integrating african safari with bio-mimicry...
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SCHOOL OF ARTS AND DESIGN
BDS 413
INTEGRATING AFRICAN SAFARI WITH BIO-MIMICRY
IN CREATING A SUITABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR
TOURISTS
A CASE STUDY OF THE ENKASITI PLAINS RESORT
By
MUTHONI EVANS GIKANDI
B05/0997/2012
Supervisor: Mr. Chege Gitura
A project submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Nairobi in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the Bachelors degree of Design in the School of
Art and Design.
18th December 2015
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DECLARATION
I, Muthoni Evans Gikandi, declare that this is my original work and this project has not
been presented in this or any other university for examination or any other purpose to the
best of my knowledge
Signed………………………………
Date ………………………………..
Muthoni Evans Gikandi
SUPERVISOR
Mr. Chege Gitura
Signed………………………………
Date …………………………………
DIRECTOR
Mr. Muriithi Kinyua
Signed…………………………………...
Date……………………………………..
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DEDICATION
I dedicate this book to my mum Anne Muthoni Gikandi; you are the main reason I have
reached where I am. Thanks for the continued support and prayers.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Many people have contributed to the development of this book. I hereby wish to express
my uttermost gratitude and recognition to all the people who made this book a success
and also my entire degree course.
I thank God for my beautiful loving family, good friends and health through my project
and making it successful. I thank my mum for the encouragement and dedication to make
sure that I completed this work and also not forgetting the entire class of 2012 who we
worked together in order to make this book was completed in time.
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ABSTRACT
This book contains research information done by researcher. The research takes a specific
site study of the Enkasiti Plains Resort in Kitengela. The researcher tends to apply
African safari décor together with bio-mimicry in order to create a suitable environment
for tourists at the resort. The research paper investigates how African safari can be used
in the interiors of the resort to come up with a contemporary form of design. The main
topic to be dealt with is the safari décor whereby it will be used in various areas and in
different forms. Safari style which is a Swahili word meaning adventure will be a major
source of inspiration to enable create a resort environment that will cater for the needs of
all the tourists who want to experience the safari adventure. The use of sustainable is also
considered greatly to ensure conservation of the environment. This study tackles how this
safari décor can be blended with bio-mimicry to create a contemporary form of design
which is not only sustainable but also it should serve the required purpose which is to
attract a great number of tourists. Bio-mimicry simply being nature inspired design is not
very different with African safari since both of them mostly deal with nature and
naturally occurring materials and color scheme as well. People are turning to green and
sustainable solutions as a way of living to preserve the earth. Designers have a mandate
to also come up with sustainable solutions to solve the design problems that arise. In this
book the researcher investigates the problems that are in the Enkasiti plains resort which
help in formulating the research questions. With the help of these questions and
objectives of the research, the problems in the resort will most definitely. The literature
review assists the researcher to expand the knowledge on the matter and also pre-
visualize possible outcomes of the case study. The research methods which included the
qualitative methods such as photographs and questionnaires ensure maximum and vital
data has been collected. Furniture, interior architecture, landscape and exhibition and
display are greatly considered to make sure they have fused well with the African safari
and bio-mimicry themes. The general interior design and the various materials to be used
have been considered with the landscape being an important part of the design because it
offers the researcher with an opportunity to extend the feel of the contemporary design to
the exterior space. The researcher considers the activities of the exterior space and creates
a space that most suitable and pleasing to the visitors.
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Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE ................................................................................................................................ 10
1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 10
1.1 OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................ 10
1.2 BACKGROUND OF THE PROBLEM ........................................................................................ 10
1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ............................................................................................ 11
1.4 OBJECTIVES .......................................................................................................................... 11
1.4.1 MAIN OBJECTIVE ........................................................................................................... 11
1.4.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES .................................................................................................... 11
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTION .......................................................................................................... 11
1.5.1 MAIN RESEARCH QUESTION ......................................................................................... 11
1.5.2 SPECIFIC RESEARCH QUESTIONS ................................................................................... 11
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY .............................................................................................. 12
1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY ................................................................................................ 12
1.8 SCOPE OF STUDY .................................................................................................................. 12
1.8.1 GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION ........................................................................................... 12
1.8.2 CONTENT ....................................................................................................................... 13
1.8.3 CONCEPT ....................................................................................................................... 13
1.9 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................ 13
CHAPTER TWO ............................................................................................................................... 14
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................ 14
2.1 OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................ 14
2.2 INTRODUCTION TO DESIGN PHILOSOPHY ........................................................................... 14
2.2.1 AFRICAN SAFARI ............................................................................................................ 14
2.2.2 BIO-MIMICRY ................................................................................................................ 24
2.3 PHILOSOPHY IN RELATION TO INTERIOR DESIGN ................................................................ 31
2.3.1 INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE ............................................................................................. 32
2.3.2 FURNITURE .................................................................................................................... 33
2.3.3 EXHIBITION AND DISPLAY ............................................................................................. 33
2.3.4 LANDSCAPE ................................................................................................................... 33
2.3.5 EXEMPLARS ................................................................................................................... 35
2.4 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................ 39
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CHAPTER THREE ............................................................................................................................. 40
3.0 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................. 40
3.1 OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................ 40
3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN ............................................................................................................... 40
3.3 TARGET POPULATION .......................................................................................................... 41
3.4 SAMPLE POPULATION .......................................................................................................... 41
3.5 DATA COLLECTION ............................................................................................................... 41
3.5.1 DATA COLLECTION TOOLS ............................................................................................. 42
3.6 DATA ANALYSIS .................................................................................................................... 43
3.7 DATA PRESENTATION ........................................................................................................... 43
3.7.1 Pie charts ....................................................................................................................... 43
3.7.2 Bar graphs ..................................................................................................................... 43
3.7.3 Photographs and exhibitions ........................................................................................ 43
CHAPTER FOUR .............................................................................................................................. 44
4.0 SITE ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS ........................................................... 44
4.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 44
4.2 QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS ....................................................................................................... 45
4.2.1 INTERIOR DESIGN .......................................................................................................... 45
4.2.2 FURNITURE .................................................................................................................... 53
....................................................................................................................................................... 55
4.2.3 EXHIBITION AND DISPLAY ............................................................................................. 55
4.2.4 LANDSCAPE ................................................................................................................... 58
4.3 QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS ..................................................................................................... 60
4.4 PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS .............................................................................................. 61
4.5 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................ 62
CHAPTER 5 ..................................................................................................................................... 63
5.0 SUMMARY FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION ....................................... 63
5.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 63
5.2 SUMMARY OF DATA ANALYSIS/FINDINGS ........................................................................... 63
5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................................................................... 64
5.3.1 INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE ............................................................................................. 64
5.3.2 FURNITURE .................................................................................................................... 65
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5.3.3 LANDSCAPE ................................................................................................................... 66
5.4.4 EXHIBITION & DISPLAY .................................................................................................. 67
5.4 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................ 68
5.5 SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER STUDY ..................................................................................... 68
REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................... 69
APPENDIX 1 .................................................................................................................................... 71
APPENDIX 2 .................................................................................................................................... 71
APPENDIX 3 .................................................................................................................................... 71
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2.1 Figure 2.2 ............................. 19
Figure 2.3 .......................................................................................................................... 22
Figure 2.4 .......................................................................................................................... 23
Figure 2.5 Formal gardens ................................................................................................ 34
Figures 2.7, 2.8 and 2.9 ..................................................................................................... 36
Figures 2.10, 2.11 and 2.12 ............................................................................................... 37
Figures 2.13, 2.14, 2.15 and 2.16 ...................................................................................... 38
Figure 4.1 Permanent walls of the resort. ......................................................................... 45
Figure 4.2 Tiled kitchen floor Figure 4.3 Mazeras floor ....................... 46
Figure 4.4 Washroom Tiles.................................................................................... 46
Figure 4.7 Roof ................................................................................................................. 48
Figure 4.9 bar ceiling ........................................................................................................ 48
Figure 4.11 & 4.12 Bar lighting ........................................................................................ 49
Figure 4.13 & 4.14 - Kitchen area .................................................................................... 50
Figure 4.15 & 4.16 Washrooms .................................................................................... 50
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Figure 4.17 Main entrance door ........................................................................................ 52
Figure 4.18 Windows Figure 4.19 The metallic backdoor ............ 52
Figure 4.20 bar area seats.................................................................................................. 54
Figure 4.22 parasols .......................................................................................................... 55
Figure 4.23 seats at the tented patio .................................................................................. 55
Figure 4.24 bar counter ..................................................................................................... 56
Figure 4.25 Sign post ........................................................................................................ 57
Figure 4.27 shrubs ............................................................................................................. 58
Figure 4.29 parking area covered with murram ................................................................ 59
Figure 4.30 water tank ......................................................................................... 59
Figure 4.31 Bar graph showing the frequency distribution .............................................. 60
Figure 5.0 color scheme .................................................................................................... 65
Figure 5.2 Resin wicker bench (outdoor) ......................................................................... 66
Figure 5.4 Grass and Paving ............................................................................................. 67
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CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 OVERVIEW
In this time and age many designers have incorporated various themes in their
works from art nouveau to other contemporary types of design like for example
minimalism and bio-mimicry. In this chapter the researcher states the background
of the problem leading to the research. The researcher also gives the statement of
the problem, objectives and research questions that will be the guide in a
successful research. Definition of terminologies is also included in this chapter to
give a clear comprehension into the research. This section also includes
significance/justification of conducting this research. This research mainly centers
the Enkasiti Plains resorts located in Kitengela. This section is an overview which
will enable us give a clear understanding of how African safari and bio-mimicry
can be incorporated to come up contemporary form of design.
