Circulation Systems and Accessibility of College Buildings: A Case

Study of Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria

Umoren P. A.
Department of Architecture, College of Science and Technology, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria

Precious.umorenpgs@stu.cu.edu.ng

Abstract- Accessibility is considered a significant factor in architectural practice and an element

for achieving inclusive design. A method of learning which provokes the need for an accessible
learning environment, adopted in the emergence of the 21st century, is a necessary adaptation
into present-day colleges. This paper aims to assess the methods of circulation in existing
colleges of Built Environment in Nigeria to identify the limitations and constraints regarding
accessibility in the building and ways to improve these conditions. The research utilizes a
qualitative analysis method, using a descriptive approach to analyze the findings. This study
identifies the issues and inadequacies of circulation elements such as corridors and aisles,
entrance lobbies, footpaths, stairs, ramps, lifts etc. and profers solutions. Given this, the college
design requires the deliberate application of inclusive design in terms of accessibility to enhance
active and inclusive learning.

Keywords; Accessibility, circulation systems, inclusive design, college of Built environment,

qualitative research

INTRODUCTION
Background of the study

The design of institutional buildings entails the coverage of a wide range of requirements for the
respective users of the building. This process is tricky and intriguing. Functionality, safety,
budget, sustainability, legal constraints, physio-psychological, and social needs are critical
aspects of the architectural design process that shape people’s desires. (Zallio & Clarkson, 2021)

Accessibility to colleges influences the level of participation of staff and students in the use of
spaces. The design either hampers or encourages individuals of different abilities involved in the
various activities within the school. However, depending on a person’s functional limitations, the
environmental factors that cause accessibility restrictions may vary. (Carlsson et al., 2021) as
such, accessibility is a subjective concept characterized in the literature as the relationship
between a person’s functional capacity and the demands of their physical surroundings.

Circulation in architecture relates to how people move around and interact with their
surroundings. In public buildings, circulation is critical. They are constructed and strategically
placed to provide the most efficient flow through a building and easy contact with circulation
features such as stairwells, hallways, elevators, and parking lots. (Adewale & Olagbadegun,
2021)

All users should have positive experiences in an adequately designed environment with
circulation features. Although, as is commonly noticed, some public areas, such as retail malls,
do not always provide sufficient accessibility for the comfort of their users. If we consider the
mall as a location of well-being and positive engagement, we may improve the quality of our
interactions with the building and its environs. On the other hand, persons with impairments do
not appear to have the same level of positive participation.

Statement of Research Problem

The ease of accessibility by staff, students and visitors into and within a college building is a
major determining factor in the efficiency of the educational facility. However, it is evident that
most institutions, particularly in Nigeria, have spaces, facilities and features that are not
accessible. Thi negligence occurs from the design stage as the diversity in the intended users
need are not factored into the building design.

The existing state of college buildings and the discrimination with or without the intent of
physically dependent users engendered the research focus to examine and identify issues and
lacunas and the possible means to achieve accessibility.

Aims and Objectives

Aims of the Study

This research aims to solve the accessibility problem by assessing the circulation system in
existing college buildings to find weaknesses in building accessibility and then propose better
design alternatives to increase accessibility in the built environment. This study will raise
awareness of accessibility in public buildings while also adding to knowledge.

Objectives of the Study

i. Determine accessibility provisions in the main entrance and within the selected
colleges.
ii. Evaluate the adequacy of the circulation system of these colleges in Nigeria for
enhancing accessibility.
iii. Ascertain the problems encountered by physically impaired people while using the
college building.
iv. Examine the accessibility level and usability of the circulation systems and features in
the college buildings in Nigeria for all intended users.

Literature Review
Overview of Accessibility

In this study, accessibility entails removing as many obstacles/barriers as feasible that can
provide difficulty for people with disabilities and provide access to locations. Accessible
facilities are essential to explore answers to challenges that some persons face.

The concept of accessibility began in the 1950s as the barrier-free movement, focused primarily
on the environment and its physical barriers. Presentation of different methods, all to improve
accessibility in the living space. In today’s world, it’s known as ‘Barrier-Free Design,' ‘Universal
Design,' ‘User-Centred Design,' ‘Design for All,’ and ‘Sensitive Design.’ Still, it’s also known as
‘Barrier-Free Design,' ‘Universal Design,' ‘User-Centred Design,' ‘Design for All,’ and
‘Sensitive Design.’

