University of Nigeria Research Publications

AMEH, Joseph Eche

A

utho

r

Pg/m.sc/96/19772

Title

Resort Hotel, Asaba

Facu

lty

Environmental Studies

Dep

artm

ent

Architecture

Dat

e

October, 1998.

Sign

atur

e

CERTIFICATION

Thn is to certify that I, Ameh Joseph Eche, a post graduate student in the school of

Post Graduate Studies, Department of Architecture und with Registration Number

PG/M.Se/96/19772 has satisfactorily completed t h i requirements for the couxe and

research work for the degree of Master of Science in Archtecture. The work embotlied

in this project report is original and has not been submitted in part or full for any other

Diploma or Degree to the Department of Archtecture, University of N~geria.

PREPARED BY: r ,

. . " AMEA JOSEPH ECRE

ACCEPTED BY

ARC C.O. OJ1

DATE

DEDICATION

TO: . .

My late grandmother, Mrs. C. N. Obah for her tremendous effort towards my

attainment of basic education upon which my tertiary education was based,

; .,, : , * I r- , I ': r,..

My mother, Mrs. A. N. Ameh, for imbibing . . in me, the spirit of love in this cynical

world,

My sponsors, Mr. R. N. Onwuemeh and Mr. .J. U. Onwuemeh and,

God for everything . . . . . and more.

I acknowledge with gratitude, the financial assistmce 1 ~eceivcd from my mother, ,Vrs

A. N. Ameh, Mr. R. N. Onwuemeh, and Mr. J. U . Onwuemeh throughout the thorny

years that was spent on thts programme.

I also appreciate the contribution of the following people:

- My supervisor, Arc. N. M. Obinegbo for having the mind, patience, sincerity

of purpose as well as creating the chance to thorough-read and correct my

manuscript. I have never encountered an operation that is as thorough a:; he

made it!.

- The Head, Department of Architecture, Arc. C. 0. Oji for his fatherly

suggestions and inspiration,

- My lecturer, Arc. Odurn for his general sincere thought,

- The entire academic and non-academic staffof the department of Architecture

for their guidance towards me throughout my years of study. ,

- My elder sister, Mrs.,Rosemary her husband, Mr. Imocent Anene as well

as my beloved o'nes, Mr. Anthony Ogwu, Miss Joy Osaje, and Miss Rosem wy

Okpuzor, for their moral support.

Finally, I thank the Almighty Father for makmg thmgs as possible as it is today.

Father, thy will be done on us fb-ther, Amen.

AMEH JOSEPH

DEPA RThfEN'I ' OF A I K H I TIi( .'7'(/1<11

(/Nt.(:.

Since Asaba became the newly created capital of Delta State, the city has . .

experienced large d u x of people, coupled with the natural fast growing nature of the

town. Asaba, also house over 30% of the businessmen of Onitsha on

temporarylpermanent visit or stay. The town also, has branches of all the major banks

in Nigeria, and numerous private ventures. It therefore, becomes ironical that it has no

standard luxurious lodging facility. Moreso, with it's position in relation to the River

Niger, it stands a great chance of establishng a Resort-Hotel type. This hotel will

combine the best recreational facilities possible for a hotel, business facil:~t~es.

accommodation, convention facilities, etc in a single complex.

This thesis work is in seven chapters. Chapters 1 - 3 deals with the

introduction, historical background, and case studies respectively. Chapters 4 - 6

examines the site studies, facilities prograrnminy, and environmptal services

respectively . While the concluding chapter, chapter seven, treats the facilities

programming and the design solution. *

This thesis pves an insight into Resort-Hotel design, the do's and don't, the

limitations, the organization, and the solutions. w

assification of Hotels

2.3.1 Types of Hotels

2.3.2 Rating of Hotels

2.4 Existing Condition of Hotels in Asaba b .

References (Chapter Two)

CHAPTER THREE: CASE STUDIES

Ndce Lake Resort-Hotel, Enugu

Lagos Sheraton, Lagos

Abuja Sheraton, Abuja

Nicon Noga Hdton, Abuja ,

Eko Meridlen, Lagos

Camino Real Beach Hotel, Mexico

Issues Ansing fiom the Case Stuhes

CHAPTER FOUR: USER AND SITE STUDIES

vii

The User Categories

User Characteristics

Guest room bed types

Guest room Accommodation Population

The Client and Financiers

Design lmplications

Catchment Area

Town Selection Criteria

4.8 Site Location

4.9 Climatic Analysis

4.1 0 Site Selection Criteria

4.1 1 Site Selection s .

