ABSTRACT
The fast growing trend of modernization and urbanization in regions around the world has its shares of dire consequences, which includes stress related problems, and have been on rise all over the world. The increasing economic growth and development has led to an intense densification of cities which have in some cases, led to a sparser availability of open spaces. Nevertheless, the need of spaces with restorative potentials is imperative in order to mitigate the stress related problems. Hence, this thesis is aimed at understanding the role of landscape and its qualities in fostering psychological restoration in outdoor environments, with the objectives of identifying those specific landscape elements that promote a restorative environment. The methodology involved interviews and preference study with the use of photo questionnaires. The preference study involved the selection of 40 coloured images inspired by Ulrich and Kaplan’s restoration theory. The images depicted landscape scenes with some elements of the attention restoration and psycho evolutionary theories. The images included variables such as soft landscape, water elements, colours hard landscape and sporting facilities. Scale 1-5 were given to each participants for each images to be rated with 1 and 5 as the lowest and highest preferences respectively. The rating was based on how positively such scenery will affect them. The results were analysed by factoring out the 15 most preferred images as well as the 15 least preferred images while factoring out the common traits in the images in each selected category. The 15 preferred images were because of the high degree of naturalness, denser landscape with beautiful shrubs and trees. There were presence of water bodies and the colours had brighter colours of plant and general physical environment. While the 15 less preferred images were because the images contained lesser quantities of landscape, low percentages vegetative ground cover, stagnant and unclean water, and lighter shades of the colour of grasses and trees. The result from the findings indicates that the existence of aesthetically pleasing bodies of water, artwork (sculptures and statues), and enhanced vegetative cover (trees, shrubs and flowers) foster restorative qualities of such a place. To achieve this, the thesis recommends the adoption of natural features that can be integrated into landscape designs as a key element for stress relief in hotel designs. In conclusion, the knowledge reflected by this thesis can be referred as guidelines by architects, designers, planners and even policy makers to create or transform outdoor spaces into an environment that supports psychological restoration which in both short and long term will benefit public health and overall wellbeing of individuals.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
A study conducted by the Canadian Public Health Association reported that it costs about 27 times more to curb or achieve a decrease in cardiovascular mortality and other stress related problems such as high-blood pressure, insomnia and some anti-social behaviours, through medical interventions than it does to attain the same result through native public health spending such as outdoor recreation and landscape environment (Sue, 2013). Today, one of the basic demands of the modern society is the opportunity of living in a healthy environment, and this is particular in urban settings where the opportunities of connecting and interacting with green spaces are getting thinner due to the rapid development of infrastructure that tampers with the natural environment and features. People appreciate the features and qualities of nature in their nearby environment in which they find themselves, and preferences are reported to relate to specific physical landscape character of the designed landscapes within the surrounding (Garret et al., 2018).
A hotel is an establishment that is built for the sole purpose of hosting people by providing accommodation, feeding and other facilities for people in need of such services including travellers and tourists (Chan & Mackenzie, 2013). There exist a classification of hotel buildings and is based on its spaces and facilities, this include: Hotel, Motel, Inn, Boarding house, Bed and breakfast establishment and Holiday villages (Lawson & Rawson, 1999). These buildings are popular for the luxury, convention and tourism they provide for in any place because of their conspicuous nature and drive for commercial success. Across the hospitality industry, hotel buildings in recent years have developed far beyond the usual services of accommodation and feeding, to other extended services and facilities mostly involved in outdoor spaces. Hence, they have great potentials of providing an experience with outdoor spaces due to some services that they have to offer guests and other users compared to other building types (Jeremy et al., N.D).
However, since sustainability in recent years has been a key issue in industries, it is important to view the framework of green natural environment and means of harnessing it to improve health and also add to sustainable development in the hospitality industry (Sue, 2013). It is therefore relatively significant to draw more emphasis on the importance of the natural physical environment in psychological restoration processes and recover from stress. This can be optimally achieved in hotel environments, where there are countless opportunities of experiencing outdoor open spaces, as the daily interaction and blending of people with the elements of the natural physical environment can either ease stress or help people manage it appropriately (Berto, 2014).
Stress can be defined as the condition that occurs when person-environment contacts leads an individual to perceive a discrepancy (whether real or not) between the demands of a situation and the biological, psychological or social resources of the individual (Berto, 2014). Stress possess some negative effects which can be identified based on three categories namely the neuro-physiological or bodily changes in the individual experiencing stress, performance or behavioural changes and self-report of such individuals. Stress is a leading cause of mental and physical problems of health (Sue, 2013). Relaxation is a state of being of low tension, to be less stressed. It is a state in which there is an absence of arousal that could come from anger, anxiety, fear, or other sources. It can be achieved through meditation, autogenetic, progressive muscle relation and other possible means. It helps improve coping with stress.
Hence, it is necessary that the natural environment is brought close to the manmade environment so that there can be a unison of both, and this can be done with the use of relaxation can be promoted. Oyetola et al. (2013) stated that landscape has a powerful influence on individuals as it can positively simulate the minds, being a visually determined concept, which depends on perception, it is in turn deeply connected to the way we think. Therefore, when landscape is well planned and properly designed with the essential features and elements, it can serve as a means of alleviating stress.
