The bird sanctuary (ornithological reserve) is a wildlife refuge designed to protect bird species. The main goal of the sanctuary is to create a suitable habitat for the endangered and migratory birds species in Lagos. At the north park will be a gated facility with the secret garden, family-friendly maze and club houses elevated among the trees

URBAN AGRICULTURE

The proposal provides 12,450m2 of dedicated farmland in the heart of Lagos. UTILISING VERTICAL

FARMING TECHNOLOGY

to optimise the output of food production for all-year harvesting. Additionally, it PROVIDES FARMERS LODGING close to agriculture section to support farmers with housing.

EVENTS CENTRES

A collection of buildings and spaces, whether public or private, that is utilised for activities like public performances, sporting events, private gatherings, or other attractions that could draw a lot of people.

POCkET PARkS

Pocket Parks along the Trail provide green spaces and access to the main trail for community members. The spaces provide mobile stalls which generate employment and engagement, public seating, shaded lawns and public toilets.

OVERARCHING PROJECT DETAILS

Playground/ Gym

Skate Park

Public Pool

Football Pitch

Multi-Sport Pitch(4)

Recreation Ground Amphitheatre

This southern part of the park features the first half of the bike trail which runs 1.55km from the starting point to the first bike stop.

Main Trail

Botanical Trail

Access Point (2nos.)

Butterfly Botanical Garden Tree-top Clubhouse

Tree-top Restaurant

Canopy Walk (230m)

Public Toilet

Family Friendly Maze

Bird Sanctuary Landscape

BOTANICAL GARDEN REGION

The botanical park is a nature-themed park with a stretch of swampy lands serving as bird sanctuary along the river and protected wetland areas. A trail connecting the walkway network across the residential neighborhood opposite would create a loop of activities and new users for the spaces provided.

SOUTH PARK REGION

At the north park will be a gated facility with the secret garden and club houses elevated among the trees. A canopy walk will connect one clubhouse to the other, while overlooking meadows of bright radiant flowers.

Under the Ojota link bridge in Maryland, Lagos, there is a small craft market called the Mende Cane Village. Canes are used by artisans in this art sector to create a range of furniture and home accessories, such as chairs, tables, baskets, flower vases, and more.

NORTH PARK REGION

CANE CRAFT MARKET + POCKET PARKS

ACCESS PLAN

Total Access Points = 25

Existing Road Crossings = 2

Adeyeye Str.

Bamidele Adebule Str.

New Bridge Location

Primary Access Points

Gbagada Oworonshoki EXPY

Opebi Recreation Grounds

Anthony Community Access Points

Festus Kumayo Ln.

Fidella Cres.

Anthony Senior School

Bamidele Adebule Str.

Araromi Community Access Points

Adewale Kuku Str.

Amodu Alli St

Surulere Aletor Str.

Adeyeye Str.

Ifako Community Access Points

Atiku Str.

Sab Ojewale Str.

Yetunde Brown Str.

Oladiran Faradoye Str.

Ojota Community Access Points

Emmanuel High Str.

Olatunji Str.

Ademola Alabi Str.

Maryland Access Points

Adeoye Adeyemi Rd.

Mobolaji Bank Anthony Rd.

Ogudu G.R.A Access Points

CONTINGENT ON ESTATE PARTICIPATION

Frederick Ezenwosu Str.

Mende Access Points

Victoria Str.

Sanya Ogunbajo Str.

Olori Adekemi Ajibola Str.

Seunomi Cl.

Ajose Str.

Cane Craft Market

WETLANDS RESTORATION

This part of the park would PRESERVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND EDUCATIONAL FUNCTION of the wetland for the city and increase the available biodiversity which is rapidly lost through urbanisation and water pollution.

ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

The PARK INCREASES ENTREPRENEURIAL ACTIVITIES for the neighbourhood by leasing mobile kiosks to local vendors.

AGRICULTURAL TOURISM

The interaction of recreation, mobile kiosk business and the farmers market will attract tourists to witness an INNOVATIVE FOOD PRODUCTION SCHEME.

CARBON ALLEVIATION PLAN

QUALITY OF LIFE

Linear Park accommodates RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES along with the bike trail including bicycle training and skate training.

The Park is designed to be accessible to many culture and CELEBRATE LAGOS HERITAGE AND CULTURE.

Open space should ACCOMMODATE EVENTS like wedding, birthdays parties, and other ceremonies.