4.1 1.1 Site Gradmg

4.12 Site Analysis

... Vlll

CJUPTER FIVE: ACTIVITY STUDY AND FACLLITIES YKOGRAMMING

Basic Principles of Hotel Design

Planning Objectives

Planning Considerations (ways and means)

Contact with Nature

Definition of activities

Activity Space sludy

Facility Components and Description

Acwmmodation Schedule (Space Programme)

CHAPTER SIX: ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

Ventilation

Natural Ventilation

Au Distribution

Artificial Ventilation

central sysiem

Mono-zone Distribution

Multi-zone Distribution

Supply, Extract, and Combined Systems

Solar Radiation

Control of Solar Rachation . .

Landscaping

Architectural Use of Plants

Engineering Use of Plants

Climatological Use of Plants

CHAPTER SEVEN: THE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMM rt

7.1 Statement of Problem 7 > ,, ,, 23 5

7.2 The Design Philosophy 7 > ,, ,, 123.5

7.3 The Objectives 7, 7 7 7 7 '?? 5

7.4 Special Design Considerations 77 77 , 7 :236

7.4.1 Lighting ,) ,, ,, 230

7.4.2 Acoustics , 7 ,, ,, 238

7.4.3 Fire Protection 7 7 , , ,, 23 8

7.5 Spatial Relationships 77 , , , , :!4 I I

7 .6 Conceptualization 7 7 , 7 , , :!43

7.7 The Design Solution )) ,, 7 7 :!43

7.8 . Conclusion , , , , ,, ;!35

BIBLIOGRAPHY >, 7, 7, 246

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. (3a)

Fig. (3b)

Fig. (3c)

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

Fig. 7

Fig. 8

Fig. 9

Fig. 10

Fig. (lOa)

Fig. (1 0b)

Fig. (lOc)

Fig. (10d)

Fig. (10e)

Fig. 11

Fig. (1 1 a)

Fig. (I 1 b)

LIST OF FIGURES

Introduction

~otivation

Evoiutionary Tree Diagram

Hotel milestone

Hotel milestone *

Rating of Hotels w

Types and Rates of rooms (filton Hotel)

Types and Rates of rooms ( L q Ville Hotel)

Types and Rates of rooms (Sunrise Hotel)

Types and Rates of rooms (Mike White Hotel)

Site Design and Layout (Nlke Lake Resort)

External View (Lagos Sheraton)

Lobby (Lagos Sheraton)

Lobby (Lagos Sheraton)

Guest room Wings (Lagos Sheraton) I

Double Deluxe (Lagos Sheraton)

Double Deluxe (Lagos Sheraton)

. External View (Abuja Sheraton)

Lobby (Abuja Sheraton)

Bedroom (Abuja Sheraton)

Fig. (I 1 c)

Fig. (1 ld)

Fig. 12

Fig. (12a)

Fig. (12b)

Fig. (12c) .

Fig. (1 2d)

Fig. (l2e)

Fig. (1 2x)

Fig. (1 2xa)

Fig. (1 2xb)

Fig. (1 2xc)

Fig. (13a)

Fig. (13b)

Fig. 14

Fig. 15

Fig. 16

Fig. (17a)

Fig. (17b)

Fig. 18

Fig. 20

Fig. 21

Bedroom (Abuja Sheraton)

Section (Abuja Sheraton)

External View (Nicon Noga, Abuja)

Swimming Pool (Nicon Noga, Abuja)

Bedroom (Nicon Noga, Abuja)

Typical floor plan (Nicon Noga, Abuja)

Basement floor plan (Nicon Noga, Abuja)

Section (Nicon Noga, Abuja)

External View (Eko Meridien)

Car port (Eko Meridlen)

lobby (Eko Meridien)

Floor plan, Site plan and Section (Eko Meridien)

Site Design and Layout (Camino Real Beach-Hotel)

Section (Camino Real Beach-Hotel)

Characteristics of major Hotel guest markets

Guest room bed types . profitability curve for a 200 room Hotel

Map of Nigeria showing Delta State

Location of site w i t h Asaba

Location of Asaba within Delta state

Rainfall chart

Relative hurnidty chart

Fig. 22

Fig. 23

Fig. 24

Fig. 25

Fig 26

Fig 27

Fig. (28u)

Fig (28v)

Fig (28w)

Fig. (28x)

Fig. (28y)

Fig. (282)

Fig. 29

Fig. 30

Fig. (30 a, b, c, d)

Fig. (3 1 a, b)

Cloud Cover

Climatic zones of Nigeria

Temperature Chart

Site A.

