Implementing Litman’s Nine Principles of Regenerative Architecture: AnEvaluation of a Proposed Public Building Design in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

The building and construction industry is a major contributor to environmental degradation, accountingfor significant energy-related carbon emissions and resource consumption. While sustainable building designs havehelped mitigate impacts, they often fail to address the complex challenges of unsustainable practices fully. This hasled to the emergence of regenerative design principles, which view buildings as living systems capable of fosteringthe regeneration of natural systems. This study focuses on a proposed recreation centre design in Lagos, Nigeria, andevaluates its application of Litman's nine principles of regenerative architecture. The methodology encompasses aliterature review, site analysis, and a comprehensive design assessment. The results demonstrate a well-integratedapproach, with the design exemplifying principles such as Whole Systems Design Integration, Integration intotheLandscape, Bold Ecology, and Intelligent Limits. The recreation centre actively contributes to restoringandenhancing the local ecosystem while fostering meaningful connections between the community and the natural environment. The findings provide valuable insights for architects, urban planners, and policymakers, showcasingthe recreation centre as a model for integrating regenerative design principles into public spaces. Limitations of thestudy include its focus on a single case study and the lack of post-occupancy evaluation. Recommendations for future research include comparative analyses of multiple case studies and exploring the broader