1.2 BACKGROUND OF THE PROBLEM
Taking a look at the African culture, it’s very broad and on top very hard to
exhaust all that it has to offer. The researcher will attempt to incorporate some of
these African themes into a living area and come up with a modern, lavish
contemporary environment. The researcher aims to use Africa as a source of
inspiration to bring out a unique yet an irresistible modern type of design. This
type of design should be able to give an African image with a touch of nature.
This inspiration will be drawn from all corners, all communities thus enabling the
researcher to have a wide understanding and knowledge of the culture.
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1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The Enkasiti plains resort has not adopted African safari and bio-mimicry in its
environment which would form unity with the surrounding area.
1.4 OBJECTIVES
1.4.1 MAIN OBJECTIVE
To propose how African Safari and bio-mimicry can be used in creating a good
environment in the Enkasiti Plains Resort.
1.4.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
To improve the tourist industry and in turn our country’s economy in realization
of vision 2030
To investigate how African safari can be used to create a stunning interior space
of the Enkasiti plain resort.
To establish how the current environment of the resort affects the number of
tourists.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTION
1.5.1 MAIN RESEARCH QUESTION
How can African safari and bio-mimicry be blended to form an outstanding
environment of the Enkasiti plains resort thus safeguarding both our African
culture and nature?
1.5.2 SPECIFIC RESEARCH QUESTIONS
How can African safari and bio-mimicry be used in creating a contemporary
design for not just the interior space but also keeping in mind the furniture
products, exhibition display and landscape?
Has African safari been contemplated in the designing of interior spaces in the
resort?
Which are the African style themes that have been applied in the design of the
resort?
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1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The main intention is of this research is to amalgate both African safari and bio-
mimicry in the environment of the Enkasiti plains resort driven by the desire to
form a modern type of design which is not only admirable but also bringing in
other benefits i.e. more customers hence more money.
Design according to (Bruce Nussbaum, Editorial page editor, business week, New
York) it’s about creating better things for people in the end but along the way, it
can generate profits as well.
1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The project is carried out in a short period thus not all areas are fully covered in
terms of interior design application.
Financial constraints. The costs for visiting the site and creating the concepts are
wholly reliant on the student’s financial ability
1.8 SCOPE OF STUDY
1.8.1 GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION
Enkasiti plains resort is located in Kajiado County which is among the wealthiest
county in Kenya. It was established in 2013 and it’s about 10km from Kitengela
town also a fast growing town. Its strategic location along the Nairobi-Namanga
makes its proximity to many people very easy. This establishment was started in
2013. Enkasiti Resort is far away from the hustle and bustle of city life and in a
serene land with scenic breathtaking views with allure designed cottages in a
natural environment and with an ambient atmosphere. This resort offers various
services; restaurant, pub, cottages, swimming pool and conference rooms. One
advantage that this resort has is that it is located in a 36 acre tract of land which
allows for expansion and also there has been building of cottages that is going on
allowing for people to spend the night at their own pleasure. It is mainly a place
where families go to have outdoor fun.
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1.8.2 CONTENT
Bio-mimicry will be used creating an exotic interior space of the resort, exhibition
and display of the products, furniture and also in the landscape.
1.8.3 CONCEPT
Bio-mimicry is more than just imitating nature and it usually occurs in three main
levels i.e. form, process and eco-system.it is first a close examination of the
organism/ecosystem and then applying the design elements principles of its form
to come up with a product. This kind of process involves stages. The researcher
may also decide to copy the patterns of the particular organism thereby coming up
with a product that has unity.
1.9 CONCLUSION
This research will enable the researcher to blend African safari and bio mimicry
in improving the resort driven by the aspiration to use African themes together
with nature to come up with a contemporary form of design that would greatly
help the Enkasiti plains.
Another reason will be using African safari which shows the researcher’s desire to
conserve both our wildlife and also its environs. Since people are identified by
their culture and hence should be protected and conserved. In turn bio mimicry
shows that the researcher is willing to appreciate the nature by incorporating it in
the design. Enkasiti being a new establishment; it is noticeable that the use of
African safari and bio-mimicry is very minimal and in some places none at all in
almost all areas from furniture, color to the landscape and also the exhibition and
display techniques. The evidence is gathered will assist the researcher to have a
wide range of choices during implementation.
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CHAPTER TWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 OVERVIEW
In this chapter the researcher explains the relevance of African safari and bio-
mimicry and how it has contributed to the growth of design. The researcher will
also go further and give exemplars of some of the works that have been done by
other designers that will support the research being done. These exemplars aim at
showing how our African culture together with bio-mimicry can enable us come
up with a modern type of design while at the same time conserving and
appreciating those African values
2.2 INTRODUCTION TO DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
2.2.1 AFRICAN SAFARI
African décor can be dynamic, creative and pretty much inspiring. The colors can
be evocative of sunburnt earth, deep verdant rainforests, softly wistful savannah
plains, burnt orange African sunsets and pinkly-purple sunrises, crazily energetic
and vibrant market places. And we can also not forget the graphic concepts of
black and white. Safari and African decor will unleash a wild streak! Feisty
animal prints, tribal motifs and tawny neutrals combine for a fierce decorating
theme.
African safari décor brings together African’s colors which blend with patterns
and colors of the animals. This kind of décor showcases the love of African
culture and how to embrace it The main aspects of African safari décor are mainly
the organic materials fused with the bold patterns and colors.
In accordance to Landia Davies (budget safari blog) African safari it’s the heart
and soul of Africa. There are two areas that are associated with these safaris i.e.
Landscape of the wild and the animals and the sunset. She went ahead and said
that these safaris are not limited to game viewing in article in 2002(magical
Africa) but also involve other activities like outdoor camping and bird-viewing. In
a nut shell these African safaris are all about exploring our rich African culture
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that has deep roots, sight-seeing, exploring scenic places and also being able to
learn and appreciate new cultural values.
In order to achieve African inspired design one has to understand the context of
the wildlife keeping in mind the elements and principles of design. According to
an ecologist Gordon Orians; argues that human beings are psychologically
adapted to landscape features characterized by African savannah, the presumed
site of human evolution. Although humans leave in different habitats the long
history of hunters and gatherers on the African savannah should have left a mark
on our psyche. If this hypothesis is true then intrinsically humans like and find
pleasurable environments that contain key features of savannah that most likely
aided our ancestor’s survival. These features include: A high diversity of plant
(especially flowers) and animal life for food and resources.
• Clustered trees with spreading canopies for refuge and protection.
• Open grassland that provides easy movement and clear views to the distance.
• Topographic changes for strategic surveillance to aid long distance movements
and to provide early warning of approaching hazards.
• Scattered bodies of water for food, drinking, bathing, and pleasure.
• A “big sky” with a wide, bright field of view to aid visual access in all
directions.
Savannah “mimics” are obvious in many of our modern built spaces including
shopping malls, department stores, golf courses, and parks. Research on the
design of retail settings shows how the manipulation of space and artifacts
influences purchasing behaviors. Many of these manipulations light, décor,
sounds, food, flowers, smells and visual corridor are consistent with the savannah
hypothesis and other research on environmental preferences.
In this particular theme the choice of materials is very vital. Wood, clay, leather,
rattan, and other native materials are the components of traditional African
lifestyles and will give the safari theme an added sense of authenticity and rustic
appeal. Wood in particular is crucial to the African aesthetic and woodcarving is
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an integral part of many tribal cultures and artistic traditions. Use a variety of
materials in different spaces or rooms to evoke the vastness and diversity of the
African plains or jungle and play around with textures.
There are many design ideas that can be used in order to bring out a creative
African safari decor. These include animal prints, interior landscaping, color
scheme, wall decor, fabrics and furniture. These all will be discussed in details
later.
2.2.1.1 COLOR SCHEME
Colors that surround people influence their moods and also perceptions in a
powerful way and their placement can make people comfortable or disconnected.
In order to achieve a sense of continuity and harmony in the resort a good color
flow and a balanced color scheme must be present. The area where these colors
are applied also matter a great deal. The location and total area covered by a color
within an interior space can make a great deal of difference in influencing a
space’s character. The effect of a hue on the floors is different from the effect of
the same hue on the ceiling. Mahnke (1996) views on the effect of a color when
applied at different locations such as ceiling, walls or floor. There are some tips
that are useful in order to achieve color flow; use lighter and darker shades of
same color and see how they transition throughout the resort, selecting hues with
similar undertones, taking inspiration from the furniture i.e. fabric, artwork or
other accessories and use them throughout the resort and finally choose a couple
of colors and alternate the primary, secondary and tertiary colors for each section
the resort (Mahnke, 1996)
In this African safari theme the color tones that relate to it bring a natural touch to
the resort. This includes the use of earth tones and animal colors too. Other
aspects like the animal can also be incorporated to form continuity with the
existing color tone. The most common colors for the safari theme will be browns,
mustards, sienna and black. Colors from nature also form a great and essential
component in the color scheme. Using one element/color can be sometimes
disturbing and overwhelming so it’s best to use something more subdued. Break
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up the prints and patterns with large blocks of earth tones. Browns, whites, blacks
and grays help to give the room a more toned down vibe. Also consider adding in
some natural canvas or reclaimed wood for a true safari-esque feel. Although
bright neon colors are a big no in the safari theme, it doesn’t mean you can’t delve
into other tamer hues. African decor colors include yellow color shades, deep
orange and bright red colors and all brown colors shades. Terracotta, brick, sand
and all warm room colors add comfort and coziness to African decorating.