SECURITY & SAFETY

SOLAR POWERED STREET LIGHT AND FIRST AID KITS will be placed every 50m along trial. WAY FINDING SIGNAGES will be placed at appropriate intervals.

There will be SECURE FENCES along the boundary of the wetlands.

FOB TECHNOLOGY will be adopted to monitor access in and out of the Linear Park

4m wide bicycle path also accommodates space for walking, jogging and skating, providing muchneeded recreational space.

HEALTH PROMOTION 01. 02.

90 percent of people who participated in regular, outdoor recreation reported satisfaction with their overall lives. Improves physical and mental health of users and reduces the cost of health care to the Lagos Government and Citizenry.

Winter et. al (2019)

ATUNRASE CLEAN-UP COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SEPTIC OPERATION UPGRADE

Atunrase Dump-Site is currently one of the largest dump-sites in Lagos. It is currently located at the proposed south park of the Linear Park and will need to be removed prior to work commencing. Despite waste disposal officially being halted by the city, the site is still growing because of informal use and no enforcement.

In line with the Lagos’ 2020 Community Based Clean-Up Campaign, inviting locals to assist with clean up efforts will raise awareness about the park and encourage residents buy-in. Cleaning up Ogudu Creek enables the water body to perform their numerous functions including drainage, filtration and supporting aquatic life.

Beyond the existing Cane Craft Market in Mende, there are reports of an unmanaged septic management operation. The Linear Park proposes a rehabilitation of these operations for the wellbeing of the wetlands and the comfort of users passing through.

PHASING

SOUTH PARK

12 months

3,733,000 (USD)

PAID-FOR ACCESS

ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES

MAIN TRAIL

6 months

3,776,000 (USD)

KIOSK/RESTAURANT TENANCY

PROPERTY & LAND VALUE

ECO RESERVE

8 months

2,338,000 (USD)

HEALTH & POLLUTION MITIGATION VALUE

NORTH PARK

6 months

3,071,000 (USD)

STORM-WATER MANAGEMENT VALUE

SOUTH PARK

MAIN TRAIL

ECO RESERVE NORTH PARK

Project Title: Otumara Fishing Hubs

Date: July 2020

The project focuses on strengthening local fishing identity through low-tech design interventions, technology and planning. These concepts will be implemented with a pilot phase in the riverine slum community called Ilaje-Otumara. The community has endured and complained to no avail regarding several problems, the most prominent of which are; flooding and pollution, disconnection from the city and economic poverty.

Status: Architecture/Design Competiotion

Role: Group of 3; Lead Designer, Visualization, Topic selection and Concept development.

Fishhub Waterfront

Connecting to Lagos: FISH TERMINAL

As a fishing hub, the design provides training business can have practical skill acquisition. The water transport around the city. This will be beneficial with other fishing points across the Lagos and senting a strong cultural heritage, and embodying presents a strong

FISH TERMINAL

training facilities where new entrants into the fishing The Hub will also be critical to the propagation of beneficial for the urban poor who need to connect and Lekki Lagoons. As an iconic structure repreembodying low-tech and low-cost design, the project strong gravitational potential for tourism in the state.

Status: Academic Research

As part of my undergraduate thesis in Architecture, I explored the potential of facilitating urban agriculture, through vertical farming.

A key consideration was to ensure that the creation, maintenance and use of the vertical farm intervention is simple, low-tech and affordable for the local urban farmers. The design was also focused on creating structural interventions suited to the agricultural products already produced on site.

Role: Overall Designer, Visualization

Project Title: Idi-Araba Vertical Farm

REVOLUTIONIZING URBAN AGRICULTURE IN LAGOS METROPLITAN AREA THROUGH VERTICAL FARMING

According to the United Nations in 2019(UN 2019), cities in the global urban south will need 70% more food, than currently produced to meet the demands of the rapidly increasing populations in them by 2050.

This thus raises the question, ‘who will feed the city’. In order to answer that, this study reviews how other cities similar to Lagos in geographic terms have developed technologies such as hydroponics, rooftop and vertical farms to serve as sustainable sources of food supply for the city. The aim of such a study is to kick-start a ‘green revolution’ and employs comparative and analytical studies on the dynamics of urban agriculture in the context of Lagos Metropolitan area. It further explores the symbiotic relationship between government and urban farms within pockets of spaces in dense urban centres. Avenues where architects and urbanists can collaborate to ‘recreate’ places in the city for sustainable food production and supply are recommended for consideration and support by government policies.

