BUILDING FORMS AND ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS INFLUENCING VISUAL COMFORT IN TROPICAL MUSEUMS: EVIDENCE FROM MAKURDI, NIGERIA

This study assessed the influence of building forms and architectural elements on visual comfort in tropical museum environments, using Makurdi, Nigeria, as the study context. A mixed-method approach combined comparative assessment of six museums, review of literature and standards, architectural observation and a questionnaire survey of 65 respondents. The assessment considered compact, courtyard, atrial and linear forms including roof configurations, apertures, shading devices, light wells and surface reflectance. Daylight Autonomy (DA), Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI) and glare considerations were used as performance indicators. Findings indicate that courtyard and linear configurations provide favourable opportunities for daylight distribution, while filtered and reflected daylight offers better control of glare than direct solar penetration. Kimbell Art Museum demonstrates the value of combining roof geometry, skylights and reflectors, while the Kolumba Museum illustrates the effectiveness of filtered openings. Survey results show recognition of orientation, skylights, clerestories and shading devices as important factors in visual comfort. The study identifies an evidence gap in applying integrated form-and-element assessment to tropical Nigerian museums and concludes that controlled daylight, rather than maximum daylight, should guide museum planning in Makurdi.