Abstract
Uncontrolled growth risks diluting traditional spatial hierarchies. Modern expansion incorporates historic patterns but faces risks of losing architectural and cultural coherence due to rapid, unplanned urban sprawl. This paper investigates the evolving negotiation between modernization and the historical context and identity of Benin City, Nigeria. It places particular focus on the city’s distinctive urban patterns and restrained verticalisation, drawing on interdisciplinary frameworks of urban identity, collective memory, and critical regionalism. The study investigates the socio-cultural perception of high-rise commercial buildings with a focus on Benin City, Nigeria, and evaluates their role and potential as instruments for fostering collective urban identity and cultural continuity. The study further explores how Benin City’s traditional built environment coexists with, and resists, rapid urban modernization characterized by limited high-rise development and subdued markers of hypermodernity. Empirical investigation, spatial analysis, and resident narratives reveal the socio-cultural forces shaping this cautious approach to vertical growth, presenting the community’s interpretations of continuity and the symbolic fabric of the city. The findings underscore the potential of architectural design and planning to mediate these tensions, offering strategies to harmonize modernization with identity preservation. This work contributes to broader discussions on how African cities can balance globalizing urban pressures with local meanings of belonging and heritage.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2026 Special Focus—The Social Impacts of Geopolitics: Interventions to Strengthen Humanity
KEYWORDS
Cultural continuity, Modernization, Social dynamics, Urban identity, Urban transformation, Verticalization