How can the city provide a sustainable food production system to meet up with the rapidly growing urban?

Philo’s record shows what great significance agriculture played in the cities of antiquity. However, even beyond the Babylonian empire, agriculture played a key role in the development of cities. The earliest records being of cities around Mesopotamia (Southern Iraq, Tigris & Euphrates rivers: Ur) and the Indus Valley (Harrapa, Mohenjo-Daro) emerged as centres for crop farming and later took on nonagricultural functions which included manufacturing, trade, government and religion (Helbaek 1960). With the exception of Catal Huyuk, which was a mining settlement, that later embraced agriculture, the first cities were strongly rooted in both crop and animal farming. (McGregor 2015).

Hydraulic Hypothesis

Karl Wittfogel’s Hydraulic theory which poses that the first cities emerge in agricultural regions dependent on irrigation. Wittfogel explains why states arose where they did, and why they failed to arise elsewhere implying that cities arose as a result the specific cultural and political need to provide agriculture within settlements.

Kingsway, Lagos Island

Terraces of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Clean Air Nurseries, South Africa has developed an extremely water-efficient vertical farm facility. The technology upon which the technology operates is known as EGGS (Environmental Green Growth System). The system produces 600kg of lettuce in a 4-week production period, using about 2000 litres of water.

PlantLab practices indoor farming, but they do more than just growing plants under LED lights. They also conduct background research for each crop, identifying the right mix of variables for each plant, and create a Plant-ID for each crop, which explains how that crop behaves in a controlled environment.

SITE STUDIES

The Vertical Farming method employed at Sky Greens, Singapore is a combination of hydroponics systems and a specialized system of A-Frame aluminium structures with rotating troughs.

Idi Araba is one of the ten wards under the Mushin Local Government Area. The name IdiAraba connotes the idea of ‘under the tree – Araba’.

The Hausas of Idi-Araba arrived from Mushin 70 years ago, in consequence of a disagreement with their Yoruba hosts. His words:

“There was a crisis between the Yoruba and the Hausas. So Hausas moved down here from Mushin, so that there wouldn’t be a conflict”.

“… came from Mushin, they settled under a tree locally known in Yoruba as Araba”.

Thus the name Idi-Araba liberally means under the Araba tree.”

Sarki Idris, Hausawa

Growth Tubes, Clean Air Nurseries, South Africa

PlantLab, Amsterdam, Netherlands Sky Greens, Singapore

Proposed Management Structure Proposed Vertical Farm Design

Estimated amount of leafy greens (500g per unit) vertically

In a conversation with the farmers on the site, it was made know that the site actually belonged to the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital and consequentially the Federal Government of Nigeria. The farmer revealed that, “LUTH allows [them] to stay and cultivate on the farm”. (Source: Author’s Survey 2018)

Many of the farmers expressed confidence in the benevolence of the LUTH management, since they have not received any pressure to vacte the site. This relationship bears some similarities with the Kofar Ruwa case study, Kano (Lynch et al. 2001). These similarities are, tenure in this case seems to range between medium to short term periods, the farmer

Estimated amount of leafy greens (500g per unit) traditionally

194.4 metric tonnes 6 months 36 metric tonnes per 6 months

Total Site Area

1.32Ha

does not pay the owner, and there is a keen and friendly relationship between the farmer and the owner of the plot. This Management structure presents an opportunity for the introduction of a vertical farm concept for the IdiAraba community. In concept, vertical farms are multi-storey buildings with highly controlled environmental conditions and access that house year-round crop production in artificial environments by using hydroponics, aeroponics and aquaponics. It also opens up doors for the University as a research institution to push the boundaries of knowledge and experimentation in vertical farming to meet up with international standards.

DESIGN OVERVIEW

The site is also strategically located at a transport node being the Iddo Rail Terminal and the new Ebute-Metta Station. It is also accessed by roads connecting to the Apapa Port. This is relevant because vertical farming makes it possible to grow crops that are not adapted for the climate in the West African region, hence the Lagos market is not the sole beneficiary of such an intervention. The vertical farm at a larger scale opens up the opportunity for export to other cities in West Africa.

Behind the urban farm is a canal running along the East-West Axis. Although due to poor waste management, the canal has become more of a dumpsite, than it is a water channel. However, it presents an opportunity for sustainable water source on site for the farm. It proposes 5 structures and Public outdoor farm structures that double as pavilions for recreational activities.

