ABSTRACT
A Palace is a large grand house where a ruling King or Queen officially lives. Hausa Palaces were planned solely as residence and quarters for administration and various social ceremonies. Kano Emirate has the unique feature of possessing ample palaces , apart from the primary residence of the Emir ( Gidan Rumfa).They are reffered to as Partial (daughter) Palaces. The existence of partial Palaces are located in different parts of the Emirate. They were built to serve numerous functions for different Sarki's/ Emirs' centuries ago. These functions ranges from slave quarters , ranch houses, tax collection centres and Ribats.These Partial Palaces are regarded with high esteem in the royalty due to their historical inclination. Gidan Sarki Fanisau is the only partial Palace in Kano that has the most relevant historical events.The use of Gidan Fanisau by the emirate dates back to the (pagan period) origin of civilisation in Hausa communities and has been a favourite for receiving of guest s, particularly from the west by ancient Sarkis. The demands of the society dictates the usage of these buildings, important buildings were adopting new functions as new eras and Sarkis ascend the throne . Evolution of Architecture refers to changes that occur due to certain influences. In this research such changes were categorised into Architectural elements and functional usages. The Hausa Architecture we observe today is a resultant of numerous changes over hundreds of years .Therefore the researcher used a royal building due to its role indication of architectural advancements in ancient hausa land. This thesis is aimed towards sustaining the historical royal buildings in Kano and protecting them from degeneration through public usage. Therefore the proposal of adopting a new function in the ancient Palace of Fanisau is not an alien practice. The upgrading of the Palace into a research centre is primarily due to the strong linkage between the Kano Royalty and academic researchers that patronised the ancient city for centuries. Ancient Kano was a favorite destination for western explorers, famous Islamic jurists and scholars, whose pursuits were made possible due to the immense co-operation and assistance of the Kano Emirate.