Jemima

How to Make a Building Feel Soulful A soulful building feels warm and human. It does not feel cold or like it was copied from somewhere else. Here is how to make one: Use materials that have character. Materials like timber, brick, laterite, or textured concrete age well and feel real. Do not make everything smooth, white, and glass. Mix different textures so the building feels good to touch and look at. In Nigeria, choose materials that work with the weather. Deep shading, good ventilation, and solid walls that stay cooler feel better than buildings that look like they belong in a cold country. Make the building feel human in size. Break big walls into smaller parts. Add overhangs, balconies, and shaded openings so it does not look flat. Use warm or natural colours instead of pure white everywhere. Make the building belong to its place. Design for the sun and breeze. Use courtyards, verandas, and proper orientation. People should be able to sit outside and enjoy the space, not just look at it. Design for how people actually live. Create places where people can sit, talk, and relax... shaded verandas, good light, and rooms that open to each other. A building that stays comfortable feels more alive. Small details make a difference; - How materials meet. - How light and shadow play on the walls. - Careful workmanship. - A simple view or a textured wall that catches the light. Things that remove the soul; - Copying foreign designs without changing them for our climate. - Too much glass and flat roofs with no shade. - Treating the building like a showpiece instead of a place for people. - Poor finishing. A soulful building is usually simple but intentional. Good materials. Comfortable spaces. Care in the details. It feels like it belongs where it is.