Stakeholders have charged architects not to relent on optimising their potential to improve smart cities’ design precision and accuracy in achieving the sustainable building sector.
They spoke at the 2025 Lagos Architects’ Forum (LAF 16.0) entitled: “Digital transformation in Architecture – Building Smarter Cities” organised by the Lagos state chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) in Oregun, Lagos.
The forum brought together architects across the country, allied professionals in the building sector, traditional rulers, policy makers, exhibitors, construction firms, students of architecture, building materials manufacturers, artisans and the public to foster interaction on Lagos as a smart city.
The participants said the adoption of digital technology helps architects to keep abreast with the latest industry trends and best practices, while digital tools provide access to large amounts of data, research, and case studies that can inform and enhance the design process of buildings and cities.
In a keynote speech at the forum, the Special Adviser, Office of Works, Lagos, Dr Adekunle Olayinka, who was represented by Adebayo Odusanya, an architect, noted that the construction sector significantly contributes to economic growth, directly through gross domestic product formation and indirectly by supporting other sectors. Despite this, it lags in digitalisation and virtualisation.
Olayinka urged architects to champion innovative designs for development and sustainable infrastructure through genuine collaborative efforts between other professionals, policy makers, and the private sector, who are essential to driving these innovations.
He observed that while the research and digital transformation process in architecture is still at the starting point, architects need to integrate the new technologies and systematic research to enhance the profession.
Olayinka said construction organisations are still in the process of adapting to the changes brought about by digital transformation; this results in a lack of standardised procedures or well-defined frameworks to facilitate the systematic and efficient integration of technologies.
He stated that some technologies have not yet achieved an optimal level of economic efficiency, making them less cost-effective compared to other available solutions.
He said there must be a holistic understanding of the digital transformation in architecture as the originator and pilot of all construction works.
He disclosed that the state government is investing in digital innovations across critical sectors to make Lagos smart and more livable for all residents.
Chairman, NIA Lagos State chapter, Abiodun Fatuyi, acknowledged that digital tools from advanced modelling software and virtual reality to big data analytics and artificial intelligence are reshaping the way architects design, plan, and construct in the building sector.
Fatuyi said the chapter’s choice of theme is not just relevant but crucial for the future of Lagos, adding that as a vibrant and dynamic megacity, the challenges of urbanisation demand innovative and forward-thinking solutions.
NIA President, Mobolaji Adeniyi, called on practitioners to move beyond traditional methods and embrace innovation and data-driven design to shape the future of the cities. She said architects must not only imagine smarter environments but also take charge of creating them.
Adeniyi reminded the professionals that the progress desired must be anchored in collective responsibility, professional discipline and fidelity to the constitution of the institute.
In his goodwill message, the Royal Father of the day, Oba Kabiru Sotobi, who is the Ayangbure of Ikorodu Kingdom, lauded the chapter for its consistency in organising the forum to debate and work out policies that will move the building industry forward. He charged the architects to examine the issue of building collapse plaguing the industry, as it is becoming a national pandemic.
“It is high time that all the professionals connected to the building industry come together and specifically work out solutions to the problem of building collapse. Corruption in high places is also one of the causes of building collapse.
“Arrangements should be made with relevant government agencies to address the problem. Arrangement should also be made to tackle cases of quacks parading themselves as experts in the sector,” Sotobi said.
Earlier, the chairman, organising committee of the forum/NIA Lagos Vice Chairman, Moniba Odunlami, said architecture and construction industries are not immune to the transformation but at the forefront of the revolution.
“Digital transformation is not just about adopting new technologies or tools, it is about reimagining the way we design, build and interact with our physical spaces. It is about harnessing the power of data, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT) to create smarter, more sustainable and resilient buildings and cities,” he said.
