Ethnomimicry and Cultural Sustainability: Community Perception of Identity and Place in Public Buildings Inspired by Local Ethnic Narratives

This study examined ethnomimicry and cultural sustainability by assessing community perceptions of identity and place in public buildings inspired by local ethnic narratives in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design and employed a multistage sampling technique involving purposive and simple random sampling. Although 384 questionnaires were distributed, 324 valid responses were analysed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, mean scores, and standard deviations. The findings revealed generally favourable perceptions of ethnomimicry, community perception, public buildings, ethnic narratives, and cultural sustainability. The composite mean scores were 3.78 for ethnomimicry, 4.18 for community perception, 4.47 for public buildings, 4.40 for ethnic narratives, and 4.20 for cultural sustainability, all interpreted as high. Respondents particularly agreed that public buildings should reflect the cultural identity of host communities and that architectural design influences sense of place and identity. Ethnic narratives were also perceived as important for preserving local history and traditions, while ethnomimicry was associated with stronger community belonging and cultural heritage preservation. The study concludes that integrating local cultural narratives, indigenous symbols, traditional architectural elements, and community participation into public building design can strengthen cultural identity, place attachment, and cultural sustainability in contemporary urban development.