In the local living space, African returnees influenced the adoption of a Brazilian type of building that was to later spread to other parts of the country.
[1] The Hausa people predominantly dwell in the humid Sahel and Savannah zones of Central West Africa up to the southern boundary of the Sahara.
The advent of Islam and the practice of women seclusion in the region enhanced the importance of the compound style, as multiple wives live in built spaces that allows the most privacy.
The compound usually has an entrance called Zaure[citation needed] that can also act as a space for craft making and meeting visitors.
The importance of religion in Hausa culture also fueled the building of unique structures in the traditional style such as the old Zaria mosque with moulded mud vaults and domes.
[4] Depending on the area Igbo architecture in terms of town organization includes typically a settlement pattern consisting of loose clusters of homesteads varyingly arranged along wide cleared paths.
[9] These pathways often led to a central meeting place of the town or clan group, which sometimes contained the shrines/temples or sacred grove of the local earth deity or other native spirits.
[9] The older age grades are responsible for the construction of markets and bridges, as well as the executive and legislative aspects and defense systems of the town or community.
[11] The houses of chiefs and the palace of a king (Afin), include extended courtyards for different activities and also have animal murals and carved posts which are also prominent features of the shrines dedicated to Orishas.
This style began to dominate the architecture of colonial Lagos especially in Olowogbowo, Popo Aguda, Ebute Metta and Yaba.
[2] A planned effort by the governments in Lagos and the regions to introduce tall and modern buildings began to emerge in the years after the end of World War II.
At the same time, European architects working in West Africa began to think of innovative ways to create modern designs that takes into consideration the tropical climate.
Fry and Drew's University of Ibadan, Kenneth Dike library was one of the early buildings to incorporate environmental designs solving climatic problems in their works.
[15] Apart from functional comfort, consideration was given to cross ventilation and shade, in addition, a large concrete grille and fly gauze was incorporated to protect from heat and insect.
[15] Along Marina and Broad street in 1950s Lagos, older two storey houses and hotels gave way to skyscrapers built with concrete, steel and glass and influenced by modern architectural styles.