CHAPTER 5 PRINCIPLES OF RESORT AND RECREATIONAL DESIGN

Summary of Learning Outcomes:

At the completion of this chapter students are

expected to be able to:

• Relate the reasons on why a guest chooses a resort;

• Understand the factors that lead to guest preferences as to the activities the
establishment offers; and
• Establish a frame of mind what the many needs of the resort guests are.
 Albert J. Rutledge

All too often, the development and design of a facility is thought of as a process
divorces from its management and maintenance. Decisions made in the concept’s design
can have significant impact on maintenance and management costs. The idea of site design
is to “anticipate that the problems of land usage and provide a physical form solution to
ensure the problem never arise”. Albert J. Rutledge has identifies eight overriding
principles to which all design projects should adhere. Through the application of the
following principles, resort management can develop recreational attractions and facilities
that will respect the natural resources base while minimizing management and maintenance
problems.
PRINCIPLE 1: Everything Must Have a Purpose

Design elements must have an identifiable purpose. One such purpose is to

establish appropriate relationship between the various parts of the recreational complex.
These parts include:
• Natural elements – land, water, and plants
• Use areas- game courts, ball diamonds. parking lots roads, walks, and
maintenance yards
• Major structures – buildings, dams
• Minor structures – drainage, electrical, other utilities
• People and Animals
• Forces of Nature

The location of every recreational unit affects the workability of another.

While each part will present its singular demand, no part can work in isolation from another.
PRINCIPLE 2: Design Must Be For People

People are the benefactors of any recreational unit development. Below are the
description of people involved with designs, construction, maintenance, funding, and use of
recreational units.

• Recreational Unit Designer / Landscape Architect

This person or team has training in design and is going to coordinate the design
process. The responsibility for appropriate and creative recreational unit design is
primarily directed at the recreational unit users. The recreational unit designer must
listen diligently to all of the other people in their various recreational unit roles
• Recreational Unit Board or Commission
This group of individuals is a volunteer group appointed by the mayor, or town board
to administer the recreational unit. It makes decisions about the recreational unit
construction, maintenance, and programming, and it allocates money from its
budget.
• Recreational Unit Staff
These people focus on various aspects of recreational unit development and
improve existing recreational units
• Maintenance Staff
Maintenance staff is responsible for the upkeep of equipment, playfields, natural
areas and all facilities. Maintenance staff is quite attuned to the maintenance needs
of various design elements
• Programming Staff
Responsible for organized activities such as soccer leagues, summer recreation
offerings and nature interpretation. Program staff onlt rely on volunteers to help
conduct the program required or requested by recreational unit users

Balance Impersonal and Personal Needs

In seeking to address both the personal
and the universal needs of the guest, the
designer has to consider the purpose of various
elements within the site. For people seeking
information, repetition creates familiarity. A
distinctive look to signage makes it easier and
faster for the guest to pick up important
information. A variety of needs must be taken
into account. Design should offer spaces for
companionship as well as solitude, safety and challenges, standardization and
creativity. Each guest brings a specific frame of mind to the resort associated eith the
 recreational activity she or he intends to engage in. It is important to identify the
characteristics of these frames of mind and design the site such that the
expectations brought to the resort and its activities are met.

PRINCIPLE 3: Both Functional and Aesthetic Requirements Must Be Satisfied

Site design quality can be evaluated on two bases. The first is highest money value,
that which can be measured in terms of hard cash. The second is highest human value that
which is judged in terms of human response.
To arrive at a quality recreational unit design, both money and human value aspects
must be weighed. Function and aesthetics may seem like polar opposites, but they are not
irreconcilable. It is important, in striking a balance between money and human values, that
problems of function and of aesthetics be solved concurrently, hand in hand, never apart,
Aesthetics is never thought as a window dressing applied after function has been solved,
function is never treated as an evil forced in after some pretty picture has been established

