Study of the Impact of Urbanisation on Traditional Building Forms in Aba, Abia State

Urbanisation in Aba, Abia State, South East Nigeria, is reshaping the built environment and displacing traditional Igbo building forms, yet the scale and character of this transformation have not been systematically documented. This study examined the impact of urbanisation on traditional building forms in Aba through a comparative analysis of building typology in three neighbourhoods representing different urbanisation intensities: Ariaria, Osisioma, and Ogbor Hill. A building stock survey was conducted, documenting the building typology, material composition, and age of 240 buildings. Key informant interviews were conducted with 30 long-term residents, community leaders, and architects familiar with the locality. Traditional building features assessed included courtyard layout, adobe or cob construction, thatched roofing, and compound spatial organisation. Results showed that traditional building forms were absent in the most urbanised zone (Ariaria), where 97% of buildings used concrete block construction with aluminium roofing. In Ogbor Hill (least urbanised), 28% of buildings retained at least one traditional construction element. Traditional courtyard spatial organisation was retained in 14% of buildings across all zones but was incompletely documented in most cases. The study concludes that urbanisation in Aba is rapidly eliminating traditional building forms without systematic documentation or conservation. A built heritage inventory programme under the Abia State Ministry of Culture and Tourism is recommended.

Keywords: urbanisation, traditional building forms, Igbo architecture, Aba, Abia State