Wednesday 2nd August, 2023
Creating memorable designs for hospitality and leisure venues
CAD Architects Blog
Creating
memorable designs for hospitality and leisure venues
By Ross
Edwards, Director, CAD Architects
In the highly competitive world of leisure and hospitality, providing
really memorable experiences for customers is the key to success. From charming
hotels to vibrant retail centres and distinctive visitor attractions, architectural
design plays a pivotal role in shaping the ambience and impact of these venues.
Architects are at the forefront of crafting unforgettable
spaces that blend functionality with aesthetics, ensuring that customers leave
with great memories and a strong desire to return in the future. Let’s take a
look at some of the factors that we need to consider when creating new designs
for hospitality and leisure venues.
Understanding the customer experience
Memorable architectural design succeeds by evoking emotions
and making a powerful connection with the customer. Architects need to fully understand
the aspirations and desires of their clients and their target audience. The spatial
elements should be designed so that they seamlessly align with the intended
emotional response from the customer.
Owners of these venues will often think in terms of a
“customer journey.” For example, in a hotel there are different roles played by
the reception area, the restaurant and bar, the guest rooms, and other
facilities such as pool or spa. The architect needs to understand these
different components of the customer journey and how to design effective spaces
for each of them.
Reflecting the desired brand image
The client’s brand identity or corporate identity should also
be reflected in the architectural design. Branding consists of promoting the
characteristics that set a company or product apart from its competition.
Architecture has a big part to play in this. A brand’s identity should be consistent
across all its activity – everything from its logo, website and advertising
through to staff uniforms, buildings and all other touchpoints. So the design of
the building should reflect the desired brand image. For example, is the
desired brand image contemporary and edgy or more classic and traditional? Are
there key brand colours that should be reflected in the design palette? How can
the logo be incorporated into the design in a creative way? What kind of materials
are most in keeping with the brand values?
The building will ultimately help shape the customers’
perceptions of the brand and so the design choices should be made in line with the
brand strategy. At its best, a building can become a brand icon.
Creating a unique ambience
A well-crafted ambience can elevate the customer experience in
these venues. Lighting, colour palettes, and textures play crucial roles in
shaping the atmosphere. Soft, warm lighting can evoke a sense of coziness,
while the right choice of colours can add a touch of sophistication.
The choice of materials also has a key role to play. For
example, for a luxury hotel, the choice of materials becomes paramount. Using high-quality
and opulent materials like marble, plush fabrics, and rich woods can instantly
elevate the aesthetic appeal of a space.
Creating a harmony between all these elements is one of the
key skills of the architect.
Adaptable spaces
A hospitality venue such as a hotel may need to host a wide
range of customer events, from gala dinners to wedding celebrations and
business conferences. Designing spaces that can be adapted for different
purposes, with elements such as versatile furniture, movable partitions, and flexible
layouts, makes it much easier for the venue to cope with different customer
needs.
Having a highly adaptable venue means that the business has
more opportunities to diversify where needed, in order to maximise revenue. For
example, with the growth of remote working, some hotels have diversified by
offering coworking space. This has allowed them to monetize previously
under-used space, while also making the most of the customer service skills of
their staff. The coworking sector is currently growing by more than 20% per
annum.
Safety and accessibility
Safety is of utmost importance in any architectural design,
but it is especially critical in hospitality spaces. The architect needs to
understand how people will move through the venue and any special
considerations that may affect fire safety. Additionally, ensuring
accessibility for all guests, including those with disabilities, is essential
to create an inclusive environment.
Sustainable design
Consumers are increasingly conscious of their environmental
impact, and sustainable design can therefore be a key selling point for
hospitality businesses. Hospitality spaces, like hotels and resorts, consume
significant resources, so architects must be aware of best practice in
sustainable architecture.
Modern venues will incorporate energy-efficient lighting,
heating, and cooling systems. They will utilize renewable materials and employ
eco-friendly construction techniques. As well as being good for the
environment, energy efficient design can save these businesses significant
costs over the long-term.
Embracing nature
Incorporating natural elements into the design of hospitality
spaces can have a profound impact on guests. Biophilic design, which integrates
nature into the built environment, has gained popularity in recent years for
its ability to reduce stress and promote a sense of well-being. Green walls,
indoor water features, and ample natural light can all create a refreshing and
rejuvenating experience for visitors.
Many of the projects that CAD Architects has worked on have
been in wonderful rural or coastal positions. This has given us the opportunity
to leverage their location through designs which make the most of their
glorious views. Visitors can feel the restorative impact of nature without even
needing to step outside the venue! Similarly, our use of local materials such
as stone, slate and vernacular styles of woodwork can add further echoes of the
natural environment.
The following three examples provide excellent examples of
the architectural design solutions that the CAD Architects team has created for
hospitality and leisure clients.
Lemon Street Market, Truro: The client had a clear vision: to create a retail
destination for some of the most
distinctive independent retailers - a unique shopping experience unlike any
other in the local area.
For the building design, we kept the slightly industrial feel
of the original building, but within this we designed a thoroughfare market
with a mezzanine floor above to house an art gallery and restaurant.
For the principal elevations, we retained the original stone
walls at ground floor level, but then used weatherboards on the upper floors,
reaching up to the gabled roof. The weatherboards were painted blue. This meant
that the style, shape and colour of the exterior were totally original for any
building in the centre of Truro.
We installed large, glazed panels that stretched up into the
gables of the building. These flooded the interior with natural light. In
addition, a lantern skylight was installed that ran the full length of the roof
to help produce an amazingly bright and airy interior space.
We were proud that this project was joint winner of the
Cornish Buildings Group Award for best commercial building.
The Polurrian Bay Hotel, Mullion: The owner had long held a dream of
creating a new restaurant and bar which would make the most of the stunning coastal
views, which are among the best in Cornwall.
We created a spectacular, sunlit extension of 250 square
metres, arranged on two levels, with vast floor to ceiling windows that gave
far-reaching views out over the Atlantic. Building such a heavily glazed
structure demanded meticulous planning and management, but having a clear
shared vision with the client gave great momentum to the project.
This exciting new space, named the Vista Lounge, has now
become a key selling point of the hotel, and it is the most talked about
feature by customers, as illustrated by this recent Tripadvisor comment:
“Wonderful stay at this charming hotel. Spectacular views
from the main seating area, called the 'Vista.' Panoramic sea views with
crashing waves, birds and cliff-edges plunging into the bright blue sea.”
Dartmoor National Park Visitor Centre: This was a collaborative project
between CAD Architects and Purl Design for the Dartmoor National Park Authority.
It was an extension and refurbishment of an existing building, providing an
exhibition space, new entrance and improved visitor facilities.
Double the size of the original building, this state-of-the-art
centre features the latest technology to bring history to life in amazing
detail, giving visitors a memorable, enthralling experience.
The building makes use of local stone and timber cladding
which sit below a modern zinc roof, providing a durable response to an exposed
environment. The space is now home to a unique exhibition telling the story of
the internationally significant Bronze Age finds at Whitehorse Hill.
CAD Architects achieved the South West Regional ‘Building
Excellence’ Award from LABC for Best Non-Residential Extension or Alteration.
We were also delighted that our client went on to win Gold at the South West
Tourism Excellence Awards, where they triumphed in the ‘visitor information
services of the year’ category.
To see images and details of these and many other CAD
Architects designs, please visit our Projects pages.
For a
no-obligation discussion about your architectural design project, and to find
out more about CAD Architects, please get in touch at studio@cadarchitects.co.uk