Modernist Architecture and Human Comfort in Public Spaces A Literature-Based Review with Focus on Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

This study presents a literature-based review that critically examines how modernist architectural design influences human comfort in public buildings within Lagos, Nigeria. Employing a narrative review approach, it synthesises findings from fifteen peer-reviewed studies, theses, and post-occupancy evaluation reports published between 2022 and 2025. Literature was selected using defined inclusion criteria focusing on thermal, visual, acoustic, and spatial comfort parameters in modernist public buildings within Lagos. Studies were thematically coded and analysed to identify patterns in user experience, performance gaps, and context-sensitive interventions. Findings reveal that although modernist architecture prioritises spatial efficiency and functional minimalism, its application in Lagos frequently neglects climatic responsiveness and inclusive design. Key discomforts include thermal overheating, poor acoustic control, inadequate daylight modulation, and limited accessibility. While passive design strategies like cross-ventilation and façade orientation showed measurable benefits, they were inconsistently applied. Smart technologies, though effective in select libraries and community spaces, remain underutilised due to cost and policy constraints. The review concludes by advocating for a hybridised approach integrating passive strategies, smart systems, and inclusive spatial planning within the modernist framework. This study contributes to ongoing discourse on sustainable public architecture in tropical urban contexts and offers evidence-based recommendations for improving human comfort in Lagos’s civic infrastructure.