1.2 Statement of Research Problem
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says stress has become a worldwide epidemic (American Physical Association, 2017). With the current fast economic growth and urbanization in regions around the world, towns and cities are developing continuously. Open spaces are getting sparser as they are being occupied for the purpose of erecting buildings and other urban infrastructure. This gradually reduces the chances of having an outdoor open space where people can socialise, relax and have opportunities of getting engaged and interact with the natural environment. Such an artificial environment can have some harmful consequences on people due to the absence of natural elements (Ruddick, 2015). Furthermore, with the advent of modern technology such as internets, computers, mobiles, televisions and other modern electronic gadgets, people tend to spend more time indoors entertaining themselves with these gadgets. In addition to this, the activities and lifestyle of some urban environments consist of some unfavourable stress inducing factors such as crowding, heavy traffic, chaos, noise, and many other forms of stressors and these stressors could lead to mental fatigue (Silfee et al., 2016).
Van der wees et al. (2013) stated that stress can lead to several health problems; such as impairing of one‘s moods and efficiency, and a decrease in concentration power. It is therefore not surprising that stress and some stress related illnesses have been on increase all around the world in recent times. Hence, with the alarming rate of stress related issues on human health both mental and physical, it is imperative to put in place measures that can alleviate this problem.
According to Berto (2014), physical settings contribute positively in alleviating stress effects on individuals, as the results of an experimental research by Berto (2014) showed strong indication that there exists a relationship between exposure to natural environments and recovery from mental fatigue and physiological stress. Wan & Wan (2015) further stated that natural green spaces encourage relaxation and reduce stress as it protects people against the impact of environmental stressors and offer physiological, emotional and attention restoration and this provides a sense of freedom and exhilaration. In these conditions, landscape could go a long way in reducing stress and its impact by promoting relaxation in hotel environments and at the same time improve the sustainability of hotel building, as it exposes people to the green environment.
1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study
The aim of this study is to evaluate the use of landscape in promoting stress relief in hotel buildings in Kaduna and thereby propose a hotel design where relaxation is heightened with the use of landscaping features and elements.
The objectives of this study are:
1. To assess the effect of landscape as a restorative element for stress relief in hotels
2. To identify the landscape features that can be used to promote relaxation in hotel environment
3. To evaluate the design parameters of the existing features required for stress
4. Relief
5. To incorporate the required stress relief landscape features in the proposed hotel design.
1.4 Scope of Study
The scope of this study cover an evaluation of 10 different hotel buildings in Kaduna, which will highlight the theoretical framework necessary to achieve physical and mental wellbeing in hotel designs through the assessment of existing principles and the consideration of the landscape pattern and features, mostly in the outdoor area. Finally, the research will develop theoretical solutions as well as design solutions for sustainable landscape pattern and planning for a well relaxed hotel environment in Kaduna to create a natural stress relieving environment.
1.5 Limitations of the Study
Due to the security situation in the country, it was difficult to obtain permissions from the managements of some of the selected hotels to carry out the necessary evaluations and data collections. Some hotels also restrained from releasing some necessary information and also refused access to certain areas of the hotel because of their policy of not infringing on their guest’s privacy and also to protect their guest against the present insecurities happening around in the country.
1.6 Justification of the Study
Health challenge is a major concern especially to the adult population. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded a high rate of some health related issues that has arisen due to stress (Alison, 2015). Hence, buildings being a very integral part of man‘s daily activity should be designed in such a way that this health challenge of stress can be eased. There is therefore the need to provide an environment where relaxation is ensured. Hotel buildings which are known to provide services for relaxation and other facilities involving outdoor spaces can be designed in a manner that natural environment is harnessed and the natural features and elements are brought close to man to ensure that relief from stress can be attained with the use of landscape as a tool.
1.7 Contribution to Knowledge
This study which involves the evaluation of landscape to promote stress relief, would create a better understanding of the need for nature and its benefits in order to relieve stress and other negative effects that emanate from stress on people‘s health. It will also provide landscape designers with the requisite knowledge and necessary information on ways to harness landscape designs and planning in hotel environment to enhance and promote relaxation.
1.8 Study Area
The study was conducted in Kaduna, the capital city of Kaduna State, located in the North West Geo political zone of Nigeria. The name of the town was derived from the existence of a nearby river called Kaduna because of an abundance of crocodiles in the river. “Kaduna” is a plural form of crocodile in Hausa language. Kaduna town is located on latitudes 9‘03‘ and 11‘32‘ north and longitudes 6‘48‘ – 8‘48‘ east on the foot slopes of the scarp of the Jos plateau, and is located on the south end of the high plains of northern Nigeria,. The city itself lies within the territory of the emirate of Zaria, and is situated on a very attractive and easily accessible region, and also share a common border with the Federal Capital, Abuja. Figure 1.1 and Figure 1.2 shows the geographical maps of Nigeria and that of Kaduna State respectively.
This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research
EVALUATION OF LANDSCAPE FEATURES FOR STRESS RELIEF IN HOTEL BUILDINGS IN KADUNA, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
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