African decorating color combinations are based on the contrasts of light and dark
hues. Black color shades are ideal for bringing drama into modern African
decorating ( Mahnke, 1996)
Figure 2.0 color scheme
Source blog.asmarainc.com
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2.2.1.2 WALL DÉCOR
There are various accessories that can be added to a room and assist in bringing
out the African theme clearly. These include African ornaments, murals and
paintings. There are a plethora of African accessories on the market that will help
you create an exotic African collection of wall art, pottery, table art, sculptures,
baskets, and vases. In terms of wall décor the art put on must blend well with the
color tones. For instance a blanket from synthetic animal skin print would be
absolutely eye-catching with the whole Safari theme room. Synthetic fur is soft
and comfortable and will result in a splendid experience. African themed art is
also essential and can a decorative touch to a room. This ensures that when using
this theme it’s subtle and useful. Animal prints aren’t the only patterns in a safari
theme. African tribal patterns can also add a great deal of character to your space
and over doing any pattern can make your room look cluttered and confusing.
Wall décor and color scheme work well together since they all use the same
principles. They must have that harmonious feel in order to give the space the
desired effects (Balfour, 2003)
These designs are usually exotic and energizing at the same time. Expressive
designs and bright room colors combined with dark wood furniture and tribal art
offering superb solutions to modern interior design creating vibrant and unusual
living spaces. These kinds of décor accessories bring exotic luxury into modern
spaces. Materials like crocodile and python prints, leopard and giraffe patterns,
leather, zebra and tiger stripes and décor accessories made with for example palm
trees and exotic bird images are some of the ideas that enrich modern design.
Naturally occurring materials, natural fabrics and textiles, dark colors and striking
things like African masks and paintings can be used to create comfortable and
unique exotic space interiors. Replicas of animals, masks, crafts and handmade
African designs, textures that mimic leather, fur and wood are very stylish for
African decorating. Contrasting combination of colors and bright colors,
geometric patterns and African tribal art and various decorative accessories and
paintings can be incorporated into modern interior with ethnic flavor (Balfour,
2003)
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African safari wall decor
Figure 2.1 Figure 2.2
Source: decor4all.com Source: decor4all.com
2.2.1.3 ANIMAL PRINTS
There are one of the most commonly used types of African safari décor and also
greatly recognized in Africa and worldwide overall. These prints can most
definitely turn any space into a breathtaking and elegant experience. According to
Bibi Jordan animal prints in décor can transform interiors from boring to exciting
without changing the entire room. From furniture and textiles to simple table
accessories, the space could benefit from having vibrant animal prints. There are
several ways in which these animal prints can be blended into a space and be able
to perform their intended function. According to Dieter Rams in 10 principles of
good design he states that good design makes a product useful. The product must
satisfy a certain criteria and also has to be functional and in this case it’s mostly
for decorative purposes.
One way in which it can be used is making it the center of attraction. This works
whereby one does not want to make the room overly busy for the eye. Choose the
items that are going to use a large print and for other décor in the space use solid
and contrasting colors in order to balance out the boldness of the animal prints
(Capella & Juli, 1988)
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Nowadays most people enjoy clean and simple color because it’s relaxing. If
these colors are black and white, animal prints can be a perfect choice to reduce
starkness and boredom. Prints like for example zebra can be used on something
like rugs and then the colors of the print used on walls, flooring and even curtains
and other types of fabric. Finally there is mix and match. The best way to achieve
this is to unite patterns with color and keeping the prints as small as possible in
order to make them enjoyable and not disrupt the eye. Mixing patterns and solids
then uniting them with neutrals makes the space attain the desired goal. Natural
decorating materials like leather are best to use in modern interiors together with
animal prints. Moderate use of prints with background of neutrals creates bold
decorative accents and pieces for contemporary design that greatly the African
safari theme. Unique details like ethnic motifs and patterns, African carved wood
sculptures, hats (juju), and African crafts create alluring décor with these animal
prints. Decorative fabrics, modern wallpaper and painting ideas that bring animal
prints into interior decorating enhance plain space decor and change atmosphere
in a particular space, adding exotic details. Furnishings, furniture and decorative
accessories in neutral colors, black and white color combination, golden yellow
color tones and brown color shades work well with animal prints. (Capella & Juli,
1988)
2.2.1.4 FURNITURE
Classic safari style is often conjured with British colonial furnishings which were
characterized by big, heavy, dark wooden pieces which were paired with smaller
stools, chairs and also benches that were hand carved by native Africans from
natural wood. In order to achieve safari styled theme, a mix of late 19th and early
20th century British colonial and traditional African pieces can assist. For instance
take the traditional African chairs like the watchman chairs and combine it with
British colonial pieces. These chairs were hand carved from teak, ebony and other
African woods. Another case scenario is taking a classic sofa and pairing it with a
traditional mud rug or with animal prints that can also match fabric in the space or
the paint on the walls and ceilings. There are two distinct forms of decorating
using African furniture. One there is using antique furniture from colonizing
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countries or trading and tribal using antique furniture from the indigenous peoples
of Africa. Nowadays designers mix both traditional and modern furnishings in an
eclectic style leading to stunning dynamic space. Colors are softly subtle earth
tones creating a relaxed atmosphere and a restful environment. Touches of natural
greens, burnt umbers and reds or watery aqua can be added as accents to create
interest or diversion in the scheme. Most of the African décor is inspired from
nature, colored fabrics, wood carvings and wild animals. The animals are always
the central theme in the continent’s artwork and fabrics and to most designers
these animals are; leopards, zebras, elephants and giraffes. The possibilities of
how the African theme can be integrated into a space are truly endless and also
the colors of these animals can help in determining the overall pallet. Neutral
colors are always advised i.e. grey, brown, black, white and beige but in some
cases some dramatic splash does not hurt. For example painting a wall red in
order to make a brown mahogany mask or leopard prints curtains stand out
(Balfour, 2003)
Wooden furniture with simple lines allows the other elements in a space to make a
statement and attention should be put in details (Balfour 2003). Dark wooden
furniture with simple plain design works always work well with the safari décor.
Other practical pieces should be placed in order to complement the large furniture
like small stools, and woven straw mats placed on the table. Animal-print or
neutral colored shelves can hold figurines or other small ceramic safari-inspired
animals. Elephant heads carved from wood add a sense of safari flair. Porcelain
statuettes of monkeys, giraffes, zebras and tigers are welcoming at entry ways and
on shelves and enable to bring out that safari sense of style clearly. Art murals and
landscape photos are another possibility that would assist a space to achieve this
theme.
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African safari inspired furniture
Figure 2.3
Source: www.ideashomedesign.net
2.2.1.5 FABRIC
The choice of fabric depends on the desired theme that has been decided.
Combination of fabric with bold jungle patterns with those of subtle shades can be
balanced and enable to create an elegant and interesting look. Having prints on
fabrics is the most literal thing that brings out the safari theme clearly and eye-
catching. Although it is advisable to use these prints, it has to be done cautiously
so as not to overdo the prints and make it disturbing for the eyes. A British
architect by the name David Adjaye, he aims to display images of Africa through
textile designs. Being born in Tanzania he has roots of African culture which at
some point enable him to connect. In his exhibition he has a range of fabrics
which consist of upholstery, drapery and wall coverings. The motifs are
traditional most of which were influenced by pieces in the Cooper Hewitt's
permanent collections. African themed fabric does not necessarily mean only the
animal prints and tribal art. According to David Adjaye, these fabrics can also
have a wide array of geometry, textures and forms and these three elements
together had a story on diversity of African culture and traditions of
craftsmanship.
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2.2.1.6 INTERIOR LANDSCAPING
Plants can complete the safari décor if done correctly. They can add a finishing
touch to any safari themed room. Different types of plants can be used to achieve
this kind of landscape. Leafy palms are a good choice for unoccupied corners and
also indoor trees or shrubs. For example potted bamboo is commonly used for
indoor setting since they require less lighting and require less maintenance. These
plants don’t necessarily need soil to grow but instead they can take roots in glass
beads. The color of the beads can also be used to balance the color scheme of the
space i.e. the beads can be of neutral colors.
Mini-palm trees or flowers such as jacaranda (artificial or live) can be put to
complement the safari style. Small figurines of animals like giraffes, lions and
elephants can make good centerpieces for tables.
Interior landscaping
Figure 2.4
Source: www.la-motte.com
The restaurant name was inspired by La Motte’s admiration of South African
artist Jacob Hendrik Pierneef (1886 – 1957). Pierneef’s creativity portrays the
beauty of the South African landscape. The restaurant interior blend beautifully
24
with the external surroundings – a fresh, natural look inside is embraced by
tranquil gardens and majestic oak.
2.2.2 BIO-MIMICRY
Bio-mimicry can be defined as imitating or taking inspiration from nature’s forms
and processes to solve problems for humans (Benyus, 1997). Janine Benyus, a
biologist and leader of the emerging discipline of bio-mimicry provides one
foundation for this emerging discipline by arguing for the need to imitate nature
to ensure a more sustainable future (Benyus, 1997). Benyus and other leaders of
bio-mimicry emphasize that, although the form is an obvious component of
nature, mimicking natural form alone misses the point. Instead, Benyus argues
that a full emulation of nature engages at least three levels of mimicry: form,
process, and ecosystem (Benyus, 2008, p. 40).Bio-mimicry is more than just
reproducing a natural object or system. Nor is it simply designing something
considered “green” or sustainable. It is first a close examination of an organism or
ecosystem, then a mindful application of the underlying design principles found in
the natural solution. Learning about nature is one thing and learning from nature
is another. Nature has time-tested patterns and solutions all around us, and Bio-
mimicry is the study and application of natural solutions to design challenges.
