Abstract
This study examines the role of human perception in shaping architectural forms and elements for the design of an international conference centre in Kaduna, Nigeria. Kaduna city, despite its strategic location and role as a hub for governmental, academic, and international engagements, lacks a purpose-built conference facility capable of hosting large gathering people for large-scale global events. The study adopted survey research design methodology. The population of the study comprise 63 firms located in Kaduna, further extracted from the 190 firms in the North Central zone which was earlier extracted from the 840 architectural firms listed in the 2012 Architects Registration Council of Nigeria, ARCON Register. A sample of 54 built environment professionals for the questionnaire and 3 for the interview schedule were deployed for the data using purposive sampling. Findings emphasize that user-friendly forms, cultural responsiveness, and integration of technology-driven design principles and elements are critical to enhancing both functionality, user experience and satisfaction. The study contributes design recommendations for a sustainable, contextually relevant international conference centre in Kaduna, positioning it as a global destination for academic, cultural, social, political and professional gatherings.