POST-CONSTRUCTIONAL CHANGES IN HOUSING UNITS IN MASS HOUSING ESTATES IN NIGER STATE: A CASE FOR HOUSING CUSTOMIZATION.

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1 POST-CONSTRUCTIONAL CHANGES IN HOUSING UNITS IN MASS HOUSING ESTATES IN NIGER STATE: A CASE FOR HOUSING CUSTOMIZATION. ADEDAYO OLATUNDE FOLARANMI Department of Architecture Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State. ABSTRACT The home owners in housing estates have needs and aspirations that they naturally would express when given the opportunity. An examination of housing units within housing estates in Niger state shows that there is a high level of post constructional changes which increases maintenance problems. It is equally noticeable that most of the post constructional changes are carried out by the individuals. This paper examines post-constructional changes within housing estates with the view of establishing the need for customization. The origin and trend of mass housing in Nigeria would be examined so as to establish the basis for the current trend in mass housing development. This paper also examines methods adopted in mass housing provision in Niger state. It discusses some of the factors responsible for these postconstructional changes carried out by the owners. The paper discusses an overview of customization in housing and how it could be adapted to suit the Nigerian environment. The paper concludes by stating that mass customization is the method that could be explored and adopted to either eliminate or reduce post-constructional changes thereby improving maintenance in housing units of mass housing estates in Nigeria. Keywords: Customization, Home-owner, Housing, Mass-housing, Maintenance, Postconstructional. INTRODUCTION Shelter needs by individuals is one aspect of human existence that keeps changing as man and his environment changes. The rate of urbanization in the country is greatly affected by the daily migrations from rural to urban areas which in turn bring about population increase in these cities. This unplanned increase in population in these cities comes along with huge shortage of housing for the new urban dwellers. It implies therefore that there is a need for newer houses to cater for these people. In the developing cities around the world the shortage of adequate housing continues to increase rather than decrease, because the rate of housing provision does not match that of population growth. The problem most developed countries face is mainly that of housing finance in terms of housing affordability by the citizen as described by Murie and Rowlands (2008). They noted that the government of Britain has been reviewing housing policies so as increase the housing supply at an affordable rate for the populace. Mass housing has therefore been proposed as the way towards meeting the COPY RIGHT 2012 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 709

2 housing problems in urban cities in developing countries; however the problems that come along with mass housing are not often examined properly before its adoption. It is also necessary to note that providing houses is not the only solution to housing problem, maintaining the already existing houses is of great importance. A major cause of maintenance problems in these housing estates is the post constructional changes carried out by the owners after occupation of the houses. CAUSES OF MASS HOUSING AROUND THE WORLD Mass housing is the provision of large number of housing units for a selected or prospective group of people or in some case the general public. According to Oxley (2000) Western European housing policies were geared in the aftermath of the Second World War to reducing housing shortages. Furthermore housing production was clearly an aim of policy in most countries in the 1950s and 1960s, social housing systems developed in response to shortages. The reasons for mass housing vary amongst countries though the aim is often the same. According to Knox (n.d.) the election in 1945 of a Labour Government in Scotland brought about an extensive plan of housing construction. It stated that the 1950s and 1960s brought about the problem of overcrowding and poor amenities and these were largely solved by the construction of mass housing estates and high rise buildings. In Turkey however, according to Onder (2007), rapid increase in population and urbanization are considered the major causes of the housing problem, another factor is the occurrence of big earthquakes in recent years. The population increase in Seoul from 2.45 million in 1960 to million in 1990 was not matched equally with housing increase, (Kwon and Kim, 2006). This they said necessitated the construction of mass housing in Seoul and this was done in apartment pattern. In Japan aside from the impact of the World War, the migration of the farm workers to urban centres was responsible for the increase in population which created the housing deficit. The deficit of housing in Brazil is also as a result of population growth and according to Leite, Miron and Formoso (2005), Seven million families need new homes in Brazil. In meeting this demand it further stated that the government of Brazil has created a wide range of housing provision schemes that includes both the public and private sector in housing estate development. The history of mass housing in Belgium can be traced to the period 1850 COPY RIGHT 2012 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 710

