By Josfyn Uba
Abia State-born architect and Secretary General of Nigerian Institute of Architecture (NIA), Lagos State Chapter, Mrs Adaku Oguamanam has declared that the evolution of such technology like the Artificial Intelligence (AI) can never take over the roles of architect but can only make the work of an architect easier.
In this interview, she takes a panoramic view of the challenges female architects face in the field that is dominated by men, her interest in the profession and advice to upcoming female practitioners among others
Can you share your journey into the world of architecture? How did it start and what influenced you?
My journey into architecture actually started from my secondary school. I started from the Command Secondary School, Ojo, where I finished the junior secondary school education, before I eventually changed to the Federal Government College, Okigwe, for my senior secondary school. While in Command Secondary School, Ojo, there was a soldier who was a teacher, who taught us introductory technology. I was fascinated by it, especially with engine drawings. The fact that I was drawing on the board caught my attention to architecture as a profession. That man was my favorite teacher. So, because of that, I always wanted to go into something that had to do with engineering or architectural design. That’s where my calling or rather, where my love for engineering and architecture emanated from.
As a female in a male dominated profession like architecture, what challenges have you faced?
Yes, that is correct because even during my undergraduate level at the Imo State University, we were 66 in all and only four of us were females; the rest 62 were males and that was the largest number of females they had in a while. I don’t know if things have changed now, but at that time, there were some classes without any females or with a maximum of two females. But, in our set, we were up to four. There’s a popular slogan in our class then, which says ‘there are no females in architecture.’ They treated all of us the same way in class. They wouldn’t say because you are a female, you can’t do the type of things they’re telling the males to do in school. However, in the field, as a female architect, you need to work extra hard to exert your positions. In the field, a lot of clients tend to feel more comfortable assigning such roles to male counterparts. So, every female practising the profession has to work extra hard to achieve the same things that men are achieving. That makes most of us tougher and you always see us striving to be the best that we can be in the field.
Who are your role models in architecture? And how have they influenced you if you have any?
Well, role models, I would say that when I was in school, I was fascinated by architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, an American. There was one of his projects that fascinated me then, ‘Falling Water.’ It fascinated me so much that I even did a project report on it. It used modern technology, large cantilevers; almost seeming like the building was floating and it was designed way back, maybe, when people weren’t really thinking of using concrete or cantilevering. So, he was thinking way ahead of his time. Those are the people that fascinate me. I wouldn’t say I have a role model; I am just fascinated by people’s work and design However, a newer role model would be Zaha Hadid. She’s late now, but the fact that she was able to break barriers and dominate the architectural field, and even though she’s gone, her firm is still going strong, those things fascinate me; people that are able to break barriers. I’m interested in their work, whether male or female, because I feel as a woman that even though we need to work hard, there’s nothing we can’t achieve. There’s a saying that anything a man can do, a woman can do better. I feel that our femininity should not limit us. We should push and strive to break grounds.
It is very clear that the field of architecture is evolving, as far as women are concerned. So, what initiatives do you think can help women to navigate in this male dominated field?
Like you said, architecture is evolving, and you will also see that it has grown into different aspects. It’s not just a straightforward line now; you now see a lot of people talking about green building, design and project management, among others; initiatives that could help women navigate it. And I believe that a woman or female or someone in the profession should try and not see their femininity as a limitation. They should keep themselves abreast with the trends. Like you said everything keeps evolving; so you need to keep yourself abreast with whatever that is evolving. For instance now, there are a lot of green building certifications. You see some people that are actually making waves in the architectural field but in the real sense what they are doing is certifying green buildings, inspecting green buildings, not necessarily drawing. There are many aspects. For me, apart from architecture, I’m also an EDG expert—E-D-G, a green building certification. I’m also into construction industry arbitration, and I’m a project manager with a PRINCE2 certification. I’m also into risk management, MOR, from the UK. So, don’t stay stagnant, if you stay stagnant, time will pass you by, and you remain redundant. A few years ago, we were all drawing with boards and pens. If I stick to that, no one goes for that anymore. With AI and new trends, my advice for female architecture to break even and remain relevant, is to work extra hard, attend training on new prospects coming up in architecture, and key into those trends so you don’t get left behind.
