Review Paper: Design, Aesthetics and the Issue of Integrity in the Built Environment: The Nigerian Example

Abstract

This review advocates that integrity remains a crucial requisite in designing and beautifying any created environment. Integrity of design and aesthetics in the Built Environment has historical antecedent in the Arts and Crafts Movement in Britain in the early 20th century. Already, by this time, there were competing values of concern for prudence, morality and sincerity in the application of materials for design forms and functions, believing that in a created environment, physical features that were produced and modified by man to serve his needs should be governed by `social conscience'. This basic concept is still relevant to contemporary design. It is imperative for the artist/ designer, artisan, architect and planner to consider the matter of integrity in each of its separate applications: to materials, form, function, and ornamentation. Diversity of views concerning the meaning of design and aesthetics and the uncertainties they contain have little or no capacity to negate the principle of integrity of design whether as process or product. Nevertheless, design and aesthetics have common things to share in the harmony of functions. This paper considers the various opinions of scholars concerning the subject and highlights the importance of certain design elements and principles necessary for inducing and sustaining the aesthetics of the environment.