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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

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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

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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.

48

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.

54

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.

55

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.

56

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

58

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

59

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

60

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

61

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

67

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

68

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?

73