Delta State despite being one of the most endowed states in Nigeria has been without a Central Secretariat for over 30 years, most ministries operated in different parts of the Capital City (Asaba) and in some cases, rented accommodations thereby reducing the efficiency of government operations.
Project Name: DELTA STATE WORKERS SECRETARIAT
Studio Name: Contemporary Design Associates
Site Area: 39,322m2
Total Building Gross Area: 45,000m
Project design team: Arc Kester Ifeadi, Arc sola Ibitoye, Arc Chinonye Alaekee
This unique project therefore became imperative to improve the efficiency of Government by having all the ministries in one location to ensure seamless service delivery.
A major challenge was the unavailability of a suitable well located land within the city center for this size of project that will accommodate the ministries. The Solution was in conceiving a single building that will house the above requirements and fit into the identified limited space. Located on Maryam Babangida road in the Central Business district of Asaba in Delta State. The entire site, (98,841m2) accommodated the old secretariat buildings and other smaller units, in which (39,322m2) was marked out for the secretariat building. The project has a total gross floor area of 45,000m2. It is an 8 floor building complex that provides for over30 Ministries and agencies serviced by an independent power supply that ensures uninterrupted supply of electricity, sewage treatment, Central information and security systems with over 1000 car parks. Majority of the materials used in the project were carefully selected to ensure sustainability.
The sewage treatment is a gravity sewer system that allows a network of underground pipes that uses gravity to move raw waste water to the treatment plant. The treatment plant is a biogas system which processes and recycle organic waste, both solid and liquid on-site, into reusable by-products like methane (cooking gas). It presently accommodates over 5000 workers daily with other facilities such as business centers, Clinic, banks, Creche and restaurant. It is presently the largest single building state secretariat in Nigeria.
Design Concept
The secretariat complex was conceived based on a simple courtyard system. The offices are arranged and accessed through open walkways around each courtyard in 5 number adjacent courtyards linked by a central walkway that ensure optimal traffic and air flow.
These courtyards evolving from the traditional African design concepts, creates a conducive environment (see illustration) allowing for natural lighting in most of the offices and energy savings within the entire circulation area (over 90% of the entire circulation
area of the building does not require artificial cooling). Smaller courtyards houses outdoor AC units and are cooled by natural convection system. Considering the challenges of the central air conditioning system in Nigeria where power supply is epileptic and maintenance culture is low, there was need to create an effective solution. To resolve this issue spilt conditioning system was used to achieve effective cooling. In other for this solution to work, ledges were constructed in the smaller courtyards on each floor to house the outdoor units of the air conditioners making cooling more effective and eliminate the use of lengthy refrigeration pipes which decreases the performance of the split air conditioner. This also eliminate the visual ugliness of hanging AC outdoor units.
The principle of air circulation in the building using courtyards is based on movement of air (convection) from the larger to the smaller courtyard housing the outdoor air conditioner units. The upward movement of the hot air from the outdoor units results in air flow from the larger to the smaller courtyards there by maintaing good air quality in the circulation areas.