Aerial view of 1 verrtical farm facility

Blending of industrial and recreational function

Interior of the plant growth chambers

Step-by-Step Form Development

Seedlings raised in troughs

Vertical Farming through hydroponics in specialized buildings is a possible and justified solution for food production in the Lagos context. It yields not just economic benefits, but academic, socio-cultural and environmental advantages for the Idi-Araba community and Lagos Metropolitan Area. Metropolitan Lagos is in dire need of productive agricultural landscape to sustain the growing population (Olugbenga and Adejumo 2010), and vertical farming has been shown to be the most logical approach to catering for this need.

Mature seedlings transplanted to soil

The research has also shown that insecure tenure can cause considerable stress for existing urban farmers, thus, there needs to be a rethink of the current management structure that does not protect the livelihoods of the farmers and the existence of urban agriculture as the prevalent land use on the site.

It has been shown that urban vertical farming can benefit existing land owners by protecting their claims to the land and in some cases provide income, can improve living conditions of community dwellers. It enhances the security of local residents, since the cultivators are now utilising what was previously an area of unproductive bush harbouring criminals. A significant reduction of a non-renewable energy consumption by the abandonment of agricultural engines and ploughing. On the other hand, vertical farms that run on renewable energy sources are self-sustaining and eventually cost friendly.

Most importantly, however, is the role of architecture and design to create the ‘place’ for food production. Competent knowledge, skill and management is required from the conception of the idea up until execution and management.

Other fields of scientific process need to have their roles examined and synergized with the common objective. This means that with respect to computer engineering, software for managing pH levels, atmospheric conditions, lighting and watering cycles could be developed to connect with the plant growth process.

With respect to botany, enhanced watering solutions, configurations for planting, and growing techniques are a few ways the field could have practical applications in a vertical farm.

With respect to mechanical engineering, robots that monitor and handle seedlings from trough to soil could be developed eventually. Whatever manner or order these developments take place, the fundamental need is that a collaborative effort between professionals and academics in these fields occur in order to provide truly sustainable places for food production in Lagos Metropolitan Area.

LVL 01

LVL 02

LVL 03

Project Title: The Fair Shared City Approach

Date: February 2022

Through a collaborative and voluntary process of role-playing, participants learn the basics of problem identification, agenda setting, debating, negotiation, ideation and presentation. This process involves the use of five cards called; The Challenge Card, The Role Card, The Idea Card, The Stakeholder Card and The Fund / Funding System Card.

Status: Game Design/Research Project

Role: Project Coordinator

URBAN LAB 01

01.

Over 30 women from Oworonshoki were introduced to the urban planning process through a card game

02.

The women were grouped into 5 urban systems of water, energy, mobility, food and housing.

The objective of the first lab was to explore an approach to planning that embraces social, environmental and spatial justice.

URBAN LAB 02

01.

The second urban lab convened the most interested participants from the first lab; a total of 25 women from the community.

02.

This lab was an introspective analysis of the challenges in the urban system groups.

03. 03.

Particpants discussed and documented how they interact with systems of water, energy, housing etc.

The third urban lab of the Fair Shared City project was a focused and concise group based discussion to identify the stakeholders to engage and a timeline for the implementation of the selected ideas.

URBAN LAB 03 01. 02.

During this lab, the ideas generated from a synthesis of expert opinions and previous lab engagements were presented to the women’s groups by the group facilitators and attending group members.

OPEN CALL FOR LAB PARTICIPANTS

By using a loudspeaker, audio-drama and house to house calls, we were able to reach out to several community leaders and everyday citizens who would form part of the network for the planning process within the community. This call was thus unbiased, fair and random; giving all in the community the opportunity to participate.

FIRST REVIEW WORKSHOP

The review workshops were designed to provide objective feedback to the deliberations and analyses taking place in the labs. The first review took place after the first two labs and brought together professionals from a vast array of specialisations beyond the built environment.

FINAL REVIEW WORKSHOP

The final review workshop showcased all the findings and learnings from the project to a small group of industry experts and professionals. The objective was to form new partnerships between the women groups and the professionals in order to implement their chosen proposals.

THE FAIR SHARED CITY APPROACH TO URBAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

The booklet is also designed to engage the user by provoking thought and generating feedback. Urban designers, planners, project managers, design students, researchers, and enthusiasts for just and sustainable urban development will find this guide useful for charting their own futures. It collates the learnings, theoretical underpinnings and strategies applied throughout the fair shared city project.

