| ARCHITECTS DISPUTE MINISTER’S STATEMENT ON ABUJA MASTERPLAN DESIGN |
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Consultant Architects have refuted a statement by Minister of information, Mr. Frank Nweke, on the original designers of the Abuja master plan and why government commissioned a foreign architectural firm to undertake a review of the document.
The Association of Consulting Architects of Nigeria after its meeting in Abuja last week, disputed the report by the Ministers of Information that Albert Spear and Partner was being commissioned to carry out a review after 25 years because the firm prepared most of the original Abuja master-plan. The architects contend that the original master-plan was prepared by International Planning Associates, a consortium made up of three Canadian and American firm namely, Plang Research Corporation, Archi-Systems International and Wallace, Mcharg, Robert and Todd Inc.
The central area, they maintained, was design by Kenzo Tange (Japan), with three Nigeria firms, namely, Oluwole Olumuyiwa and Associates, Benna Associates. The first district (Garki) was designed by Milton Keyes Development Corporation (Britain) while the transportation network was designed by Sofretu (France).
At the Abuja forum, the architects discussed the issues affecting the professional practitioners to which the Vice President of ACA Nigeria, Roti Delano of FMA Architects confirmed that the same issues being discussed are very similar to the issues discussed in Lagos and Port Harcourt.
On foreign architects commissioned for works in Nigeria without local collaboration said that the association is not against others obtaining commissions for works in Nigeria, but this must be in accordance with the Architect Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) regulations which demands that to practice in Nigeria a firm needs to be registered.
“If this is enforced, foreign firms will therefore need to collaborate actively with Nigeria as the Nigerian architect is very qualified and experienced to deliver the client’s needs”’ he added. He fingered government as the greatest culprit of non-involvements in action design and build projects.
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