3 to 1900 when Brussels population grew from 260,000 to 760,000 thereby giving rise to huge housing deficit, (Eger, 2007). Population increase in urban centres and cities is responsible for the housing shortages that are witnessed. This means that the main aim in the development of mass housing as practised by these countries was as a result of the need to address quantity need. ORIGIN OF MASS HOUSING IN NIGERIA The housing problems between the developed and developing countries as expressed in their environments may differ but it does not mean that the developed countries did not experience what the developing countries are currently experiencing. The origin of public housing can be traced to mid-1860s where the earliest social housing was said to have been established by a wealthy American, George Peabody. The first England local authority housing was built between 1863 and 1869 (Heritage Protection Department (HPD) 2006). The houses that were provided were of repetitive form of storeyed blocks around squares. Furthermore it stated that by 1875 there was a proliferation of housing companies because the local authorities offered slum areas to them for development at preferential rates. This same period saw some enlightened employers building houses for their workers to live in. The World Wars influenced the type of housing that was built for the public to rent and this was common with the poor working class. According to Ball (1982) the only possible way of expanding working class housing after the First World War was large scale subsidization of council housing. HPD (2006) stated that the shortage of accommodation for farm workers in the late 1930s and during the second World War, led to several programmes for low-cost homes and that most firms involved built big system blocks of flats. It can therefore be deduced that there was lack of consideration of the end-users in the housing provision. Nigeria was colonized between the year 1861 to 1960 and this period coincided with the period when Britain was undergoing development in its housing sector. The styles and methods adopted by these developed countries during this period of their housing development were transferred to the developing countries during the era of colonization. The adoption of their method led to the formation of what is referred to as the Government Reserved Areas (GRA), which catered for the upper class people in the society. The improvement in the economic capability of the middle and low income class saw the COPY RIGHT 2012 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 711

4 government providing staff quarters for them. The intervention of government in housing in Nigeria according to Aribigbola (2008) began as a result of the outbreak of bubonic plague in Lagos in the 1920s where government provided quarters for expatriate staff and selected indigenous staff. These staff quarters were in the form of the council houses built in Britain. MASS HOUSING IN NIGERIA The independence of Nigeria in 1960 saw the elite take over the houses previously occupied by the colonial masters and this period signalled the beginning of rural-urban migration. According to the Report of the Vision 2020 National Technical Working Group on Housing (2009), Nigeria has experienced rapid urbanization with nearly 50 per cent of the population living in urban areas compared with just 10 per cent in 1952 and 38 per cent in Various studies (Adedeji, 2005, Ademiluyi and Raji, 2008, Kabir, and Bustani, 2009,) have estimated that there is a shortage of 16 million housing units. This population increase in Nigeria over the past decades and housing shortage which is on the increase has led most governments having to adopt mass housing as a method of solving the problem. The houses provided were repetitive in nature and attention is usually geared towards quantity. The method of housing provision by these governments was based on the model adopted from the colonial masters of building blocks of flats and bungalows. This method continued to thrive, because for an individual the cost of providing a house is quite high in Nigeria. This ensured that many individuals that live in the urban cities look to the government for the provision of houses. This they do because government is seen as having the financial base for providing the funds and enabling environment for the construction of the houses. MASS HOUSING IN NIGER STATE The provision of housing in Niger state, Nigeria, has taken centre stage again from 1999 to 2009 and this might be as a result of the population increase in the urban centres due to emergence of democracy. However, there is a concentration of these housing estates in Minna the state capital the reason that could be adjudged from the fact that Minna is the most urbanized city in the state. The housing shortage in urban areas according to Ademiluyi and Raji (2008) led to the contribution of private developers in housing. This involvement of private developers in housing provision has brought about a gradual withdrawal of government from direct housing provision. Government is now shifting attention towards collaboration with private developers. COPY RIGHT 2012 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 712

5 The government of Niger state from has witnessed the involvement of the private sector in mass housing through the public private partnership (PPP). This period has seen the housing sector in the state witnessing growth in the number of housing estates development around the state. These housing estates are located at peripheral of the state capital thereby opening the city up for development. However it could be argued that some of these housing estates developments are politically motivated. Examples of these estates are proposed General Wushishi housing estate Minna of which the first phase was constructed between 2007 and It has a total proposed number of 500 units. The proposed Talban housing estate Minna construction started in the year 2008 and is yet to be completed. These housing estates are made of various units of two-bedroom and three-bedroom bungalows. The common factor with these housing estates is that they are of the same design and only differences amongst them is the number of bedrooms and the colour of painting applied to the structures. POST-CONSTRUCTIONAL CHANGES IN HOUSING UNITS IN MINNA An examination of the housing estates that have been occupied by the owners over time has witnessed several changes; these changes have altered the appearances of these housing estates. Examples of these estates are Bosso estate, Oduoye quarters, Bosso low cost, Old Airport quarters, Tunga low-cost and 123 quarters all located in Minna. The examples mentioned above are housing estates developed by the state governments. The example of housing estate built by the Federal Government is the Shagari housing estate at Maikunkele, Minna. These housing units in the estates were sold to the occupiers during the privatization policy era of the government in These owners started carrying out changes on their individual housing units in the estate. These changes are attempts by the individual to personalise the houses so as to meet their needs and equally create an identity for their homes. The changes carried out by the owners end up constituting maintenance problems within houses and the estates. This implies that the method applied in the provision of these housing estates do not often meet the needs and aspirations of the owners. Examples of some of the post-constructional changes carried out in these estates can be seen in Pictures below (see picture 1-12). COPY RIGHT 2012 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 713

