Attractions Management - Designing Visitor Attractions.pdf
- 1. 1 Designing Visitor Attractions TOU4007 Attractions Management Lecture 3
- 2. 2 Lecture Outline • What do we design? • Design elements • Design objectives • Design constraints
- 3. 3 Introduction • This topic looks at the process of designing visitor attractions • It focus on human-made attractions and considers design from a number of angles
- 4. 4 WHAT DO WE DESIGN?
- 5. 5 What Do We Design? • Main buildings and structures in terms of their size, form, appearance, colour, material • Ways in which the interiors of the buildings and structures are subdivided and their fitting out and decoration • Layout of the site as a whole and the location of buildings and structures in relations to space between them
- 6. 6 What Do We Design? • Design of open spaces and their appearance (e.g. landscaping and paving) • Route footpaths • Signpost and litter bins • Setting, form and appearance of support service, e.g. car parks, shops, toilets, and catering outlets • Entrance to the site • On-site transport systems, e.g. tramways
- 7. 7 Design Elements • Attractions generally consists of a whole range of elements which all need designing, whether the attraction is completely new or is adapted from existing building and structures.
- 8. 8 Design Elements • Those elements include: 1. Main buildings and structures in terms of size, form, appearance, materials 2. Interior decoration 3. Layout of the site and the building space 4. Open spaces 5. Route footpaths 6. Furniture such as signposts, litter bins 7. On-site support services such as car parks, shops, toilets, catering outlets 8. Entrance and access roads 9. On-site transport system
- 9. 9 Design Objectives • Attractions have to be designed to meet different and sometimes apparently incompatible objectives 1. Profit and income generation 2. Economy of operation 3. Flexibility 4. Safety and security 5. All-weather operations 6. User-friendliness 7. Welcoming visitors with special needs 8. Aesthetic appeal 9. Environmental friendliness 10. Design and external audiences
- 10. 10 Profit and Income Generation • Creation of visually striking entrance to encourage people driving or walking past, the so-called “passing trade” • Efficient kiosks for paying entrance fees to maximize the throughput of visitor • Optimize the location of the potential revenue-earning units, such as • Placing shops towards the end of the route • Catering outlets like cafés and restaurants to be situated in the middle or towards the end of normal visit route • Make the revenue-earning units appealing to the visitors, e.g. attractive displays and decor • Minimize the queuing time in retail and catering outlets
- 11. 11 Economy of Operation • Good design can reduce costs in main three areas: labour, energy and merchandise stocks • Examples: • Labour costs: e.g. catering outlets can be laid out so that the time taken to serve each customer is as low as possible • Energy costs: e.g. clever use of natural light • Stock loss: e.g. prevent shoplifting in retail outlets by locating pay desks near to exits and installing mirrors
- 12. 12 Flexibility • Attractions should be designed to be flexible for responding to changes in business environment (e.g. legal requirement, technological advancements, consumer preferences and competitors’ actions) • Examples: • Old structures are capable of being removed and replaced by new one • Able to operate the site on a reduced scale during off-peak season • Some venues are able to change their use during off- peak season
- 13. 13 Safety and Security • Legislation and the need to protect visitors and staff • Examples: • Dangerous machinery should not pose a threat to visitors and operating staff • Reduce the risk to visitors at on-site traffic • Reduce fire risks • Fire exits are easy to find and use • Stairs and footpaths should not be made with slippery materials • Protect the cars in car parks • Locate pay desk and safe properly
- 14. 14 All-weather Operations • Designing attractions that offer on-site attractions and services under cover to overcome the problems caused by bad weather • Convenient car park location and walkway design
- 15. 15 User-friendliness • Visitors want attraction which are easy to use by looking at every aspect from the beginning of the journey to the end: • Signposting of routes to and from the attraction • Good accessibility (e.g. well-located car parks and efficient entrances) • Help visitors orientate themselves inside the attraction by using signs and leaflets • Good quality support services such as toilets and catering facilities • Able to cope with peak crowds so that queuing is kept to a minimum
- 16. 16 Welcoming Visitors with Special Needs • The following types of visitors will have special needs: • For people in wheelchairs – walkway design and on-site transport are crucial • For people with hearing difficulties – graphic displays of information • For people who are visually impaired • For parents with babies
- 17. 17 Aesthetic Appeal • The appeal can be based on size, form, colour or materials • However, this is a subjective matter • Try to address the aesthetic tastes of the attraction’s target market
- 18. 18 Environmental Friendliness • Increase in public concern with green issues • Minimizing waste and encourage recycle • Use energy-efficient design • Use environmental friendly materials
- 19. 19 Design and External Audiences • The following aspects of the design will often determine whether or not the planning authority will approve or reject the development plan: • Appropriateness of the project scale in relation to the adjacent buildings • Appearance of the buildings in aesthetic terms • Suitability and safety of methods of access to the site • Impact to the landscape • Noise generated and disturbance caused
- 20. 20 Design Constraints • Project budget • Culture of the developing organization • Site problems, e.g. size, topography, drainage systems and the nature of the subsoil • Legal aspects and regulations • Local planning policies • Climate
- 21. 21 Wrap Up • Specify five objectives that might be achieved when designing a man-made visitor attraction. • Suggest three ways in which visitor attractions can be made more environmentally friendly.