THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE AR 403 ASSIGNMENT : ARCHITECTURAL CRITIQUES OF CHURCH, YOLA ADAMAWA - STATE (NIGERIA) GROUP 4 By : - EMATCHOUA - NINTCHEU - Patrice ID N 04/1513 - ADDA - KUVE - Adda ID N 02/0215 - John YAKUBU YABORO ID N 02/0188 MENTOR : Professor OGUNSOTE Date : April 2007
CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION II. LOCATION AND BRIEF HISTORY OF CHURCH III. CHURCH PRACTICES IV. DESCRIPTION IV.1. Plan IV.2. Construction Techniques IV.2.1. Roof IV.2.2. Walls IV.2.3. Campanile IV.2.4. Furnitures IV.2.5. Interior Decoration V. ARCHITECTURAL STYLE V.1. V.1. V.1. V.1. V.1. Free plan Use of pure geometrical form Contain wall Ornamentation The New West African Style VI. CONCLUSION
I - INTRODUCTION Since earlier time, the belief has been at the Centre of human's being activity. Today, in NIGERIA, this belief presented in three great sets which follow. - traditional - Christian - Muslim Every belief, has its own practice which is unique. The only common point being the building, the principle place of prayer. But every building is function of religion practice. Thus, church is different from mosque, and both different from building made for traditional practice (for instance shrine). In the following line, critiques will be carried out on church built in BELEL LGA ADAMAWA - STATE (NIGERIA).
II - LOCATION AND BRIEF HISTORY OF CHURCH The church called ECN (EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF NIGERIA) is located at BELEL L G A in ADAMAWA - STATE (NIGERIA). This church was built in 1978, the fruit of cooperation between NEC and GEC (NIGERIA Evangelical Church and German Evangelical Church), by Architect WEILN HANS (German). Its capacity is about 1000 seats. The building is erected on top of hill to the mercy of sun and wind that punishes the region. Plate 1 : Rear view of church chowing cross (great sign of christianity)
III- CHURCH PRACTICES Church architecture, is characterised with the building form that the Christian place of worship requires as against the small temple or shrine and houses many people at time. The central act Christian worship which gradually developed into formalizes liturgy of Eucharist requires a kind of participation. It is one to which only initiates are admitted and is performed indoors where enough rooms have to be provides for all those participating. Baptism, also a Christian practice, has its special requirements. IV- DESCRIPTION The chosen church is built in concrete. It looked flat in a bath of trees. Within a large courtyard, without of gallery and symmetrically built. It has a suspended Reinforced concrete slab supported by 2 columns as a deck on top of recessed veranda. The main physical characteristic of this church is the cross which is the higher point of the building. Plate 2 : Front view
IV1- PLAN Church architecture, is characterised with the building form that the Christian IV1- PLAN This church is basically triangular in plan, with small projected geometrical plan for sacristy. It has three aisles to each side of the central nave, with an apse at one end facing the principal entrance at the other. One row of seat is set against the wall of the apse for church elders with a raised throne at the centre of pastor. A stair (one step only) in front of the throne separates the sanctuary from the rest of the mave. Plate 3 : Plan of the church It has shallowly projecting wings cutting short the ends of the outer aisle used for seats, and there, columnade carry arcades without gallery. Plate 4 : Interior view of the church Source: author's photograph 2007
IV2 - CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES IV2.1- Roof The roof is made of timber covered with zinc all supported by R.C fram. This allows to have large space, free of intermediary columns. Ceilings are made of plywood, receive coats of chemical spray for protection and finish. R.C frame beam soffits appear to ceiling and improve the interior decoration, devoided of plaster and left as finish. Plate 5 : R.C frame beam (showing free plan) Plate 6 : Roof of the church made of zinc and R.C deck
IV2.2 - Walls These are what is most attractive on this building is erected on top hill, exposed to sun and win, some techniques have to be carried out given confortabilities to users. So some shading devices are used reducing sun radiation making glare ad heat inside the church. All windows for ventilation and lighting have louver glass to adjust the amount of wanted air. The interior painted white upgrades diffuse light. Walls are devoided of ornament, only the great cross is placed on wall behind the altor. Plate 7 : Sun shading device on walls Plate 8: Louvre window on church Source: author's photograph 2007
IV2.3 - The campanile This is also the most characteristic feature of the church, placed on top of building appears to be the highest point. It's main purpose is to call Christian for worship. It is made of 3 (three) separated parts: - Motionless part which has the bowl's shape, - Mobile part which moves and strikes the motionless part and produces sound, - The rope is what provokes all motion, and the force exerced at the end of the rope determines the quality of sound. IV2.4 - Furniture Furniture are of well elaborated woods painted brown, and arranged axially in rows in such a way that every worshipper can peep what is happening in every angle of church. Plate 9: Furniture in church Source : author's photograph 2007
IV2.5 - Interior decoration Furniture are part of this section. The practise of this religion does'nt allow richly decoration as required by others. Not statues, less depicting scene of bible etc only doors, windows, furniture different tablecloth curtains and some natural flowers give the interior its decoration. V- ARCHITECTURAL STYLE V1- FREE PLAN It carries international style with its free plan. The load bearing pillars permit any arrangement of the partition walls and the internal arrangements are very simple, and explore the ideas of simplicity and functionality. Plate 10: Interior decoration V2 - USE OF PURE GEOMETRICAL FORM The building form of this church consists of combinations of polygonal shape. Giving to church an appearance of triangular form. Plate 11: Free plan (space)
IV3 - CURTAIN WALL Elevations are independent of the structure of the building. V4- ORNEMENTATION As I said early, the religion practiced here rejected decoration. V5 - THE NEW WEST AFRICAN STYLE Mr WEILN HANS (Architect) designed the building with higher regard for climate and social condition. Roof is pitched because of the amount of rainfall in the region. He also has regard on sun radiation, by making sun shading devices on wall. Principal materials used are: woods, sand, stones which are very cheap in the region. No imported materials, if possible glasses iron and cement from another regions. Plate 12: Showing the load pillars Speaking about workmanship, almost all of them were from ADAMAWA - STATE and that reduces the percentage of unemployment. So Architect should bear in mind the social responsibility. Plate 13: Showing the sun shading devices from inside
Arches in this region are not seen today only on Muslim buildings, it became a culture and can be noticed on any kind of building. So this church bears Arches as a culture Plate 14 : Showing Arches hand part of furniture CONCLUSION The architecture of church like other buildings depends of the way that the adoration is being practiced. The building form should be the function of the religion practice. So Architect shall be aware of needs and needless. And finally think about the suitability and confortability of Christians.