Politics
MEMBERS of the Society of Landscape Architects of Nigeria (SLAN) are lamenting over low patronage in the sector.
Some of the members of the society, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews on Thursday in Lagos, attributed the low patronage to the current economic situation in the country.
NAN reports that landscape architecture is the study and practice of designing environments (outdoors and indoors), which encompasses elements of art, environment, architecture, engineering and sociology.
Landscape architects are involved in the conceptual design of spaces that create and enable life between buildings.
The president of SLAN, Mr Amos Alao, said the current economic crunch in the country had resulted in reduction of budgets for landscape architecture projects.
“Landscape architecture in Nigeria is facing a lot of hardship, as we know the economic landscape of Nigeria has not been so friendly and it has reduced budgets for landscape projects in the country.
“The current economic situation in the country has also affected the number of clients we get.
“Due to high maintenance of plants owing to climate change (they need more tending), most clients are now turning to artificial plants to eliminate any form of maintenance by landscape architects.
“We currently have low patronage in landscape architecture because people would rather feed than budget for landscape architecture,” Alao said.
He noted that the impact of climate change had also affected landscape architecture activities, because most materials were from natural sources.
“Due to the increase of deforestation activities, a lot of soil and plants have lost their nutrients.
“Owing to this, we have to introduce foreign nutrients to make the soil more fertile for landscape architecture designs. Purchase of these nutrients is really not cost effective,” he said.
In addition, he called for the signing into law the Nigerian Landscape Architecture bill to enable the sector thrive.
“Another challenge is that majority of our landscape architects do not get good commission for their projects because the bill to formalise the profession has not been passed into law by the legislature.
“The bill, if passed into law, will enable landscape architects practice professionally, be recognised and employed by government agencies as custodians of anything landscape in Nigeria.
“This non-passage of landscape architecture bill into law has limited how much we can make as architects.
“Landscape architecture is not just about beautifying an area, but rather we proffer nature-based solutions to environmental problems. We reduce concrete and add more greens to the environment,” expert added.
Mrs Deborah Nenchie, also a landscape architect, corroborated Alao’s views, and called on her colleagues to be inventive to remain in business in the present harsh economic realities.
“Availability of clients in the sector depends on the dexterity of the landscape architect. While some are overwhelmed with jobs, for others the few clients they have may not be forthcoming.
“The challenges landscape architects face in the present economic realities is the same faced by other professionals in the country; the impact is the same across board.
“The inflation has also made prices of materials for landscape architecture projects increase.
“In such cases to overcome these challenges as a professional, the landscape architect must propose more cost friendly alternatives to the client.
“The landscape architect must put on his thinking cap to ensure better ways of going about his duties despite the unfavourable economic climate,” Nenchie said.
According to her, landscape architects should also be ready to diversify, and take smaller jobs and not reject them.
“Looking out for alternatives is a major solution for landscape architects at a time like this.
“Economic problems do not last forever, before long the economy will pick up and the profession will thrive once more,” she said. (NAN)
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-April 04, 2024 @ 15:17 GMT|
Tags: Mrs Deborah Nenchie Society of Landscape Architects of Nigeria