Accessibility Standard

The rules and laws created by industrialized countries regarding sustainability are more precise
and offer more instructions; many developing countries use them. The American Disability Act
(ADA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards
(UFAS) Retrofit Guide, and the European Disability Forum are the four (4) most well-known
recommendations and rules (EDF). These accessibility requirements are grouped into different
sizes and capacities of people. The building’s horizontal and vertical circulation level is
measured using criteria that include the space’s components.

Circulation Systems

When it comes to circulation, there are two general guidelines to follow. The main circulation routes
should be unencumbered, with users following the shortest possible distance between two points. The
concept of circulation in architecture is not far from its general definition. It relates to how people
navigate through the spaces within a building. It entails more than space between areas for
connectivity. It encapsulates the experience of bodily motion around a building in three-dimension
through time. (Sophie, 2016)

Architects usually split their thoughts into distinct forms of circulation, which intersect and interact
with one another and the overall layout. The nature and scope of these divisions will vary depending
on the project; however, they may include:

i. Movement direction: horizontal or vertical.

ii. Public or private use.
iii. Whether it’s used regularly or in an emergency, and
iv. The time of usage.
v. Location of circulation path; interior or exterior.

This study focuses on the direction of movement into and within the spaces; Horizontal circulation
components include things like corridors, verandas, and porches. These features aid in
maintaining continuous circulation in buildings and enable smooth transitions between levels.
Vertical circulation facilitates the motion between changes in floor heights within the structure to
provide people with limitless access. Stairs, lifts, ramps, ladders, and escalators are examples of
devices that allow us to go from one level to another.

METHODOLOGY

Covenant University is the case study for this research, focusing on the college buildings within
the institution. The adoption of a literature review is to identify the existing problems and
ideologies relative to the aim of this study. The deductions from this indicate the critical aspects
of accessibility and circulation. Using these identified aspects, the researcher prepares the
observation guide employed as the basis for the case studies.
Research Design

The research design type embarked on in this research report is DESCRIPTIVE. This approach
incorporates the various elements of the study understandably and rationally, thus, ensuring
efficient tackling of the research problem.

In the form of research design, data collection is primarily observational, involving selected case
studies at different locations, naturalistic observation, surveys into the design of selected college
buildings. Also, a literature review of existing texts, journals and research reports on college
building design is employed.

The research design is tailored towards a purely qualitative research approach. The use of an
observation guide provides the basis for the research: developed from data collected from
existing literature.
S/N FEATURE STANDARD REQUIREMENT
1. Main entrance - conspicuous and prominent
- porch dimension of at least 2400 X 2400
- ramps for limited mobility access alongside the entrance
stairs
- entrance canopy
2. Entrance Lobby - Obvious movement paths
- Adequate arrangement for seating
- Conspicuous signage
- Minimum width of 1200mm
- Minimum of 900mm door width
3. Entrance doors - Minimum width 900mm
- Free space on either side
4. Corridor - Minimum width of 1500mm
- Wall-mounted signage installed on a recessed wall
- Seating provision in corridors longer than 20m
- Turning radius of 1500mm minimum
5. Stairs - Stairs riser of 150-180mm maximum
- Width of 1200mm minimum
- Provision of railings on both side
 6. Ramps - A gradient of 1:20 minimum
- Ramp width of 1800mm minimum
- Maximum length before landing 9000mm
- Dimension of landing 2400mm by 2400mm minimum
7. Interior doors - Door width of 850mm minimum
- Door opening inward
- Apparent space on either side of the door
8. Footpaths - Minimum of 1500mm width for single wheelchair access
ad 1800mm for dual usage
9. Car park - Dropped kerbs access to the footpath from parking space
- Designated accessible car parking with signage
- Proximity to main entrance and exits
- Minimum dimension of 3600 X 5000mm

FINDINGS AND RESULTS

Accessibility provisions in College of science and technology, covenant university Ota

ACCESSIBILITY AVAILABILITY IMPLEMENTATION

PARAMETER

YES NO UNCERTAIN HIGH LOW MEDIUM

Main entrance  
Entrance Lobby  

Entrance doors  

Corridor  

Stairs  

Ramps 

Interior doors  

Footpaths  

Car park  
Accessibility provisions in the department of mechanical engineering, covenant university Ota

ACCESSIBILITY AVAILABILITY IMPLEMENTATION

PARAMETER

YES NO UNCERTAIN HIGH LOW MEDIUM

Main entrance  
Entrance Lobby  

Entrance doors  

Corridor  

Stairs  

Ramps 

Interior doors  

Footpaths  

Car park  

Accessibility provisions in College of management sciences, covenant university Ota

ACCESSIBILITY AVAILABILITY IMPLEMENTATION

PARAMETER

YES NO UNCERTAIN HIGH LOW MEDIUM

Main entrance  
Entrance Lobby  

Entrance doors  

Corridor  

Stairs  

Ramps 

Interior doors  

Footpaths  

Car park  
The observation denotes that accessibility and circulation systems provided in the three buildings
evaluated are inadequate as none of the entrances into the buildings are accessible to people that
require mobility aids.