The first way the game is completed/successful is when a playing group lays out all its cards and connects them in a loop using ‘logic lines’ (a logic line is simply a line explaining the relationship between two cards). The second way the game is successful is when the group is able to translate its ideas into practical urban interventions.

Because women have largely been ignored and excluded from urban planning structures at the all levels especially grassroot level, the majority of them are unaware of the conversations that take place in these so-called Community Development Associations. Most women have relegated to roles of treasurer and secretary, holding no real influence on the decisions made regarding community development. And this is ironic because women are the real drivers behind the so-called informal urban systems such as water, mobility, food, housing and energy. Therefore, the project will empower these women to participate in the urban planning process through either already established structures or new groups made up of

fellow gameplayers. The promotion of the game will also spread this alternative approach to community development across cities facing similar challenges and successful cases of the game completion will serve as a basis for further adoption and closing of the infrastructure gap in cities (resolving conflicting rationalities).

The project involves initiation by an urban designer, planner, architect, or simply anyone with an active interest in urban development. Next, a critical component of the project is the inclusion of women from low-income communities in the city. This is important because these low-income communities form the majority of urban residents in African cities, they occupy the largest shares of the urban extent and they facilitate about 70 % of the economies of these cities (estimates according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development). Subsequently, the women groups may choose to include other stakeholders to assist in translating the gameplay into urban interventions.

Project Title: Urban Systems, Otumara

Date: 2020 - 2021

Lagos is among the three biggest cities in Africa and among the twenty largest metropolitan regions in the world. In light of this, Lagos and the conveniently situated village of Otumara in the Ebute Metta area acted as a laboratory to examine the current urban services, given by the people, during the summer semester of 2020.

Status: Academic Research by Design

Role: Studio participant. Compiled studio findings into booklet. Member of public life, housing and mobility group

Aerial Vertical Farm

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN URBAN LAGOS

This study uses Lagos to explore the complexity of urban systems, including housing, transportation, public life, energy, and consumerism. In order to bridge the gaps of inadequacy that the government as a separate entity has been unable to fill, non-state actors play a significant role in the involvement and contribution of existing systems in the extremely multicultural metropolis of Lagos.

Water

Lagos has a coastline that is around 180 km long and is encircled by the Atlantic Ocean and the Lagoon. The city’s average elevation is less than 15 metres above sea level, and there is an annual average rainfall of 2000 millimetres. With over 40% of its land area covered by mangrove wetlands and water bodies, Lagos’ coastal areas are made up of lagoons, creeks, swamps, large interior lagoons, and marshes (Jideonwo 2014).

Despite this, the distribution and access to high-quality water for epileptics in urbanising Lagos is severely hampered by a huge demand-supply gap. The amount of water required for daily life cannot be completely controlled by the government, communities, or other non-state players.

Onwe (2013)

Mobility

Mobility encompasses more than just the movement of people and things. It has strong ties to the economy, society, and movement of information. We focus on mobility primarily from the standpoint of transportation. 90% of all passengers and commodities are moved by road in Lagos, which is the main means of transportation. In addition, roughly 40% of all city journeys are performed via non-motorized transit (NMT), primarily walking (Adejumo 2010). Lagos’s roads are already very crowded due to the rising number of private vehicles and the city’s sparse road system. However, there is not enough infrastructure for NMT because the routes seem to be designed exclusively for cars.

The Nigerian Informal Sector is a major contributor to the Nigerian economy, accounting for approximately 65% of employment and national GDP and thus is a very important source of income for many Lagosians.

Saline intrusion in Lagos’ waterbodies

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

Public Life Energy

Lagos’ public life is a dynamic phenomena that is continually influenced by both enduring traditional norms and the forces of globalisation. Lagos is obviously filled with a tremendous blend of cultural elements from a common African heritage of struggle, romance, and pride while also being a mega-city that is “in touch” with the globe. Whether you are a newcomer to the city or not, it can be challenging to traverse the layout of public life in it since it is, to put it mildly, complex. Everywhere there are people, fresh

direct or indirect contacts and exchanges take place.

Lagos’ public spaces, in contrast to other cities in the global North, are anything from “monofuntional.” The traditional definition of park and garden does not apply to them. Although public spaces are typically thought of as streets, their meaning and morphology are not restricted to the ‘boundaries’ of a street but rather extend into hallways, communal compounds, and interstitial spaces.

