ABSTRACT
For most part of ones life, one has been student of one form of formal education or the other, this fact puts one at a vantage point to advocate for the need to improve the general welfare of students. Experiences on campuses has shown that many student crises stem from inadequate provision or lack of facilities for students, declining welfare condition and the breakdown of communications between students and schools authorities. Being conversant with the students social problems, and having identified the impossible constraint in the social life in tertiary institutions in Nigeria, it is therefore imperative that for any higher institution of learning, there is need for a centre- a common umbrella of recreational activities to which these students with different backgrounds, ages, sexes and languages are attracted, to perform activities that will relax and refresh them mentally and physically. A place where the students yearnings could be presented to the authorities without resorting to violence and crisis. A centre that meet the basic recreational needs, home away from a home for the thousands of students with the facilities mostly needed. This thesis is aimed at stressing the need to develop extra-curricular activities in the campus environment. To arrange spaces and in corporate landscape properly to enhance interaction and recreation and for the spaces to be used effectively for social and recreational activities. Architecturally, the significance of the study is to create an awareness that a logical architectural approach is important to improving students welfare and to create a well landscape environment which will provide refreshment and appropriate facilities for recreation.In the course of this research, some studies will be undertaken into the origin of students centre and the importance of recreational facilities in the tertiary institution. Case studies of existing students centres will be carried out to analyse the merits and demerits of the design. The location of the proposal is Kaduna Polytechnic main campus along polytechnic road, Tudunwada in Kaduna town. The study will focus on the students' life on campus. The analysis, design concept and design report will be presented with the aforementioned facts in mind. The final design proposal will include basically recreational facilities like in door game room, audio-visual rooms, browsing room, commercial facilities, like saloons, tailoring shops, banks, postal agency, telephone services and educational facilities like computer rooms, club meeting rooms, and the administrative unit of the students union with guest accommodation. The availability of drawings of cases studied was limited because some of them are old and have undergone additions and other changes Availability of written text was also limited.