6 Picture 1.0: Constructed fence at Tunga Low cost Minna Picture 2.0: Constructed gate house at Tunga Low cost Minna Picture 3.0: Constructed fence at Tunga Low cost Minna Picture 4.0: Sun shading device and Burglary Tunga Low cost Minna Picture 5.0: Temporary shed & Fence at Old Airport Qtrs. Minna Picture 6.0: Shops and Fence at Old Airport Qtrs. Minna COPY RIGHT 2012 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 714

7 Picture 7.0: Additional rooms at Old Airport Qtrs. Minna Picture 8.0: Additional shop & Fence at 123 Qtrs. Minna Picture 9.0: Roof, Window changes & Fence 123 Qtrs. Minna Picture 10.0: Elevation Modification & Fence 123 Qtrs. Minna Picture 11.0: Additional Constructed Building at 123 Qtrs. Minna Picture 12.0: Post-Constructional Change in Progress at 123 Qtrs. Minna COPY RIGHT 2012 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 715

8 The major problem with these changes is that they are carried out without consultations with housing providers and architects of these housing estates. This implies that none inclusion of the relevant professionals ensures that maintenance problems cannot be avoided. Some of the changes noticed in these estates include the construction of fences as seen in pictures 1,3,6,8,9,10 & 12. The conversion of garages to either bedrooms or shops is a common practise in Bosso estate, while the construction of outdoor cooking areas is common in airport quarters and 123 quarters as seen in picture 5. In certain estates additional buildings were constructed by the owners on their plot to cater for increase in family size as seen in picture 2,6,7,8, & 11, this is also evident in the Shagari estate. In understanding these changes it is observable that the changes do not follow any known definite pattern so as to allow for projectable changes that could be handled in future designs. However the common thing with these individual housing units is that the owners have provided fences so as to demarcate their property and space. FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR POST-CONSTRUCTIONAL CHANGES Every house owner has a reason or reasons for making the changes that are carried out on his house, however the factors responsible for these changes could be the same but their expression different. FAMILY SIZE A common factor that is easily noticeable is the changes in family size. The family size of different house owners is never the same but a common housing design is often provided for them because. It is possible for individuals to be at the same cadre in office and yet have different family size which could be as a result of the number of kids or even number of wives. A family with a large size would simply alter the house by either converting a garage to a bedroom or building additional boys quarter. HOUSE SECURITY The issue of security is of great concern to home owners in housing estates regardless if the entire estate is fenced. Individuals always seek out ways of providing extra security for themselves and this they do through the provision of fences. These fences COPY RIGHT 2012 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 716

9 are often not designed by any architect and as such they oftentimes do not complement the house design. IMPROVED FINANCE Improved finance of the owners is a major factor that affects the nature and extent of the post-constructional changes in these housing estates. it common to find changes taking place when the financial capability of the house owner improves which could be as a result of either a promotion, increase in salary or inheritance. Whichever the case is it simply means that when house owners have more money to spend they are most likely going to try to improve their house. IDENTITY CREATION Human beings usually like to be different from each other however the housing design in mass housing does not reflect this. It is therefore common to find house owner within the estate trying to differentiate themselves from others so as to create an identity for them, this identity they seek to create is a key factor in postconstructional changes. The changes could be as little as painting the house a different colour or as much as structural changes. ARCHITECTS AND MASS HOUSING IN NIGER STATE Architects are the originators of the designs for the individual housing units within the housing estates. According to Jose (2005a), traditionally when a designer is faced with the design of a large housing estate development, the usual solution is to design a limited number of house types and then repeat them. The method applied in the design of theses housing estates is one that encourages the post-constructional changes. The traditional role of the architect is to provide a design that meets the need and the aspiration of the client especially when he or she is known. However in the case of the mass housing estate in Minna, the clients were not known at the conception of the design so it meant that the design was based on speculations and assumptions. What simply took place is the case of all the threebedrooms being the same in design and size while the two-bedrooms followed the same pattern. Frequently, solutions to housing problems have been viewed from cost of materials, low-cost design and cheaper construction methods and process. The aspect of quality in the provision COPY RIGHT 2012 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 717

