Paper short abstract:

Community squares are traditional public open spaces transmitted from generations by which the structure of the African society is organised. The open space hierarchy grows from the family, kindred, village to the community level. The components transmitted through generations are all encompassing.

Paper long abstract:

Community squares reflect the life of the African people printed in artistic form in the built environment. In Owerri Capital Territory 39 community squres were identified but 13 randomly selected for study.The components found are forests, tract toads,foothpaths, streams,waterbodies, ponds,waterfronts, trees,cash crops,fruit trees,shade trees,shallow wells, shrines and religious sites,markets situated so as to form the organising unit,landmarks and wayfinding for physical development and settlement in the community. At the coming of the Europeans, parts of the squares were allocated to build churches, schools, hospitals and other socioeconomic amenities leading to the transformation of these community sqaures. In the Owerri urban the formal planning created public open spaces,neglected ans annihilated the traditional community squares.This created some disorientation but did not adequately fit into the traditional physical planning princples which should have continued to create a harmonious relationship if formally integrated but instead disorientation since neglected and distorted. The paper believes that with more rapid urbanisation there is the need to consciously and formally integrate the community squares into emerging urban setting of Owerri Capital Territory and indeed other African cities to improve the life of the people. This would reduce disorientation, planning ethnocenticism,conflict and improved synergy,community participation and increase research collaboration into African planning system. It would also improve preservation of the ecosystem,forests, wildlife and reduce effect of climate change.If considered, it would also improve the quality of school curriculum in the study of history and theory of traditional architecture, environmental sciences and African studies both in Africa,Europe and elswhere.