Application of hybrid green fences for security in public building designs in Nigeria: Lessons from Kigali, Rwanda and Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

The issue of security has become a burning topic and major concern for urban dwellers in many developing countries. The use of active security measures is no longer considered as adequate to forestall the security breaches in many public buildings. It is commonplace in urban areas in developing countries such as Nigeria to find that these public buildings having perimeter walls of solid walls. These practices constitute environmental challenges to the urban planners and the architects who design such buildings. In the case of Kigali, there has been a significant attempt to create a blend of the environment with security walls through the design of the perimeter fences of public buildings. The advantages of these concepts have different approaches which could be adapted for different situations. This article aims to examine the nature of the hybrid fences designs in use in public buildings in Kigali with the view of suggesting advantageous ones for application to ensure environmental sustainability in Nigeria. The research method adopted is a qualitative approach using case studies of selected public buildings in Kigali and buildings in Abuja, Nigeria. The design of these fences would be examined and the different options identified. A comparative analysis would be drawn from the two cities and the areas of applications of the solutions from Kigali would be proposed. The study would conclude that the approach of hybrid green fences in Kigali offers the best advantage of security as it allows for visual contact and serves as the passive role of environmental sustainability while ensuring aesthetic value for the buildings. The article would recommend that architects incorporate the concept of hybrid green fences in the overall design of the public buildings and not as a secondary development.