APPRAISAL OF THE LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AND AESTHETICS OF A NIGERIAN URBAN CENTRE: A STUDY OF ABUJA Samuel O. Ebong Email: [email protected] Department of Architecture, Abimbola A. Oke University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria Uduak P. Umoh Abstract An urban landscape is a hybrid of natural and man-made elements shaped by activities of the human system. These elements influence the character of a city and how it is perceived, seen and rated. The aim of the study is to provide photographic evidence of the current landscape character of Abuja. The study adopts the qualitative method of observation to provide a picture of the landscape features in Abuja, Nigeria from macro-level to the street and residential front gardens (micro-level). Photographs are used to capture the visual and aesthetic dimensions of the landscape and document visual attributes. The study reveals that the design and development of the city create the quality of openness and beautiful neighbourhoods to live, work and recreate. Trees and the greens beautify the city and decorate the environment. Good road networks and traffic lights enhance the efficiency of the traffic while the urban structures produce a cityscape that gives the city a distinct character. Abuja is a beautiful city. Keywords: Macro-level, Micro-Level, Abuja, Urban landscape, Built Environment. Introduction World Bank (2020) claims that 55% of the world's population lives in urban areas today. Furthermore, the World Bank (op.cit) argues that with more than 80% of global GDP generated in cities, urbanization has the capacity to contribute to sustainable growth if managed well by increasing productivity, allowing innovation and new ideas to emerge. In this regard, architecture has played and continues to play an important role in defining and shaping the urban centres. Architecture evolved from the basic human need of shelter as a means of protection from inclement weather and other elements of nature that might pose a threat to humans to what it is today. It developed as a result of need and availability of resources (means). As the needs increased architecture also evolved to accommodate those needs (worship, commercial activities, culture, administration, education, health, politics, social, leisure and relaxation). The design of the built environment involves “the synthesis of the physical form of the city to achieve goals related to a range of human needs, particularly to activity and meaning. It deals with physical form, buildings, streets, parks, etc. and the relationships between these to achieve functional, cognitive, social and environmental goals” (Mugavin, 1992: 403).The design must meet needs and impact the quality of the city space. Maslow (1943) in his seminal work on human development presents a list of human needs now known as the Hierarchy of Human Needs. It is a five-tier model of human needs, represented upwards as hierarchical levels within a pyramid as follows: physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. McLeod (2020) points out that Maslow's five-stage model has been expanded to include cognitive and aesthetic needs. According to Tay and Diener (2011), meeting these needs are like taking vitamins and we need them all. Aesthetic needs are met by the appreciation and search for beauty, balance, and form. Landscape character of an urban centre plays an important role in satisfying these need. 1 The resources or means (knowledge, money, materials, skills, and technology) to create the kind of environment that caters for these needs have also evolved over the years. The means also contain developing advanced construction techniques, improving the quality of construction process and enhancing the quality of construction materials. Villages in Partnership (2019) acknowledge the place of resources in meeting human development needs such as provision of infrastructure. United Nations Environment Programme (2013) posits that cities are complex networks of interlocked infrastructure that use resources to provide services. Wennersten (2018) acknowledges that the challenges of sustainable development cannot be met without more intelligent solutions for use of resources. Architectural development, therefore, is a product of human needs and means. Human beings create the environment that satisfy their needs, desires and many a times ego. We create our buildings and environment to meet specific requirements and give expression to our values, knowledge and experiences. As these change, we also evolve our environment to meet with new realities. The aesthetic quality and efficiency of improving the urban environment largely depends on the material and technical means of using appropriate construction products and materials (Abyzov, 2018). Creating beautiful buildings, urban spaces and landscapes is a product or result of architecture in practice. Landscape architecture creates beautiful environments that affects us in diverse ways and shapes our behaviour as we interact with it. This paper assesses the exterior urban space in Abuja where the perception of the environment is not restrained and separated by construction elements, but by features that define location. The study is intended to provide an appreciation of the existing landscape features and other environmental aesthetic assets as they are constructed to satisfy the different needs of users of Abuja urban space. Qualities of Architecture and Landscape Character Vitruvius, in his 'Ten Books on Architecture,' named the three qualities of architecture as firmitas (firmness), utilitas (functionality) and venustas (beauty). 1. Firmness: All architectural products (buildings, landscaping, other structures, interiors) must be solid, durable and remain in good condition for the users to enjoy. They should have the ability to withstand, over a long period of time, the actions and adverse effects of natural elements such as the weather. They should have the ability to maintain their shape, colour and position under the effect of various actions such as human usage (wear and tear), structural and gravitational changes, strains and earth movements. Landscape elements are subject to these actions, especially as they are exposed to different natural elements. Maintenance is also an important part of firmness as it keeps the structure in proper working condition and fit for use. A key aspect of maintenance is that architectural products should not only have low maintenance rate, but should be easy to maintain. 2. Functionality: Landscape products are expected to be fit for use and function well for the users. They should allow for appropriate, easy, convenient and effective use. A landscape architectural product that is not appropriately functional to satisfy the need for which it was constructed is a waste and has no rationale to exist. This is a key test measure for assessing the products of architecture. 3. Beauty: This is visual delight. It is the quality that brings pleasure to the senses of those who view and use the objects of architecture. The products of architecture must have aesthetic value. Aesthetics is the pleasurable awareness of an environment to recognise, appreciate and enjoy the perceptual assets of the environment. Aesthetics is vital to man because beauty is part of the human emotion and it is always associated with pleasure. Beauty is an appealing quality associated with loveliness, attractiveness, exquisiteness, splendour and magnificence. Beauty is an important aspect of landscape character of any environment because of its sensual effect and impact on users of the environment. Beautiful environments 2 lead to inner peace, calmness, joy, and healing, and increase work efficiency. Studies show that landscapes have the potential to promote mental well-being through attention restoration, stress reduction, and the evocation of positive emotions; physical well-being through the promotion of physical activity in daily life as well as leisure time and through walk-able environments; and social well-being through social integration, social engagement and participation, and through social support and security (Abraham et at., 2019). The results of a study by Zhang et al. (2019) on urban green spaces reveal that visual and hearing sensation were found to be linked with mental renewal directly and indirectly.An ugly environment can lead to fear, discontent, discomfort, inhibitions and little or emotional and spiritual fulfilment. Landscape architecture, therefore, should produce products that combine the above-named qualities. To achieve this it must function within the ambit of science, arts and humanities to properly meet the needs of the people using its products. Landscape Character Landscape is an important part of the quality of life for people everywhere: in urban areas and in the countryside, in degraded and in high quality areas, in areas with outstanding beauty as well as everyday areas (Council of Europe, 2000). According to the Council, landscape means an area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors. Atik et al. (2015) opine that landscape is the outcome of the interaction between humans and nature, which often conveys a different character to the land. Designing Buildings (2020) define landscape character as a distinct, recognisable and consistent pattern of elements that makes one landscape different from another. Landscape character is also considered as a distinct, recognisable and consistent pattern of elements