Discussion

The observation analysis shows that the unavailability of ramps in the entrance to the buildings
creates limitations and difficulties in usage, thus making it inaccessible. The entrance lobbies in
the different buildings are wide enough to accommodate several people, although only CST and
the engineering building have relatively large entrances.

Also, the absence of signage in the building for description and direction is a factor that limits
ease of accessibility and ease of usage. The vertical circulation system available in these
buildings is the restrictive stairs as wheelchair users cannot move vertically quickly. No ramps or
elevators lead from one floor to the next.

As observed, the corridors are not too standard, judging from the observation guide. The absence
of seating areas and railings in very long passages, the change in finished floor levels abruptly
with no signage or marker denoting this change is another prominent issue. The car parks lacked
every single requirement for accessible parking, with provisions for accessibility completely
disregarded in planning; no provision, inadequate space planning for vehicular movement etc.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

The research goal is to collect information relevant to designing an accessible college building.
The college facilities and features will employ the information derived from this study to achieve
an accessible building that caters to the needs of everyone regardless of age and ability through
the implementation of adequate circulations systems.

The application of accessibility and adequate circulation systems in these buildings is plagued;
with many issues, especially in the absence of ramps and accessible parking spaces. The college
of science and technology has the most accessible features but still is inadequate, low and
inefficient to serve disabled users.

The proposed design will cater to the needs of the intended users and be compliant with the
existing standards of usability and accessibility.
As regards recommendations, buildings should be reviewed and designed following the standard
requirements for accessible facilities, especially those used by the public. Professionals in the
building industry should pay more attention to every possible need to provide adequate
accessibility solutions for a more inclusive space.

REFERENCES
Adeluoye, Oluwatosin. (2018). COLLEGE OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, COVENANT

UNIVERSITY, OGUN STATE: ACHIEVING GOOD CIRCULATION IN THE DESIGN

OF LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. Covenant University.

Adewale, B., & Fasae, O. (2019). Users’ perception of the need for universal design accessibility

and circulation provisions in selected old people’s homes in Lagos State, Nigeria. IOP

Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 640(1), 012033.

Adewale, B., & Olagbadegun, M. (2021a). Circulation Systems and Accessibility of Malls in

Lagos, Nigeria: An Inclusive Design Application in Terms of Accessibility. Solid State

Technology, 64(2), 7976–7983.

Adewale, B., & Olagbadegun, M. (2021b). Circulation Systems and Accessibility of Malls in

Lagos, Nigeria: An Inclusive Design Application in Terms of Accessibility. Solid State

Technology, 64(2), 7974–7983.

Carlsson, G., Slaug, B., Schmidt, S. M., Norin, L., Ronchi, E., & Gefenaite, G. (2021). A

scoping review of public building accessibility. Disability and Health Journal, 101227.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2021.101227

KINNE JR, W. (1961). HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL CIRCULATION IN UNIVERSITY

INSTRUCTIONAL AND RESEARCH BUILDINGS.

Machado, L. de V., & Oliveira, U. R. de. (2021). Analysis of failures in the accessibility of
 university buildings. Journal of Building Engineering, 33, 101654.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2020.101654

McKevitt, P. (2012). Improving the accessibility of school buildings. Dublin: The National

Disability Authority.

MOHD-NOR MFI, M., RAZAK, I. U., AI, C., & NAG ABDULLAH, M. T. (n.d.). The

University Development Planning From The Aspects Of Accessibility And Circulation: A

Comparative Study Of Four Malaysian Universities.

Sholanke, A. B., Adelowo, I., & Gbotosho, J. O. (2020). Compliance of High-rise Buildings

Vertical Accessibility Components with Universal Design Strategies: A Case Study of

Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria. Civil Engineering and Architecture, 8(5), 735–749.

Sophie, Hamer. (2016). ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPTS: CIRCULATION [Journal]. Portico.

http://portico.space/journal//architectural-concepts-circulation

Stetieh, H. (2018). An evaluation of the School of Engineering buildings at the University of

Jordan with regard to accessibility. Sustainable Cities and Society, 42, 240–251.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2018.04.025

Zallio, M., & Clarkson, P. J. (2021). Inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility in the built

environment: A study of architectural design practice. Building and Environment, 206,

108352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.108352