PRINCIPLE 4: Establish a Substantial Experience

The first step toward understanding or sensing organization perceiving order –in a
work is placing a label upon it. Since it is impractical to hand labels on a recreational unit
development, the development itself much have such strong character that it produces an
impression capable of being identified. Each constructed unit is capable of evoking an
emotional image whose influence could cause one immediately labelled it peaceful or
exciting or awesome or whatever else might appear to fit. If the radiating image is strong
enough to be labelled upon first contact, it will quickly capture the viewer’s attention, thereby
maximizing the possibility that the development will provide the experience that the label
implies. The raw materials of site design are not trees, land, and paving materials, but
things whose presence is as real as those material objects: lines (single edges indicating
directional movement), forms (external appearances of objects defined by lines making
closed circuits), textures ( distribution of lights and darks over surfaces caused by
inconsistencies in illuminations) and color ( qualities of reflected light refracted by the eye’s
prism)

PRINCIPLE 5: Establish an Appropriate Experience

Establishing a substantial experience means answering the question what is there?

And establishing an appropriate experience means answering the question why is it there?
The key for the designer is to extend the aesthetics of what nature has already provided into
man-made structure that are added to the site. To find this key, the designer examines the
physical characteristics of the site, the personality of the users and the ambience that is
usually part of the activity being undertaken on the site.
The people attracted to a particular location might be somewhat homogeneous in
their personality type. The key is to surround users with the familiar.

PRINCIPLE 6: Satisfy Technical Requirements

The size of a recreational site must be large enough to ensure a high quality
experience. In balancing quality with cost, it is important to locate facilities where a minimum
remodelling of topography is necessary.
Good planning means providing not only for existing demand but anticipating
possible future expansion and, wherever possible, having a contingency plan for that
expansion.
Sun, wind and rain must all be taken into account when developing recreational
facilities. The effect of the sun on participants can detract from enjoyment of the activity
being undertaken. The sun should remain at the back of the spectators during peak viewing
hours. Wind can help or hinder certain activities. A breeze is effective in helping remove
cooking smells from picnic areas. However, heavier wind has a negative impact on sporting
activities. The amount and frequency of rain will affect the timing of events.
PRINCIPLE 7: Meet Needs For Lowest Possible
Cost

It is incumbent on designer to avoid

unnecessary costs. They must suggest only what
can be supported by sound purpose. They are
obliged not to skimp, for professionalism dictates
that their design must satisfy the true needs of the
development.

Communication between developer and designer is necessary to ensure that facilities

meet the needs of the visitor at accost that allows the developer to make profit..This means
considering development as well as maintenance costs. Using the strengths and being
aware of the limitations of the site can help reduce costs.

• Provide Appropriate Structural

Materials – materials used in
construction should be selected based
on the following qualities:

1. Durability - Will it stand up to wear

and tear?
2. Appearance – Does it blend with its
surroundings?
3. Availability – Is it available when needed?
4. Tactile qualities – How does it feel to the touch?
5. Climate adaptability – Will it remain stable in this environment?
6. Drain ability – Is it usable after storms?
 • Provide Appropriate Plant Materials – plants can be used to enhance any design.
They work best when the selection takes into account the surrounding activity as well
as the specific needs of the plants.

1. Soil – heavy , light, acid, alkaline

2. Moisture – heavy or light
3. Hardiness – ability yo handle
extreme temperature
4. Life span - longevity
5. Susceptibility to disease

PRINCIPLE 8: Provide For Supervision Ease

The degree to which control can be exercised should be addressed early in the
design process. It will be found that there are circumstances in which any attempt to control
movement or use is a waste of effort, for the directive will be ignored.
In any public facility that serves great numbers of people, movement is an issue of
primary concern. If people can get where they want to go readily and without interfering with
other activities, a feeling of peace permeates the site. Anticipate flows, eliminate obstacle
and confusion, provide unobstructed, well defined and logical routes.

For more information about the principle of resort and recreational Design please click the link:

https://prezi.com/p/cjm6w05fldyp/principles-of-resort-recreation-leisure/
https://www.mindshaperspublishing.com/product/resorts-recreation-
management-an-introduction/

REFERENCE: Resorts and Recreation Management An Introduction by

Daryl Ace V. Cornell