What is your design philosophy, and how do you incorporate local culture and sustainability into your projects?
My design philosophy is functionality and simplicity and I believe that less is more. You don’t need too many elements to make a project look nice. Simplicity keeps things clean; that’s how I think. Regarding local culture and sustainability, in Nigeria, we don’t have the luxury of numerous building materials. You won’t believe that until recently, even something as simple as glass, isn’t made in Nigeria; it’s imported and treated. I think the problem is the power situation in Nigeria. Once it is solved a lot of people might find it profitable investing in such aspect as local production of materials. A lot of people are interested but by the time they check what the running costs will be, like running on generators and other things, it becomes very capital-intensive. So, lack of stable electricity affects the local production of building materials because you don’t have the luxury of so many local materials to use apart from the regular cement, blocks and others. That’s why you still see a lot of people bringing in building materials. We have companies producing tiles locally now, which is an improvement, but we need more creative, innovative materials to compete with international designs because what makes their building stand out is material. For sustainability, using local materials like clay or bamboo is encouraged, but it’s not being done extensively yet.
How would you describe the current state of architecture in Nigeria? And what trends do you think need to be changed?
Architecture is like art. Architects are creative people who express themselves differently. You wouldn’t say someone’s work isn’t creative unless you understand what the person is trying to express. I feel we need to make buildings more eco-friendly, sustainable and designed for the future to stand the test of time.
What role does architecture play in addressing urban challenges in Nigeria? And how can architects contribute to sustainable development to match global markets?
Architects have a lead role in concepts and design. From the design stage, we should meet with government officials to advocate for using certain materials or designs to ensure functionality and sustainability. There’s a national building code, but enforcement is the issue. The government should partner with organizations like the Nigerian Institute of Architects to assist in enforcing it or hold lecture series and outreach programmes to educate Nigerians on why things should be done a certain way. In major cities like Lagos, Abuja, or Port Harcourt, you see more creative designs, but in less exposed states like Kogi, designs differ due to commercialization. Government partnership with associations is very crucial in enforcing building codes.
With the way technology is advancing, where do you see architecture in the next 10 years?
I see technology not taking over the role of architect but making our work easier. From drawing by hand to using AutoCAD, and now AI and new software, it makes creativity easier to express. In the future, the sky’s the limit. Technologies like VR headsets allow clients to experience designs virtually, solving issues before construction. In 10 years, we might just speak or gesture to design. But, technology won’t displace architects because creativity requires a human factor; you have to give AI prompts. There has to be a human factor, and that is where the architect’s creativity comes in.
What advice do you have for young women in architecture?
Architecture is a very lovely and interesting profession. I don’t see myself doing anything else apart from architecture. Don’t get discouraged by the long hours and education. In the long run, it pays off. Just keep putting in your best; keep striving to be better because there are new things coming up every day. Look for fellow female architects to mentor you. There are many female architects that are willing to advise and guide you on the part to take.
As a mother, how do you juggle your home front and profession to ensure that neither suffers?
It takes a lot of multitasking skills. It’s not easy. A woman comes back from work thinking of preparing meals, helping kids with homework, and doctor’s appointments. That’s why I said that for women to thrive in our environment or maybe in Africa, they have to work extra hard. Meanwhile, a man could just come back from work, relax and watch programmes on television. It takes great skill and God’s grace to juggle it all, but I believe that as women, we were created to be able to achieve some of these things and push through them with ease.
What was your growing up like?
I had a very good childhood. I had my primary education in Warri, moved to Lagos, and my family has been very supportive.
How do you relax?
I love music. I have a wide range of music that I listen to. I listen to classical music, rap, R&B and pop. I always have headphones. I watch football and play board games like Chess, Scrabble, and Monopoly.
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