How to check incessant building collapse, by stakeholders

As World Interiors Day holds this Saturday, stakeholders in the design and built industry have advised Nigerians against patronising inferior products that contribute to building collapse on the long run.

They canvassed reduction in fire and toxic smoke hazards for safety and health of the citizenry. The concerned Nigerians noted that involving interior designers at the conceptualisation stage would drastically reduce incidence of collapsed buildings and infernos.

President, Interior Designers Association of Nigeria (IDAN), Mrs. Jennifer Chukwujekwe, said the global event is an opportunity for designers and enthusiasts to create awareness about the industry, regardless areas of specialisation. It is an avenue to showcase value of the industry to the world and other relevance in the built environment.

She said: “We are professionals, who are focused on the wellbeing and productivity of any individual, businesses and the society at large.”

Chukwujekwe said this year’s theme, “sustainability design and beauty,” is an opportunity to play up sustainable designs, while incorporating beauty and vitality in any space and environment worldwide.

This is where design thinking and creativity come into play, she noted, adding that interior designers impact the health and safety of the public at large by the decisions they make daily on how they design homes and offices to satisfy clients.

“When incorrect design decisions are made and improper materials installed, people can be exposed to unnecessary risks. Hence, Nigerians should understand the role of an interior designer in designing spaces, which are aesthetically pleasing, functional and safe,” the IDAN president submitted.

She said the role of an interior designer is to ensure safe evacuation from interior spaces in emergency situations. Chukwujekwe said statistics of building collapse in Nigeria, according to Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG) report, were 61 across the federation. Lagos State is top with 20 incidents.

Chief Executive Officers (CEO), Panto Interiors Company and National Vice President, IDAN, Freda Anegbe, urged interior designers and architects to create designs that would impact health of Nigerians.

She stated that her company is hosting the 2023, International Federation Of Interior (IFI) designers and architects World Interiors Day (WID), coming up on May 27th 2023.

She said plans have been in place to hold two-part webinar series to feature world-renowned designers and architects from across the globe in order to create awareness about the industry in Nigeria.

Anegbe explained that World Interiors Day 2023 theme is sustainability design and beauty, adding that it is a global event spearheaded by the global body and it is a call for design industries in Nigeria to promote sustainable designs in the country.

She noted that as a voice in the design industry, it is sad to say there are factors impeding the implementation of sustainable designs, so the movement has not started. With the various activities marking the celebration of this year’s World Interiors Day, it is certain, that a level of enlightenment would be made and we hope to get the right attention we need to start the promotion of sustainable designs in Nigeria.

Anegbe stated that by the guidance of the international academy for design and health, partnered in this event, chosen to focus on how designs can literally promote health and improve our total wellbeing.

She said: “When we say health, it spans across physical health, goes to our mental, emotional, social, spiritual, and financial health. As designers, our work can cause health and wealth”.

She said her organisation chosen to host the event because they believe in the impact of design on human lives. “I want to see more people live and enjoy the life God has planned for them, but atmosphere is everything. As a company, we love to commit ourselves to any initiative that promotes design and the design industry”.

On how to sustain design benefits in Nigeria, she said: “This is the most emotional aspect there is a saying that we are a product of our environment. Whatever we see manifesting in our lives and our nation is a product of our internal and external environment. Therefore sustainable designs are basically designs that cause health, are human-centered, and protects our environment. The moment a designer or architect is conceptualizing a design, his or her focus is on how the design can impact the people living or working in that space.

Anegbe said during implementation of design, the materials being used are ecofriendly and connect people with the natural environment. “It is about being conscious of the connection between humans and the environment”.

“We want more Nigerians to live healthy quality lives, as it would impact on the economy and development of our great nation, so there is need to promote sustainable design”.

She disclosed that Nigeria government should emulate developed nations, as their primary role is to come up with policies that protect the environment, the design and built industry, and the people.

She said: “Secondary role of government is to support associations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and corporations promoting sustainability, just like what the united nations have been doing under the environmental protection division (UNEP).

She said Nigeria government has little education in design and environment, the government can probably start there, via the ministry of education. currently, Nigeria has just one institution offering interior design as a course in Nigeria.

Anegbe explained that IDAN, has tried severally to get the attention of the government to this, but there still hope the new government picks this call. “I understand the complexities involved in accessing the government, reason we as entrepreneurs and associations would need to do more, to enlighten the government on the issues and ways to support our initiatives.

She said: “Concerning our virtual webinar series, we have a talk show featuring major stakeholders from the design and built industry in Nigeria, talk about the challenges behind the implementation of sustainable design in Nigeria”.

“Also the global panel session will feature world renowned designers and architects who would dissect the impact of design on health and wellbeing. May 27th is the official day for world interiors day reason we chose same day for our event. So it is 12.30pm West African time for the talk show and 2pm wait for the panel session.

Anegbe noted that the event is targeted at design students, design enthusiastes, design stakeholders, architects and every stakeholder in the design and built industry, across the globe. People can register via www.pantointeriors.com/events

“Nigerians, love what they see abroad, from the internal to the external environment, it was not built in a day. It takes the cooperation of citizens to make a nation what it is. Let us be conscious of our internal and external environment as it has a huge impact on our total wellbeing. Our current environment is distorting our productivity as a people and as a nation. We need to start taking advantage of our local resources to creating designs. We need to educate and equip ourselves on the theme- sustainability, because sustainable designs are designs that would sustain us as a people”.