“Nature is imaginative by necessity, and has already solved many of the problems
we are grappling with today,” says Janine Benyus (Benyus, 2008), founder and
president of the bio-mimicry Institute. The world around us is a living
encyclopedia of ingenuity. Janine was one of the biologists that helped launch
fascinating ways in which bio-mimicry can be practiced. She went ahead and
stated that bio-mimicry also incorporates intentions to connect people to natural
world.
In her organization “biomimicry 3.8” Janine instructs and connects all
innovators from all over the world who seek nature as a model for innovative
strategies, a standard for measuring sustainability and a mentor for aspiration.
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According to Janine, bio-mimicry has 6 major principles;
Adapting to changing conditions is one of them. This mainly means in an
organism’s lifetime whereby conditions are always changing and there is no
chance to evolve for next generation so adapting behaviors is the only way to
remain resilient. One way to do that is incorporating diversity and not relying on
monoculture. The more diverse an ecosystem is, the more it will be resilient to
disturbance. There are two types of diversity: function and response. Functional
diversity is keeping different kinds of jobs in an ecosystem. For example for a city
it means it is not dependent on one industry but instead have local, fine- grained
diversity in services and employment opportunities its offering to people.
Response diversity means having a deep bench in all ecosystems’ function.
Integrating self-renewal is another way of adapting to changing conditions. This
means for example a building is in an adaptive management loop and constantly
using feedback. Creating an eco-block in a neighborhood one has to be willing to
redo the parts that are not working. In becoming resilient there is for example in a
city means putting in place policies and structures that respond well to severe
flooding or drought. Example is using permeable pavements, green roofs and
other eco-structures that absorb enough rainfall during heavy times and be able to
use the water collected during dry times.
Another principle is being locally attuned and responsive: Organisms should be
aware of the opportunities and limits in their habitat. Self-reliance is one of the
ways. It means asking ourselves questions like; “what are we uniquely suited to
do ourselves and offer the world too in general?”. Some companies have gone
ahead to build their own raw materials. For example LEED have found a way to
use CO2 and sea water and turning it to concrete. The main focus should be
producing things locally and then surplus trade with those who cannot produce the
same product. This can be enabled greatly by 3-D printing. This can narrow down
supply chain to be a green, safe, subset of materials that are locally procured.
Being locally attuned and responsive mainly focuses on manufacturing.
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Evolve to survive: This mainly focuses on how we change over generations.
Various questions are usually asked during evolution; how do we shed what is not
working and keep what is working and move it forward into future generations?
How do we integrate new ideas? This is easy if there is a continuous flow of
information. Being connected to others practicing the same is also vital as it
enables us to learn from them.
Be resource efficient: there are a lot of things that they are all about using up
energy and shaving material use. To prevent this, a policy should be established
that can help in creating standards that are good for rewarding low energy
footprint. Multi-functional design is a slick way to achieve this.
Thinking how ecosystems can serve humans and the broader community:
Bio-mimicry involves a thorough report. This is the survey of organisms that live
in the native ecosystem if the particular was not occupied and the best practices
that can be learnt from the organisms that are there. In addition to the report
(genius of place) ecological performance standards are also vital and must be
considered. These life principles acts as a lens to develop strategies on how to
improve the current ecosystem and it can in turn benefit the community. For
example the Bank of America Tower in New York which produces air that is 3
times cleaner than what comes in. This is made due to the state of art filtration
system fitted in the building. This particular tower is termed as “generous’.
Ecological performances are powerful and place-based but they drive design
forward.
Using life- friendly chemistry (creating conditions conducive to life): bio-
mimicry on a shallower only focuses on mimicking the form but in doing so some
of these forms can be toxic and that where bio-mimicry in deeper levels come in.
this deals with not just mimicking the form but also the process (how something is
made) and at ecosystem level its essential to incorporate life’s principles. These
principles are used as briefing scope.
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Integrate development with growth: This involves three main considerations
and they are self-organization, combine modular and nested components and
building from bottom-up. If a product is made start from scratch then it’s
supposed to be self-healing. It should also be able to be made from the local
abundant raw materials.
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According to Stylianos Yiatros y, M. Ahmer Wadeez and Gary R. Huntx in (The
Load Bearing Duct: Bio-mimicry in Structural Design) bio-mimicry is an
emerging field which amongst other things puts forward alternative ways of
creating sustainable engineering solutions through or inspired by nature. Different
engineering institutions and entities, depending on their field, describe Bio-
mimicry as a set of scientific or design principles. As its name suggests the aim is
to mimic nature in order to provide efficient solutions to engineering problems.
Bio-mimicry has three key elements which are form, process and systems. Taking
form for instance, this is the most straightforward element of bio-mimicry. The
main key when thinking about mimicking the form of function of natural designs
requires thinking about the shapes, structures and patterns occurring in the natural
world and how they can be applied in human designs.
Mimicking form or function is only one part of bio-mimicry design process and
one has to go deeper and get more inspiration from the processes of nature. Main
question that is associated with this investigation being; How is it made? Which
requires thinking about chemical processes that nature uses to create a certain
product. For example mimicking process may be making cement by emulating the
natural process of limestone deposits that create coral. This process sequesters
carbon dioxide from the atmosphere rather than producing it, making it carbon
negative and much more sustainable than regular concrete production.
The most complex level of bio-mimicry is mimicking the nature’s systems.
Primary question that is associated with this level of investigation is ‘how does it
fit?’. Nature does not exist in isolation and when deciding to mimic an ecosystem,
various considerations are required to be followed: How necessary is it, is it a part
of a nourishing food web, can it be transported and re-absorbed in a way imitating
or emulating the forest-like economy? An example of an ecosystem can be
mimicking systems may be an eco-industrial park that emulates the mutually
beneficial partnerships that exist in nature where unrelated species exchange
materials to ensure that the collective benefit is greater than the sum of individual
benefits. This can work more easily when different companies come together and
29
benefit from each other’s by-products, whereby waste from one company is an
important resource that can benefit one or many other companies.
Overall bio-mimicry is the practice of emulating nature’s genius and unlike bio-
inspired design which only turns to nature for inspiration. Since Janine is
considered as the “mother of bio-mimicry” she stated that if the guidelines used
by nature for more than 3.8 billion years were followed, then new, better and
more sustainable solutions would be discovered.
2.2.3 TOURISTS
In accordance to Ross, Elizabeth L. Dunn, and Seppo E. Iso-Ahola, a field study
was conducted the determine motivations and satisfaction of sight-seeing tourists.
For this purpose 225 tourists were tested their motives before the day’s tour and
later for their satisfaction after. The data was collected and the results indicated a
considerate similarity between motivation and satisfaction dimensions, with
knowledge seeking, social interaction and escape emerging as important motive
and satisfaction factors. This similarity led to a very high overall satisfaction with
the tour. Tourists coming together by chance were significantly higher on the
knowledge-seeking motive and five satisfaction dimensions than did the regular
tour group and the convention group.
Orams, Mark B. "The effectiveness of environmental education: can we turn
tourists into greenies’." According to this study, which tested the effectiveness of
an education programme for managing tourists was conducted at Tangalooma,
Australia. At this holiday resort tourists are able to hand-feed a group of wild
dolphins which visit the shallow waters adjacent to the resort's beach. The
education programme, which uses techniques derived from cognitive psychology
and learning theory, attempted to prompt increased enjoyment, knowledge and
improved environmental attitudes, intentions and behavior in participants. The
study, which compared a control group who were not exposed to the education
with an experiment group who were, found that desirable changes did occur as a
result of the programme. This research provides much needed evidence that
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education can be an effective means of managing tourists' interaction with
wildlife and the natural environment. Understanding the behavior of tourist is one
of the best ways that would one to achieve the desired intention with the space. It
is of much importance for the tourist products i.e resorts to understand the travel
behavior and more specifically what the tourists want to experience during their
time of stay. This can assist in marketing strategies and also creation of
competitive advantage.
According to (March & Woodside; 2005; George, 2004) travel behavior is
tourists’ attitude towards a certain product and their response by making use of it.
It is further important to understand how individual characteristics of a person
interact with the characteristics of the situation. They further go ahead and state
that travel motivations can be considered as one of the most important
psychological influences of tourist behavior. Motivations are the inner state of a
person, or certain needs and wants of a person, which forces them to act or behave
in a specific way.
According to Gartner (as cited by Pike, 2008) motivation initiate the decision-
making process. This occurs when a certain need or want cannot be met at home.
Motivations surface when a tourist wants to satisfy a need or want and this can be
seen as a very important variable in relation to their travel decisions and the
outcome of satisfaction (Chang, 2007; Correia, Oom do Valle & Moco, 2006).
Maslow’s theory is mostly used to explain premises of motivation. Five sets of
goals of Maslow are basic needs, physiological needs, safety needs, social needs,
self-esteem and self-actualization. Tourists may need to escape, relax, to gain
relief of physical- and mental tension and for typical sun lust reasons and that is
why they have to be provided with as much as possible making them feel at
peace. Crompton (as cited by Saayman, 2006) identified seven socio-
psychological factors which motivate a tourist to travel: escape from an everyday
environment, discovery and evaluation of oneself, relaxing or participation in
recreational activities, gaining a certain level of prestige, for the purpose of
regression, strengthening family ties and facilitating their level of social
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interaction. It is very important that a designer takes into consideration these
psychological factors when incorporating the selected themes in a space.
Travel behavior and motivation are important in tourism industry (Huang & Xiao,
2000; Lam & Hsu, 2006). Prediction of travel behavior and knowledge of travel
motivation play an important role in tourism marketing, in order to create demand
and assist tourists in making decisions (March & Woodside, 2006; Decrop, 2006;
Mazanec et al., 2001; Holloway, 2004). Therefore understanding tourist behavior,
strategies, policies and adequate knowledge can be used to increase the number of
tourists in a certain destination/product.