Nigeria, the largest economy in Africa, has installed energy producing capacity of about 13.5 GW, but Nigerians only use 144 kwh annually per person, or less than 3.5% of South Africans. Due to this shortage, the populace has turned to self-generation using diesel and gasoline generators and hardwood fuel. Despite having a population of more than 180 million, Nigeria only produces less than 5,000 MW. According to the power supply companies, the metropolitan area of Lagos accounts for around 40% of the total wattage needed to meet home, commercial, and industrial demands. The Department for International Development (DFID) estimates that families spend 50 Nigerian Naira (Naira) per kWh for diesel generation as opposed to 13 Naira per kWh for power from the national grid.

Classifying energy systems in Otumara

Nature of public space and interactions in Lagos

Prof. Vanessa Watson was the one who originally developed the idea of “conflicting rationalities” (Watson 2003).

It better frames discussions of the ongoing informality dilemma in fast-growing cities of the global South. The extent to which the “Government” plans these cities, managing to disregard the facts and strategies that are most obvious, serves as an overarching illustration of this notion.

EVERYDAY LIVING IN OTUMARA

NEIGHBOURHOOD CORRIDOR

In Otumara, an estimated number of 25,000 to 50,000 residents live in an area of approximately 15 to 30 ha, depending on the catchment areas of the respective ‘Baales’ (traditional rulers).

COMPOUND VIEW

Historically, people of different ethnic groups have lived together in the community for many years developing strong actors networks and complex urban systems to compensate the total absence of all basic infrastructure and of governmental actions and responsibilities.

STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS

In order to construct a series of systems and their implementation as well as their linkage to one another with actors-based and process-based urban design approaches, it is necessary to comprehend the complexity of the current processes and urban systems. With the actors at the centre of every concept and every design, workable solutions that are founded on systematic logic, coherence, and implementation are presented. This may be summed up as a collaborative implementation strategy for urban design that is stakeholder-based, along with the programmes that go along with it.

MICROSCALE INTERVENTIONS

Water corporation pipeline

Federal government solar powered borehole (not in use)

Private owned borehole

Private owned borehole(sold)

New water stations

A larger hub will be available after the smaller water and sanitation stations with integrated waste collection sites. This hub will be modified in order to serve as a more communal area for community gatherings.

WATER STATION POINTS

Cycling path

Bicycle repair shop

Bicycle rental shop

Grocery shop

Solar kiosk

Walkway

Waiting area

Bicycle parking

Okada and keke station

Goods exchange park

Pavilion

Basketball court

Watching platform

Canal Internet cafe

Public toilet

Shaded area for mobile shops

THE MOBILITY HUB

Only Fatiregun street has vehicular access due to the inadequate roads. This in turn makes it difficult for commodities to move about Otumara easily. Even while the tiny food store on Iya Abiye Street is still open, other Otumara people who live in the more populated areas must find a way to transport their own groceries by using motorcycles or tricycles (keke napep).

GREEN CORRIDORS

Runoff from impermeable surfaces such as driveways and roofs travels across the terrain and collects in drainages that, in the case of Otumara, are neither functional nor even present. Leading causes of the region’s frequent flooding are the neighborhood’s proximity to the lagoon and the area’s high ground water table. In response, the community-based drainage technique known as “green corridors” offers the much-needed resistance against flooding in the community.

TRANSFORMED URBAN BLOCKS

A bio-swale system is used in conjunction with a network of colourful green infrastructure to help divert water runoff into the canal and lagoon. The neighbourhood makes slight inclines in the middle of the streets, and wetlands plants are inserted into the swales. The now-defunct twin channel drainage, which served as a breeding ground for numerous pathogen-carrying vectors, would be replaced by the suggested scheme. Since an unmotorized route in the very heart of the densest area of Otumara stimulates public life in it, the green corridors serve as an important goal in the development of car-free neighbourhoods as well.

Otumara has a long history of fishing, using the marshes around the National Theatre and the tributary of the Lagos lagoon. However, this culture has vanished as a result of a number of odd circumstances. We make an effort to address community engagement in spatial development projects through a variety of measures, including the return of agricultural practises. Despite the limited space, the community can afford to lease agricultural plots. The neighborhood’s productivity and self-sufficiency are enhanced by its distinctive features, as are the recreational and sporting opportunities that play a significant role in Otumara’s social life.

