Improving residential outdoor space experience in developing countries: Evidence from a housing estate in Nigeria

Abstract

This study complemented the debate for a better outdoor residential experience but gave a perspective from a developing country, using Ewet housing estate in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, as a case study. Combining field observation with a questionnaire, data obtained from 150 houses was analysed using descriptive statistics complemented with regression analysis. The results showed that over 60% of the houses were of high quality, however, they were overshadowed by the surrounding lacklustre open space areas. The visual quality of the organisation of the landscape elements had a very strong positive relationship with contribution to amenity value of the neighbourhood. Preference for outdoor activities with recreation, motivation to beautify the premises, and to have a good setting for the house all appeared as positive factors of poor quality development of a residential site. Non-availability of good site design/lack of specification by the housing authority for site development, and inadequate space and site problems, were found to be the major constraints affecting residential site development. The awareness factor had a strong positive relationship with the quality of site development. The study concluded by suggesting a conceptual foundation for improving the process and quality of residential site development in developing countries.

Keywords:

• Residential outdoor space
• residential outdoor experience
• site development
• housing
• outdoor environment
• homeowners

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

This study complemented the debate for a better outdoor residential experience but gave a perspective from a developing country, using Ewet housing estate in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, as a case study. Combining field observation with a questionnaire, data obtained from 150 houses was analysed. The results showed that over 60% of the houses were of high quality, however, they were overshadowed by the surrounding lacklustre open space areas. Preference for outdoor activities with recreation, motivation to beautify the premises, and to have a good setting for the house all appeared as positive factors of poor quality development of a residential site. Non-availability of good site design/lack of specification by the housing authority for site development, and inadequate space and site problems constituted the major constraints affecting residential site development. The study concluded with a conceptual foundation for improving the process and quality of residential site development in developing countries.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the students of Department of Architecture, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria for the role of research assistants they played.

Authors’ statement

• (1) Edidiong UKPONG: Conceptualization, Software, Analysis, Writing- Original draft preparation.

• (2) Utibe AKAH: Methodology, Data curation, Reviewing and Editing.

• (3) Hafeez AGBABIAKA: Supervision, Reviewing and Editing.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The authors received no direct funding for this research.

Notes on contributors

Edidiong Ukpong

Edidiong Ukpong The authors are experts in environmental evaluation, both indoor and outdoor. The corresponding author specialises in Daylighting, Sustainability, Indoor/Outdoor Environmental Quality, Architectural Education, and Urban Design. He is a practising architect in Nigeria, He is registered with the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) and the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA). In 2014, he received the Overall Best Candidate Award in NIA Professional Practice Examination. The second author specialises in Architectural Education, Sustainability, and Building Information Management. The third author specialises in Tourism and Recreation Planning, Housing and Environmental Studies. The authors have published papers in their respective areas of discipline. The current study is part of a larger study in Nigeria that aims at addressing the issues in environmental experience with particular focus on outdoor experience in public housing. It is the hope of the authors that this paper will be useful to governments, policymakers, outdoor designers such as architects, town planners, facility managers, and homeowners about issues of outdoor planning and end-users’ experience.