2.3 PHILOSOPHY IN RELATION TO INTERIOR DESIGN
Interior design essence is always about people and how they live, realities of what
makes for a civilized, attractive and meaningful environment and not about
fashion or what’s in or what’s out. (Albert Hadley, the story of America’s
preeminent interior designer). The process of interior design follows a systematic
and well organized methodology; research, analysis and combination of
knowledge into a creative process whereby the client’s needs are satisfied. In
order for the researcher to achieve the African inspired design the following has
to be offered:
Furniture selection and designs
Color scheme
Selection of fine art
Planning of space
Accessories
African themed designs encourage designers to embrace the African culture learn
more from it. They have taken different approaches but it all comes down to one
thing that is preserving our cultural values and practices for generations to come.
Resorts nowadays are not us about food but more of socializing, scenery and
sense of special event. Interior design plays a big role in getting customers and
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being creative is a good solution whereby unique interior design will differentiate
a certain resort to the others. Good design must consider all parts of the operation.
If the front of the house is not designed to support the back and the back not
designed to carry out the concept in the front then the operation breaks down (
Baraban and Durocher, 1989).
2.3.1 INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE
Interior should reflect the inhabitants and not rely on the latest trends. There are
basic interior design rules that are used. They are;
Proportion; it is vital when a design a space to consider the size of the space
available. For example putting oversized furniture in a small room or vice versa it
can cause a major design problem.(Stratton & Arthur, 1925)
Balance; there are two ways to achieve balance in a space. One is symmetrical
balance. This is when items are arranged in a way that there are mirroring on
either side
Asymmetrical balance; this kind of balance focuses balancing items visually by
using different kinds of things. Designers maintain a style by using variety of the
elements of design such as textures, colors, sizes, lines and value. These all help
the designer to achieve the desired outcome. A principle like harmony which is
also very vital can only be achieved when all the elements have been followed.
Balance unifies the space through the careful arrangements of both similar and
dissimilar elements; harmony relies on the selection of elements that share a
common trait or characteristic. Unity can be achieved by repeating a characteristic
thus creating visual harmony in a space. Example using monochromatic, giving a
cohesive look by using similar textures (Stratton & Arthur, 1925)
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2.3.2 FURNITURE
African furniture is desired explain the importance of culture by translating the
African culture into a modern contemporary design. Each piece has to be closely
related in both design and weight to all the surrounding pieces. Function of
furniture is not only to provide the desired purpose but also to give the space a
sense of visual interest and style. African inspired furniture has some qualities
related to traditional furniture and they are; material, features, fabrics and size
(Capella & Juli, 1988).
2.3.3 EXHIBITION AND DISPLAY
In order for clients to be aware of an existence of a certain establishment, signage
should be there and a unique identity is needed. This enables the client to know
where it is located. Signage also helps sell the business to the overall population.
Examples of signage include billboards, signs (inside and outside the premises).
This goes hand in hand with advertising and it’s an essential concept when
designing. According to a famous graphics designer Lindon Leader “design is
born of two things: simplicity and clarity”.
2.3.4 LANDSCAPE
Landscape consists of two major parts; hard landscape (paths and rocks) and soft
landscape (vegetation). On top of that there are two types of gardens and they are
formal and informal gardens. Formal gardens: characterized by shapes, forms
and organized patterns while informal gardens rely on how shapes and forms
come together into a flowing pattern. Informal gardens must also be organized
and this depends on different design elements such as color, size (tall or short i.e.
tall ones at the back and short ones at the front), shapes and forms. (Reid & Grant,
1993). Shape of plants mostly shrubs is important to design and in this case airy
and dense plants are mixed and matched. Repetition of identical plant forms is
one of the strategies that can enable a designer to bring unity in a garden. Finally
plants with unusual shapes and forms can bring interest in a garden. Depending on
their arrangement they can help create harmony (Reid & Grant, 1993) In order to
34
achieve a certain landscape theme there are some characteristics that must be
observed. They are style, form, landscape type or integration of all of them. Style
– These are cultural or historical gardens and contemporary designed gardens
(minimalist, futuristic gardens). Form – these forms are naturally occurring,
geometric or even a combination of both. Natural forms are more of informal and
as the name suggests their arrangement is of natural look while geometric forms
are mostly hard landscape and they are such as pathways, structures. Principles of
designs such as repetition are mainly used. Types –the types of landscape depend
on the function or the ecosystem. These gardens are recognizable by the plants
that are commonly found in a specific area/ ecosystem. In designing a garden
simplicity and creativity is vital and one has to study the landscape i.e. its form
and also notice the features that can blend well in order to achieve the desired
requirements. (Reid & Grant, 1993)
Figure 2.5 Formal gardens Figure 2.6 Informal gardens
Source: http://www.exteriorworlds.com/blog/
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2.3.5 EXEMPLARS
2.3.5.1 AFRICAN HERITAGE HOUSE
The African Heritage House also known as “Africa’s most photographed house”
overlooking the Nairobi National Park is described by architectural digest as “an
architecture rising from the serene Kenyan plain like an outcropping of earth, a
vision of usefulness informed by the African genius for decoration”. It was
designed by Alan Donovan who together with Joseph Murumbi travelled across
Africa collecting art and books. This house hosts a wide range of African
collection ranging from art and African inspired furniture to rare artifacts which
are considered priceless. Alan Donovan said and I quote “an equally important
reason for my home is to show people how to live with African arts and crafts. I
think this indigenous artistic and cultural heritage is under appreciated, both in
Africa and worldwide. My house is a step toward preservation”.
This particular house should be a motivator to each person that our African values
should be preserved at all costs. The house is a combination of the mud
architectures from across Africa. Looking at the color scheme not only the
exterior but also the interior, they blend well with surrounding environment. The
landscape of this house comprises of trees that are indigenous to the area which
are mainly acacia and the vegetation in general is made up of plants that do well
in dry areas since the climate during most times of the year is usually hot and dry.
36
African Heritage House
Figures 2.7, 2.8 and 2.9
Source: zurukenya.com.
2.3.5.2 WEIDEN & KENNEDY BUILDING
Designed by local designer Genevive Dellinger, this room which is commonly
known as “the nest” is located in the Weiden & Kennedy building in NW
Portland. This room shows an eclectic style of décor where most of the inspiration
is drawn from nature and on top of that the use of sustainable materials has been
greatly considered. These human sized nests can serve various purposes such as
37
decoration (they can be constructed in different parts of a space thereby adding
more life to the room) and used as furniture too.
Human-Sized nests
Figures 2.10, 2.11 and 2.12
Source: blacklemag.com
2.3.5.3 KWANDWE GREAT FISH RIVER LODGE, SOUTH AFRICA
This is a 4-star lodge that has a classic-contemporary style of simple elegance that
embraces its setting which is on a steep bank overlooking the Great Fish River.
The color scheme is normally calm and natural palette of earthy tones from khaki
browns to charcoal greys. Pewter and glass add glamour to the furnishings and on
38
top of that artifacts such as hides, horns and ostrich eggshells create subtle points
of interest and relevance to the surroundings of the lodge, while linens and a lot of
texture preserve its simple but yet modern atmosphere. The stone walls, thatch
roofs and the long wooden walkways blur the distinction between the inside and
outside by bring the natural materials into the interiors. The rooms have been
designed to take full advantage of the beautiful scenery by use of floor-to-ceiling
glass doors which offers unmatched views over the landscape beyond. The rugged
natural materials like rock, thatch and stone blend with soft-light lanterns,
overstuffed sofas with thin contemporary lines and natural linens provide simple
but sophisticated atmosphere.
Kwandwe Great Fish Lodge
Figures 2.13, 2.14, 2.15 and 2.16
S
Source: http://www.africa-discovery.com/
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2.4 CONCLUSION
African safari décor together with bio-mimicry can be used to form a
contemporary form of design that can greatly improve the environment as well as
the conditions of the Enkasiti Plains Resort. Modern designers are always coming
up with new ways to incorporate the African themes together with other western
themes and bringing a completely different but yet functional type of design and
in this case bio-mimicry will be of great help to help come up with trend-setting
form of design. This is applied in all areas of study that is interior architecture,
landscape, exhibition & display and furniture.
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CHAPTER THREE
3.0 METHODOLOGY
3.1 OVERVIEW
In this the researcher will introduce the types of research design that will enable
maximum accuracy in the data collected. Data collection for this research will be
mostly qualitative in nature, where the researcher will have to observe African
cultural behaviors. The researcher also explains how the data collected will be
analyzed for the research on the Enkasiti plains resort. Also the researcher will
explain the design process to be used stating the population of the study and how
the sample of the population will come up. Also in this section the researcher will
explain how the data collected will be analyzed and later how it will be presented.
3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN
When the problems of the resort are critically examined and identified, the
researcher will come up with a simple design that will help come up with new
modern opulent design of the resort.
In accordance to Robert Yin (Yin, 1984, Pg23) a case study is an empirical
inquiry investigating a contemporary phenomenon with real life context in which
multiple evidence sources are used when boundaries between the phenomenon
and context are not clearly evident. He goes ahead to give steps that can be
followed in acquiring accurate information:
Understanding the problem and critically analyzing it.
Coming up with the research questions
Determining data collection and analysis techniques
Preparing data collection
Collect the data
Evaluating and analyzing the data collected.
