Landscape Architecture as Means of Passive Fire Control Measures in Markets in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria

Abstract

Incidences of fire at market places in Nigeria are always connected to the issues from electrical appliances usage like fans and air conditioning systems. To address these issues, Garki model market, Wuse market and Maitama farmers market in Abuja of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Nigeria were comparatively studied with the aim of overviewing their landscape architecture with regards to passive fire control measures, so as to provide guidelines to enhance the use of planted trees against fire outbreaks at the stages of design of markets in Nigeria. The data of this research were gathered by means of desktop study. Then, contents analyses technique was employed to analysed the data and to checked their results, in order to ensure validities. Among the research findings are: there is no landscape architecture with regards to planted trees in Garki model market and the cross section of Wuse market for moderating temperatures during the hot season and for reducing energy usage, and the use of planted trees was given a consideration in Maitama farmers market but it is not adequate. Among the provided guidelines are: Architects should ensure that landscape architecture with regards to planted trees should be considered at the design stages of markets, and landscape architecture with regards to the use of planted trees during the design stages of Nigerian markets should not be given partial considerations by the Architects, in order to ensure adequacy of trees.