10 of housing which can only be deduced if the client is known is rendered ineffective because of the traditional method applied. It is this quality that makes a house owner specific and therefore ensures that the traditional role of the architect in housing provision is met. None consideration of the end-user during the design stage of the houses is what gives rise to customization by the owners of the housing units. OVERVIEW OF CUSTOMIZATION The generally accepted approach when products are needed in large quantities by manufacturing firms is what is referred to as mass production and this method was adopted into mass housing provision. The mass production method was acceptable because meeting housing deficit was the concern at that time; however this approach is now less fashionable because individuals are now demanding for specific variety in given products. The approach and application of mass customization in the provision of services and products vary amongst the firms and companies providing it. McCarthy (2004) stated that mass customization aims at providing customized offerings. The task in mass customization is to personalize and manufacture a physical product of which a house is one. According to Piller, Moeslein & Stotko (2004), in a mass customization system the main part of customer integration happens during the configuration or even at the design phase of the product. This implies that it is possible for the customer to be involved right from the conception stage of the house or it could be at the design stage but this is to be decided by the architect. Pollard (2008) stated that mass customization goes around the concept of build to order, that is; products being customer specific. This implies that individual houses in housing estates should follow this path of being built to order. CUSTOMIZATION OF HOUSING UNIT Human beings are naturally different and hence their needs vary both in terms of quantity and quality, these varied needs are what they bring to bear in the changes they seek in postconstructional changes of their houses. The owners of these houses expect that the variety they seek to provide in these houses should have been reflected in the houses right from the design stage. Many developed countries have started adapting some form of customization of housing units in mass housing. According to Hofman and Halman (2006) the housing industry is witnessing a great demand for variety in housing provision because the more the COPY RIGHT 2012 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 718

11 variety available within a housing estate the more likely the customers will find exactly the option they prefer. According to Cuperus, (2003), the housing industry in the Netherlands is gradually shifting from a seller to a buyers market and that to satisfy costumer s needs, building developers shift from mass housing to mass customisation. There are a few examples of countries that have started one form of customization and they are; Netherlands: According to Niemeijer (2007), mass customization is getting increasingly popular in the Dutch building industry; it stated further that most architects working on such projects however still apply the traditional method of manually creating the designs. This means that there evolving faster ways of achieving it but here the emphasis is on countries striving to provide customization. Portugal: Jose (2005b) noted the work of architect Alvaro Siza in housing in Malagueria near Evora, Portugal as an important part of mass housing in the country because it offered more variety for the users than all his contemporaries as at that time in mass housing provision. This simply means a limited customization was offered to the populace. Japan: The customization of the housing units of the mass era is one that revolves around dwelling unit enlargement and improvement or addition of facilities to cater for the dwellers. (See Kadowaski, Fukao & Arahira 2004 & Ogawa 2005).The second form of mass customization which covers the 1980s to 1990s is one that made mass customization a viable strategy for the large national house builders as expressed by Barlow & Osaki (2005). This implies that it is possible to offer customization to already existing buildings. Malaysia: In Malaysia Lim & Khalid (2003) stated that houses are mass produced in such a way that ensures customers collaborate with contractors in house modification. This implies that customization is offered as part of housing provision in this country and it occurs at a later stage. The examples mentioned above show that customization is possible in the area of housing, whichever method is chosen and adopted must be examined so as to ensure that it fits into Nigerian setup. COPY RIGHT 2012 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 719

12 RECOMMENDATION 1. Government should ensure that housing providers carry out Post Occupancy Evaluation of the housing estates they provide with a view to determine if the project was successful and to find out the response of the people to the project. 2. Architects should seek out methods of making individual housing unit owner specific by seeking out ways of getting end-user to participate actively during the design of the housing estate. 3. Formulation of research groups at universities that would look into housing design and its provision should be encouraged and funded by governments and private bodies. 4. Experimental housing as practised in the Netherlands should be encouraged and funded. 5. The field of customization should be researched into by academics in housing and method developed should be applied in housing in Nigeria. CONCLUSION Traditionally the aim of an architect when designing a building is to ensure that the client is satisfied and hence improve maintenance and not create maintenance problems. However this is missing when it comes to mass housing estates design. The owners of the houses have shown that this aim is important and achievable through post-constructional changes. The nature of the changes is not what any architect would love to imagine, however if there is no shift towards meeting their desires then these changes would continue. The paper concludes that mass customization is one of the ways of achieving zero post-constructional changes in housing units of mass housing estate. COPY RIGHT 2012 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 720

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