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3.3 TARGET POPULATION
The target population of the researcher will be the tourists’ i.e. both foreign and
domestic tourists. These local and international visitors will enable in diversifying
the culture and also the décor to be used. This will help the researcher to have a
wide variety of information that will help to improve the environment.
3.4 SAMPLE POPULATION
A sample will be drawn from the customers and another from the employees for
the purposes of conducting interviews and filling questionnaires. The staff and
customers will be part and parcel of the sample as they are the people who
interact with the space quite often. The management will also be sampled as part
of the population for the research. They will be used to give an idea on how
designers have incorporated contemporary designs.
3.5 DATA COLLECTION
Historic and ethnographical methods will also be used to collect data, to help add
content to the existing information. In historical methods, the researcher will
gather secondary data using the internet, books, journals and researches by other
people. Most of the books, journals and articles will mainly be from available
resources like the school library.
In ethnographical methods, the researcher will collect primary data by the use of
direct data collection methods like conducting interviews, observations, and
filling in questionnaires; where for interviews members of the staff at Enkasiti
resort from the manager to the junior most staff will be interviewed. Observation
as a method of data collection will also be employed where the researcher will
visit the site on several occasions and make observations on various existing
designs and undertakings Photographs of the site will also be taken so as to have a
visual representation
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3.5.1 DATA COLLECTION TOOLS
The main ways that the researcher will use are; observation, questionnaires, focus
groups and photographs.
3.5.1.1 Observation
According to K.N Barker (Am J Hosp Pharm. 1980 Sep; 37(9):1235-43) Use of
observation as a data collection tool it has important advantages which makes it
best suited for certain kinds of studies, and some limitations which preclude its
use in others. The central problems in the use of observation are: the effect of the
observer on the observed, which is usually not severe and can be minimized,
observer inference, which is a crucial strength and a crucial weakness as well.
3.5.1.2 Questionnaires
After this research was conducted it was found that questionnaire is less time
consuming and also advantageous tool in data collection. It was also confirmed
that the data collected this way had fewer errors. (FA Pettit - Computers in
Human Behavior, 1999 – Elsevier)
3.5.1.3 Focus groups
In accordance to (DL Morgan MT Spanish - Qualitative sociology, 1984 –
Springer) although focus groups receive little attention they are commonly used to
collect qualitative information on researches. Data collected is mainly in form of
tape recorded discussions of about 4- 10 participants.
Focus groups provide an opportunity to encourage triangulation in research
(Denzin, 1978; Webb et al., 1981).
3.5.1.4 Photographs
This is one of the best ways to collect data because the data is first hand, un-
tampered and evident (Leedy, 2005).The researcher will take photos of the
interiors, furniture, exhibition and display techniques used and also the landscape
of the site.
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3.6 DATA ANALYSIS
According to A Lacey, D Luff – 2001, qualitative analysis [book] – there are no
one right way in analyzing data but instead there are several ways to approach it.
The approach taken will be determined by many factors and also considering the
sole aim is vital. Two distinct approaches are commonly used i.e. ‘grounded
theory and framework analysis.
Due to the nature of the case study the researcher will use the framework analysis
(Ritchie and Spencer, 1994) .This is because this process will provide systematic
and visible stages to the process to make the research more understandable. This
analysis has 5 stages: they are familiarization, identifying thematic framework,
indexing, charting and mapping and interpretation.
Data analysis methods that can be used will be logically analyzing the data,
typology and comparing the data. The photographs will also be studied in order to
identify various elements that will the recommendations at the end of the
research.
3.7 DATA PRESENTATION
3.7.1 Pie charts- This kind of presentation give the data clarity since it helps
identifying the differences between the subjects involved.
3.7.2 Bar graphs – The researcher’s aim is to make sure the information passed
through tables is well noticeable at a glance and easily interpretable.
3.7.3 Photographs and exhibitions – The most important thing about
photographs is that elements being researched can be evaluated and their
problems solved with ease. This is because by counting the number of problems
as seen in the exhibition, it’s easier to even to come up with a quotation of the
recommendations.
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CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 SITE ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS
4.1 INTRODUCTION
Enkasiti plains resort is located in Kitengela, Kajiado County along the Nairobi –
Namanga highway just 10km from Kitengela. It offers a wide range of services
which can accommodate people of all ages and gender. Enkasiti has a lounge area
which also serves as a bar fitted with the state of the art entertainment tools giving
the guests maximum pleasure and relaxation. A nyama choma zone is also present
with the traditional African cuisine to accompany the meat. The expansive
gardens at Enkasiti are suitable to hold all types of gathering from weddings and
graduation to company retreats and concerts. It is also equipped with a swimming
pool. There are cottages too which offer calmness and peace to people. For
example family, tourist, honeymooners.
Since 2013 when it was established, Enkasiti has grown and has a frequent flow
of customers who want to come eat, drink, relax and enjoy. Due to its rapid
growth it’s able to accommodate a wide variety of people both grown-ups and
children and also a favorite among domestic and international tourists who want
to have a fun outdoor and interactive experience.
Enkasiti is situated in a serene environment away from the hustle and bustle of the
city. It has no pollution of any kind as it is about 2km from the highway so air
pollution from mostly car fumes is not an issue. There are no any security threats
since the area is well fenced protecting the people from any harm.
The climate in Kitengela is warm and temperate. The driest month is August, with
6 mm of rain. In April, the precipitation reaches its peak; with an average of 138
mm. March is the warmest month of the year. The temperature in March averages
20.9 °C. At 16.9 °C on average, July is the coldest month of the year. The
temperature in Kitengela averages 19.2 °C. The average annual rainfall is 592
mm. The wind direction is east but it’s greatly affected by the presence of trees
that act as wind-breakers hence re-directed.
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The Enkasiti plains resort is located in the vast flat area along the Nairobi –
Namanga highway. It gently slopes from south-east to north-east direction. The
slope is very important since it allows the area to have natural drainage hence not
flooding during rainy seasons. The area constitutes of black cotton soil which is
not ideal for gardening but on addition of humus and nutrients, it can support
almost all types of plants. Its ability to retain a lot of water makes it ideal for this
area since it rarely rains but when it does its able to retain water to use during the
dry spells.
4.2 QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS
4.2.1 INTERIOR DESIGN
The Enkasiti plains resort is made up of permanent colorful stone walls. Most of
the interior space is plastered and a range a colors has been painted depending on
the section of the resort. This space comprises of a dining/lounge area, bar,
kitchen and the washrooms. As one enters the resort from the main entrance, on
the right side there is a door leading to the bar, on the left side is the dining area
which is divided into two sections using a permanent stone and on the furthest end
of the last section the lounge area is the kitchen. There is an exit in the dining area
next to the kitchen which leads to the washrooms.
Figure 4.1 Permanent walls of the resort.
Source: Author
46
4.2.1.1 FLOORING AND COLOR SCHEME
The main theme color of the resort is cream which was painted on most walls.
Only the bar had different colors which I realized the reason was to make it more
lively and attractive to people. There were LED lightings on the wall which
created a harmonious feel with the color theme of the bar.
The whole floor area of the resort is covered with mazeras apart from the kitchen
area and washrooms. These two areas are covered with tiles.
Figure 4.2 Tiled kitchen floor Figure 4.3 Mazeras floor
Source: Author Source: Author
Figure 4.4 Washroom Tiles
Source: Author
47
Figure 4.5 & 4.6 Color scheme of the resort
Source: Author
4.2.1.2 LIGHTING AND CEILING
The resort has different types of ceilings depending on the section of the place.
The ceiling in the bar area is made up of sacks made up of different colors. This
was one of most attractive yet sustainable type of design that I came across in this
resort. The verandahs and some of the corridors of the resorts have plastic ceilings
that are brown in color. The brown ceiling enhances the blending of colors with
the cream colored walls mostly on the outside of the resort. There is also another
type of ceiling that is randomly put at different places in the resort, made from
inter-twined sisal ropes.
Enkasiti resort is lighted by both artificial and natural lighting. Artificial lighting
comes from the energy saving bulbs that are placed both on the ceiling and the
walls. The natural light comes in through the large bay windows. The windows
also allow efficient circulation of fresh air in the entire resort. The bar area is not
well lit during the day and the lights have to been on 24/7 and thereby there is no
maximization of energy conservation.
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Figure 4.7 Roof Figure 4.8 Partial ceiling
Source: Author Source: Author
Figure 4.9 bar ceiling Figure 4.10 Verandah ceiling
Source: Author Source: Author
49
Figure 4.11 & 4.12 Bar lighting
Source: Author
4.2.1.3 THE KITCHEN
This area is located at the furthest end of the resort. It is divided into different
sections and they are; the main area where all the cooking takes place, the pantry
(where the foods are stored and refrigerated and the nyama choma area which is
open to the outside. The floors are covered with white squared ceramic tiles and
also the walls are tiled halfway. This makes it easy to clean both the walls and the
floor and thereby maintaining a high level of hygiene in the kitchen. Cabinets are
fitted on the walls which are used to store items that are frequently used in the
kitchen. The nyama choma zone has something that looks like a butchery where
the meat is hung before it is placed on the grill for roasting. The resort uses a
variety of energy sources to cook. They use charcoal and the normal gas that is
total gas.
50
Figure 4.13 & 4.14 - Kitchen area
Source: Author
4.2.1.4 WASHROOMS
They are divided into two sections; gents and ladies. The gents section has two
toilets and a urinal while the ladies section has three toilets. They each have two
sinks, a bin and a mirror above the sinks. They also have a hand dryer which is
very convenient to use instead of the normal use of serviettes. It’s advantageous
because it reduces the amount of waste in the washrooms. The walls and the floor
are covered with the same ceramic tiles as the kitchens which are easy to maintain
and clean as well.