SECTIONS THROUGH THE NEW OTUMARA

A cross-section of the resulting neighbourhood and prospective activities show how community connections foster a more desirable living environment and more active form of livelihood. A flexible programme for housing delivery is suggested in recognition of the overwhelmingly complicated nature of housing provision and construction. External actors will probably pay for the upgrading by giving community members loans

that must be repaid over the course of an agreedupon period. It is crucial that this strategy supports gradual phasing and is managed by Otumara locals. The housing initiative should start building multistory homes in areas most at risk of flooding from the lagoon and under the most pressure to do so. Then, as time passes, neighbouring regions could modify their homes in accordance with the initial designs previously constructed by the lagoon.

VIRTUAL DESIGN STUDIO

The first design studio on urban systems took place in April 2020 and had 10 students in participation.

Due to the COVID pandemic, classes, workshops and seminars were conducted virtually on zoom, miroboard and Slack.

Juries and presentations were made to architects, engineers and researchers from around the world.

Adeposi coordinated the DAAD Fall School in collaboration with the Chair of Urban Design, ABK Stuttgart.

ABK Stuttgart, through Ute Vees and Prof. Fabienne Hoelzel were virtual instructors

The Fall School was an opportunity to guide young designers and planners to engage in fieldwork research

DAAD FALL SCHOOL

The Urban Systems design studio naturally evolved into a research exploration of Inter-African Perspectives

TRAVEL EXCHANGE 01. 02.

This Studio brought together students from Adis-Abeba and Lagos to chart a roadmap for sustainable urban development The project produced the concept of urban labs as tools for microscale urban planning.

LANDMARKS ACROSS URBAN SYSTEMS TIMELINE

URBAN AGE 2018 CONFERENCE

Representing the Lagos Urban Development Initiative at the LSE Urban Age Conference, new networks with fellow researchers and leaders in African studies were established. These networks include but are not limited to: ABK Stuttgart, Fabulous Urban, LSE Cities, University of Sheffield, Lagos State Ministry of Transport etc.

STUDIO FINDINGS BOOkLET

This 65-page booklet details all the learnings and strategies developed as part of a research-by-design method of engaging with a low-income settlement in the city of Lagos. It represents the core of my philosophy and approach to development, not just in Lagos, but other cities across the urban South.

INTER-AFRICAN PERSPECTIVES

As a follow up to the Urban Systems booklet, this handbook contains a manifesto and several overlapping opinions on how rapidly urbanizing African cities can develop sustainably. It serves more as a policy development guide and is invaluable for translating concepts of fairness, justice and equity into the urban planning process.

REFERENCES

Presented in order of appearance

• World Health Organization. (2016). World health statistics 2016: monitoring health for the SDGs sustainable development goals. World Health Organization.

• Winter, P. L., Selin, S., Cerveny, L., & Bricker, K. (2019). Outdoor recreation, nature-based tourism, and sustainability. Sustainability, 12(1), 81.

• Helbaek, Hans. “The paleoethnobotany of the Near East and Europe.” The paleoethnobotany of the Near East and Europe. 31 (1960).

• McGregor, J. H. (2015). Back to the Garden: Nature and the Mediterranean World from Prehistory to the Present. Yale University Press.

• World Water Assessment Programme (United Nations), & UN-Water. (2009). Water in a changing world.

• Lynch, K., Binns, T., & Olofin, E. (2001). Urban agriculture under threat: The land security question in Kano, Nigeria. Cities, 18(3), 159-171.

• Jideonwo, J. A. (2014). Ensuring sustainable water supply in Lagos, Nigeria.

• Adejumo, T. (2010). Bikabilty In Metropolitan Lagos: A Conceptualization of Eco Friendly Transportation Alternative. na.

• Onwe, O. J. (2013). Role of the informal sector in development of the Nigerian economy: Output and employment approach. Journal of Economics and Development studies, 1(1), 60-74.

• Watson, V. (2003). Conflicting rationalities: Implications for planning theory and ethics. Planning theory & practice, 4(4), 395-407.

PORTFOLIO

Adeposi Stanley Adeogun (BSc. MED[in view])

Nigerian 23.11.1997

Work Experience: Lagos Urban Development Initiative, DAAD Fall School, Heinrich Bolls Stiftung, Perception Technologies, GOTH Architecture

2 Ebenezer Cl, Gowon Estate, Egbeda, Lagos adeposia@gmail.com