Figure 4.15 & 4.16 Washrooms
Source: Author
51
4.2.1.5 WINDOWS, DOORS AND CIRCULATION SPACE
Inside the resort circulation space is essential because many people are busy
conducting their business. The strategic positioning of doors allows easy
movement of people around a space. Enkasiti resort does not have many doors but
instead it has arches that connect the areas/sections. The doors in the resort are the
entrances which are three, three back doors too and the door leading to the
kitchen. The entrances have large wooden doors that have engravings on it. The
backdoors are metallic and these doors are strong mainly for security purposes.
All the three entrances lead to the back of the resort where there is extra sitting
space for the visitors. The verandah has seats as well as a tented patio which also
has seats and tables. The kitchen door is wooden and it’s there so that the guests
cannot be disturbed/distracted by the noises in the kitchen.
The light coming in through is not well distributed in the space and some areas
are darker than others and this causes the visitors to prefer some parts on the
dining area. Some even opt to stay outdoors but it’s sometimes impossible
because of the weather uncertainty. The bar area has one small window which
does not allow much light to come and therefore artificial lighting comes into play
throughout. The circulation space in this resort is well distributed and the staff is
able to move with ease. It comprises of a corridor and walk-ways provided to
availability of space in the entire resort. There is also a lot of unutilized space
mainly in the dining and bar area .This area can be used and thus maximizing on
the amount of the money that can be earned.
52
Figure 4.17 Main entrance door
Source: Author
Figure 4.18 Windows Figure 4.19 The metallic backdoor
Source: Author Source: Author
53
4.2.2 FURNITURE
The resort comprises of two types of furniture. The outdoor furniture and indoor
furniture. These two types of furniture are different since they are exposed to
different environments.
4.2.2.1 INDOOR FURNITURE
The bar area has plastic chairs which are provided with a strong framework in
order to provide adequate support. They also have armrests which ensure the
visitor’s is comfortable. The tables are also made of plastic. The main advantage
of this kind of furniture in the bar area is that it is easy to move, light, easy to
clean and maintain and the also occupy little space per piece. Nevertheless these
chairs and tables are not attractive and they do not also offer a lot of comfort and
cause displeasure if one sits on them for long. There is the tall bar stools facing
the counter made of wood.
The dining area is comprised of sofas and tables. These sofas are made of wood
and have cushions on them. The cushions are covered with brown fabrics which
are all matching. The seats can accommodate at least 7 people meaning it’s a 7-
seater sofa. The tables are made of cypress wood which is both economical and
long lasting. They are also vanished to make them more attractive and easy to
clean. The tables are painted brown that go along well with the sofas which have a
hue of brown. Color is minimally used and it’s limited to dark colors; brown,
green and black.
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Figure 4.20 bar area seats Figure 4.21 Dining area seats
Source: Author Source: Author
4.2.2.2 OUTDOOR FURNITURE
The chairs and tables are placed at the verandah at the back of the resort and also
on the grass. Tables and chairs “lazy chairs” on the verandah are wooden. They
are attractive and one of the most comfortable chairs in the resort and many
people prefer sitting on them. There is a tented patio which has wooden tables and
plastic chairs too. The furniture on the grass is made of plastic “kenpoly chairs”
and tables with parasols. These chairs are neither attractive nor appealing. The
parasols protect the visitor from the harmful rays of the sun on a hot day. The
wooden outdoor tables which are made of treated wood and this prevents them
from wearing out maybe due to water or heat from sun. Some chairs are also put
under trees and shade can be provided by large wide acacia trees.
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Figure 4.22 parasols
Figure 4.23 seats at the tented patio
Source: Author
Source: Author
4.2.3 EXHIBITION AND DISPLAY
This is one of the areas that has been neglected because many people term it as
irrelevant and self-explanatory. Exhibition and display serves various purposes;
identification, safety, advertising and also direction purposes. Since it’s a resort a
menu should also be provided so as one can have an idea of the price without
asking directly from the waiter. Signage is very important in any business
enterprise as it gives the clients easy maneuvering around the space. Branding is
also part of exhibition and display. This helps to attract and also retaining the
current customers. It also gives the business its unique identity.
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4.2.3.1 BAR COUNTER
Enkasiti plains resort has a well-stocked bar which offers a variety of alcoholic
drinks. In terms of African theme, the designer tried to incorporate and came up
with a well-structured type of modern design. The counter is made of uncut
concrete blocks and the top part is made of wood which has been vanished to give
a clear finished look. The shelf holding the drinks is made of a MDF boards and
partitioning made of glass which has artificial lighting added to it in order for the
customer to have a clear view of the variety of drinks available at the bar. Other
beverages are in a storage facility, fridge, which has also acted as a display as it is
branded with the product’s name like in this resort its tusker. There is another
fridge where the non- alcoholic drinks are kept and it’s also branded Coca-Cola.
Figure 4.24 bar counter
Source: Author
57
4.2.3.2 BRANDING AND SIGNAGE
The resort management has tried to put signs in order to guide customers on how
to get there. As you enter Kitengela town along the highway there is a sign post
which shows the services offered in the resort and also the distance to be covered
to get there. Also as you approach the resort just before exiting the tarmacked
road there is another sign post showing the direction to enter.
Branding which mainly deals with a company its identity has also been some
places which include the staff uniform. The staff has different uniforms according
to their area of work such as waiters, bartenders, cooks, janitors. The company
name has also been printed in their uniform to differentiate them everybody else
i.e. clients. In addition to the company name they also have name tags to enable
the visitors to address them according to their personal names thus avoiding
confusion. For example the customers can be able to identify the waiters serving
them mainly when it comes to paying the bill.
Figure 4.25 Sign post Figure 4.26 Signage (washrooms)
Source: Author Source: Author
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4.2.4 LANDSCAPE
In term of landscape the resort has tried to utilize the space but more can be done
in order to maximize on the whole space thereby increasing profits. Due to the
vast tract of large the customers are able to enjoy the outdoor experience.
Landscape is divided into two; hard and soft landscape. Hard landscape materials
include concrete, timber, glass, metal and much more while the soft landscape
materials describe the vegetative materials such as plants, grasses, shrubs and
trees. The Enkasiti resort landscape is mainly the soft landscape materials since
the ground cover is mostly scutch grass. Hard landscape is limited to mostly the
parking area which is covered with murram and gravel. Trees are not well
distributed with some which have not fully grown so they do not serve their
purpose for the moment. The fully grown trees are mainly acacia but there are
efforts to plant exotic trees. Trees and shrubs are also well spaced mainly at the
front of the resort near the main entrance.
4.2.4.1 VEGETATION
The vegetation cover in the resort is adequate which includes trees, flowers and
shrubs. At the front of the resort there is a hedge which has been well-shaped with
the ENKASITI RESORT word. Flowers have also been planted together with the
shrubs giving the hedge a certain kind of style that is eye catching. The main
ground cover is the scutch grass which covers more than 50% of the whole
landscape. The acacia trees have been randomly distributed because most of them
grow naturally in this area.
Figure 4.27 shrubs Figure 4.28 trees and grass cover
Source: Author Source: Author
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4.2.4.2 HARD LANDSCAPE
The hard landscape materials have not been used in most areas of the resort and
have only been limited to the parking area. The area is covered with murram
mixed with gravel and pieces of concrete blocks. It is not well leveled because
during heavy rains, some places form puddles of water.
Figure 4.29 parking area covered with murram
Source: Author
4.2.4.3 STRUCTURES
This is the type of landscape that is artificial (man-made). At the Enkasiti resort
the main structures are a few but noticeable. Just at the entrance is a water tank
that supplies the borehole water to every area in the entire resort. There is also
adequate outdoor lighting which enables the visitors enjoy the facilities of the
resort even at night.
Figure 4.30 water tank
Source: Author
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4.3 QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
A sample population of 40 was used to collect data using questionnaires. This
population was made up of 25 visitors, 14 staff members (cooks, waiters and
bartenders) who were selected randomly and the managing director.
Table 4.0: Table showing frequency distribution, author 2015
FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE
VISITORS 25 62.5%
STAFF 14 35%
MANAGEMENT 1 2.5%
TOTAL 40 100%
The table above shows how the questionnaires were distributed to the sample
population. The target population is mainly the visitors so it made up the highest
percentage which was 62.5% followed by the staff working in the resort which
was 35% and finally the management which was 2.5%.
POPULATION SAMPLE FOR QUESTIONNAIRES
Figure 4.31 Bar graph showing the frequency distribution
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Visitors Staff Management
Frequency
Percentage
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Source: Author
4.4 PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS
The resort interior has no particular theme although the colors used have some
relation to the African safari. A lot can be done to the interiors to make it more
contemporary and at the same time achieving the researcher’s desired theme. The
use of ceiling made from sustainable materials in some parts of the resort is a
great technique but also more can be done to the remaining areas that have no
ceiling at all. This could help in minimizing the noise produced on the roof for
example when it rains. The permanent walls can be painted using colors that
appreciate and are more related to the African safari décor. The wall art murals
and paintings are the usual African theme which is common in most places. The
flooring which is mazeras is hard to clean and is time consuming. The lighting is
adequate both artificial and natural and aeration is also sufficient due to presence
of many windows and doors.
The furniture is of the ordinary shapes which make the place boring after a while.
The furniture have no form of sustainability in them and on top of that the plastic
chairs used in both the bar area and eating area are uncomfortable after sitting on
them for a while. The upholstery of the counter tools is good but the backrest
causes discomfort after some time. The overall furniture of the resort could pass
as any other kind of furniture in most normal hotel and therefore more can be
done to improve them. As for the tables, they are made of hardwood timber which
is an excellent choice.
In terms of exhibition which mainly centers in the bar area, the counter is well lit
with artificial lighting hence a clear view of all the available drinks making it one
of the best designed places in the resort and brand advertisement as also in place
by use of beer stickers on the wall that also had LED lighting in them thereby
bringing out the bar mood really well. The sign posts put up in strategic places
just before getting to the resort are of great help to the first-time customers and
make it easier for them to find their way. And lastly finding your way in the resort
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without the help of the staff can be hard because there are no signs indicating the
direction of the facilities offered.
Finally the landscape had well-manicured lawn. The plants mainly the trees at the
outdoor sitting area were randomly planted and lacked variety as well as any
flowing pattern. The shrubs and flowers mainly at the front were well maintained
and had a well-designed pattern. The landscape has great potential especially in
terms of expansion to create more space for the customers.
4.5 CONCLUSION
Due to the nature of the customers going to the resort, the use of African safari
style of décor can greatly improve the image of the resort thereby attracting even
more customers. Most people who want to get away from the city mainly want to
experience something different and this resort can therefore satisfy their needs.
Also not forgetting the international tourists who visit the Nairobi national park
and because of the resort’s proximity to this tourist attraction, it can greatly
benefit from these who always want to have an experience of something new. The
interior walls as well as the furniture can be given that African touch since they
are viewed as the strong point by the researcher and this can achieved in terms of
using well recognized African colors. The landscape should also portray that
African theme so that it can give the customer that speculation of how the inside
will look like.
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CHAPTER 5
5.0 SUMMARY FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION
5.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter explains the summary of the findings after the data has been
collected and analyzed. The researcher uses the main points from literature review
to come up with possible ideas that can be helpful to the Enkasiti resort in making
it have a better environment for its clients. It focuses on the four areas of study
which are furniture, interior architecture, exhibition and display and landscape
which will incorporate the African safari style of décor with bio-mimicry to bring
out a contemporary type of design.
5.2 SUMMARY OF DATA ANALYSIS/FINDINGS
The furniture is of ordinary shapes and lacks any sense of style as well as theme.
The outdoor chairs which are made of plastic causes a lot of discomfort if one sits
on them for a while. There are no sustainable materials used in the furniture other
than wood. In general no design principle has been used in the furniture.
The resort interior lacks any theme and it’s just plain except for some art paintings
on the wall. The colors on the wall were randomly painted and lack any sense of
style although these represent the same color scheme that the researcher intends to
use in order to achieve the desired overall theme. The lighting and aeration are
adequate and up to date.
The landscape has been well-maintained and efforts to plant more trees have
already taken place in order to make the place greener. The shrubs and flowers
that are already in place are well-designed and give the landscape an alluring
experience. The shrubs all around the resort add more “life” to the entire place.
Exhibition and display in the resort is good. The shelves in the counter are well
lit. The signage in the entire restaurant is good except for the entrances which can
sometimes cause confusion. It is also difficult to find your way around the resort
without the help of one of the staff. Brand advertisement mostly in the bar area is
well put and equipped with artificial lighting. Advertisement of the resort has
been done in form of sign posts and also in the social media.
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5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS
5.3.1 INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE
The interiors of the resort should be well designed in such a way that they reflect
and relate to the African safari style of décor. The color scheme should be of
earthy tones that really represent that wild look of the wildlife such as brown,
grey, red and their hues according to the different areas of the resort. This should
go hand in hand will all the other aspects in that particular space such as the
ceiling and floor so that there is no overwhelming of colors. The lighting also
should be improved, which refers to both artificial and natural lighting. Natural
lighting can be increased by adding more extra windows or expanding the existing
ones to allow more light to come into the space and as for the artificial lighting,
energy saving bulbs or LEDs should be put in order to conserve energy and at the
same time producing more light.
The paint used in the resort will be fire retardant to ensure safety in case of fire
outbreak and minimize the damage caused. The mazeras floor in the resort will
remain as it is but it will be vanished to make it more smooth and easier to clean
too. The mazeras also assists in the color scheme blending of the whole space.
Ceiling made of gypsum will be an excellent choice since apart from being
economical it is sound proof and at the same fire resistant. It is also labour
friendly because it is easy to install and make its ideal to use than any other
surfacing product. The doors at the front will be made of hardwood and
engravings curved on them. They will be expanded to allow more air circulation
and natural lighting. The back doors will remain as they are but as for the
windows they will be expanded into large bay windows to allow more natural
lighting.
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Figure 5.0 color scheme Figure 5.1 Lighting
Source: www.safari365.com Source: www.africa-reps.com
5.3.2 FURNITURE
The type of furniture at the resort should not only be in accordance with the
African safari theme but also bio-mimicry should also be included. This enable
the researcher to come up with furniture that is Africanized and at the same time
nature inspired. This is one of the focal point because the guests have to be
comfortable in order for them to have a good time. This applies for the both types
of furniture that is; outdoor and indoor furniture. Sustainable materials can be
used such as wood for example and also the other parts of the furniture such as
fabric, color and decoration should portray the desired theme.
The bar area should be fitted with lounge chairs that should definitely blend well
with the color scheme of the walls. Chairs jig made of hardwood that should be
covered with a leather fabric mainly of the earthy tones like brown for example.
The tables at the bar area should be pieces of reclaimed wood like logs which can
be vanished and used as it is. This strengthens the African safari look theme in the
resort. The upholstery of the dining area chairs should also be made of wood and
then padding provided by cushions that adapt well with African theme. The use of
animal prints on the chair fabric can produce this effect. The chair jig can adopt
the bio-mimicry theme like for example making of bird’s nest chairs using sisal
which is a sustainable material as well as it provides that color tone. In order to
66
have uniformity in the resort the table in the dining can also be made of reclaimed
wood but the size should differ with the bar area tables due to its function. The
outdoor furniture is made up of resin chairs that have parasols to protect visitors
from sun. The resin chairs are suitable because they are not damaged to exposure
either from heat or water. A pergola will also be constructed in order to
accommodate large number of people to have their meetings or gatherings. This
pergola is made of hardwood that is treated to protect it from excessive sun
exposure and water.
Figure 5.2 Resin wicker bench (outdoor) Figure 5.3 Pergola
Source: Google Source: Google
5.3.3 LANDSCAPE
The landscape should be designed in a way that it flows effortlessly to the
indoors. Plants with deep colors such as dark red should be a point of concern
since they bring out that Africa's warm, monochromatic earthy tones. Trees
planted should be manageable in order to allow shaping from time to time. The
choice of the hard landscape materials should also be considered greatly.
Materials such as mazeras and cabro should color relate with the rest of the soft
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landscape and this enables the landscape to have a flowing pattern. Hard
landscape materials should be used in making walk-ways instead of walking on
grass. Cabro paving is an excellent choice and highly recommendable for high
traffic areas. It should also be used in the parking which helps in preventing not
only flooding but also easier to clean. More trees should be planted in the
compound in order to provide more shade and fresh air because trees are known
to act as wind breakers which trap dust impurities that come with the wind.
Coniferous trees are best preferred because they are evergreen and they only drop
old leaves. They also grow upwards in a triangular shape providing a lot of shade.
Examples of these trees are Douglas fir, African yellowwood, brown pine, cypress
Figure 5.4 Grass and
Paving
Source: http://www.exteriorworlds.com/blog
5.4.4 EXHIBITION & DISPLAY
In order to have that contemporary type of design from African safari and bio-
mimicry, exhibition and display is essential as it gives the resort that unique look.
The bar counter and the shelves in the kitchen should be redesign to flow with the
rest of the interior. This can be in terms the shape, color and even the materials
used. Materials such as African driftwood are suitable in achieving this theme.
Branding and signage also falls under exhibition and display. The resort should
introduce signage inside and outside the premises in order for the visitors to know
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where the different facilities offered at the resort are located. Menu is also very
important to visitors as it helps them budget and know exactly what they are
paying. In terms of the uniform for the staff, it should be branded with the resort’s
logo and should be in accordance with the theme of the place enabling them to
blend well with the working premises.
5.4 CONCLUSION
In applying all the above recommendations, Enkasiti Plains Resort can be
transformed into a sustainable environment where the contemporary type of
design allows it to keep up with the current global trends whereas the African
safari décor facilitates the conservation and preservation of our rich African
culture. This allows more visitors to continue coming to the resort and the current
ones coming time and time again.
5.5 SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER STUDY
The researcher covered all the four areas of study but did not exhaust them
therefore there is room for more research. A lot of data was covered and analyzed
but on top that further studies can be carried out in similar projects. Other
researchers, groups and individuals are allowed to use this research and also add
their own studies to it.
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APPENDIX 1
A sample of a questionnaire for tourists
1. Where do you currently live?
2. Is the current theme of the resort appealing to you?
3. Are you familiar with African safari décor?
4. Would you prefer African safari décor to the current theme in the resort now?
5. How would you rate the overall condition of the resort?
APPENDIX 2
A sample questionnaire for the staff
1. Which is your current position of work?
2. Do you like the current décor of the resort?
3. Are you familiar with African safari style of décor?
4. Do you think the current theme attracts the correct number of visitors?
5. Would a change in décor satisfy the frequent customers and even attract
more?
APPENDIX 3
A sample questionnaire for the management
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1. Are you currently the Managing Director of Enkasiti Resort?
2. Does the current theme of the resort guarantee the correct number of tourists?
3. Are you familiar with the African safari style of décor?
4. Do you think this philosophy or style would make any positive changes to this
establishment?
5. In overall, do you believe the resort satisfies the needs and wants of the
customers?
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