Central core area layout development plan showing site L3

Site Grading

Site analysis (Access)

Site Analysis (Wind direction)

Site Analysis (Views')

Site Analysis (Noise Pollution)

Site Analysis (Solar Radiation and Orientation)

Site Analysis (Site Topography/Drainage/Section)

Activity space study

Space programme

FurnitureIEquipment Anthropometrics

Spatial Relationships

Plate 1

Plate 2

Plate 3

Plate 4

Plate 5

Plate6

Plate 7

Plate 8

Plate 9

Plate 10

Plate 1 1

Plate 12

Plate 13

Plate 14

Plate 15

Plate 16

Plate 17

Plate 18

Plate 19

Plate 20

Hilton Hotel

Hilton liotel

Hilton Hotel

Hilton Hotel

Hilton Hotel

Hilton Hotel

Hilton Hotel

Hilton Hotel

Larry Ville Hotel

Larry Ville Hotel

Larry Ville Hotel

Sunrise Hotel

Sunrise Hotel

Mike White Hotel

Mike White Hotel

Nike Lake Resort

Nike Lake Resort

Nike Lake Resort

Nike ~ a k e Resort

Nike Lake Resort

LIST OF PLATES

External View

External View

Lobby

Restaurant.,'Bz

Conference Hall

WC

WC

Executive Single Room

External View

RestaurandBar

Reception

External View

Exterior View

External View

External View

External View

Site Entrance

Traditional V'lllage Bar

~ecreational~Ground

Generator House

xiii

xiv

Plate 21

Plate 22

Plate 23

Plate 24

Plate 25

Plate 26

Plate 27

Plate 28

Plate 29

Plate 30

Plate 3 1

Plate 32

Plate 33

Plate 34

Plate 35

Plate 36

Plate 37

Nike Lake Resort -

Nike LakeResort -

Nike Lake Resort -

Nike Lake Resort -

Nike Lake Resort -

Nike Lake Resort -

Nike Lake Resort - Nike Lake Resort -

Nike Lake Resort -

Nike Lake Resort -

Nike Lake Resort -

Nike Lake Resort -

Nike Lake Resort -

Nike Lake Resort -

Niiie Lake Resort -

Nike Lake Resort -

Nike Lake Resort -

Recreational Ground

Exterior View Of KitchedGenerator

House

Water Reservoir

Main Entrance Into the Building

Convention Entrance

View Of I-lotel's Guest room Block and

part of Generator House

Guest Room Wing(Externa1 View)

Reception /Shops/Corridor

Corridor

Night Club

Walk Way to Swimming Poo!

Swimmingg Pool

Guest Room Wing (External View)

Walk-Way ToLake Casino From *

Swimming Pool Terrace

Lake Casino

Volley Bal1,Lawn Tennis and

BasketBall Courts

Rear View of ktchen

Plate 38

Plate 39

Plate 40

Plate 4 1

Plate 42

Plate 43

Plate 44

Plate 45

Plate 46

Plate 47

Plate 4 8

Plate 49

Plate 49x

Plate 50

Plate 5 1

Plate 52

Plate 53

Plate 54

Plate 55

Plate 56

Plate X

Lagos Sheraton - Lagos Sheraton - Lagos Sheraton -

Lagos Sheraton .. - Abuja Sheraton - Abuja Sheraton - Abuja Sheraton -

Abuja Sheraton - Abuja Sheraton - Abuja Sheraton - Abuja Sheraton -

Abuja Sheraton -

Location Of Site ( B )

External view

Main Entrance into Site

Service Entrance

Staff Parking Area

External View

Entrance LobbyIReception

Courtyard (left Wing)

Courtyard (Right Wing)

Exlubition Hall

Gymnasium

Shangri-la

Pool Bar 0

-.

Beacon Location Of Site ( B )

Project Site

Project Site - Location of the Small River

Project1Site - View of the kver Niger

Project Site

Project Site

Project Site - View Of Toll gate

Ngosheg Inn - External View

CHAPTER ONE

A hotel may be defined as a building where meals and rooms are provided for # ,

Travellers and short-stay business men, etc The hotei'industry is primarily involvcd

in business and pleasure. The main aspect of this pleasure deriving role is the

provision of recreational facilities. Accommodation is the provision of shclter Its

components include (a room with a bed). In recent times, accommodation has grown

to include the provision of toilet facilities, air conditioning, telecommlmi~aiions,

entertainment facilities and even room s e ~ c e s .

Based on the above-mentioned roles of the hotel, one could logically infer that

the main users of hotels are non-residents of the area. For hotels to maintain maximurn

profit, they have to attract customers by increasing their area of specialization and

sophistication. This is usually done in two ways which include:

First, h7 the improvement of guest facilities which entails the provision of

special services such as laundry facilities, business facilities, credit facilities, banking

facilities, gourmet restaurants, convention facilities, etc . Usually, the main aim of this

method is to entice non-resident users to the Hotel by providing charming options

The second method aims at attracting local users by the provision of resort and

recreational facilities such as swimming pools, golf course, tennis courts, gardens,

banqueting facilities, fitness clubs etc These activities / facilities also attract non-

resident users by serving as resort facilities for vacationists and tourists:

1.2 CONCEPT:

The resort hotel in its broadest term means a hotel that h$s scenic, historic, r~.crwllollal

and / or therapeutic qdvantages. The primary aim ofthe resort hotel being the provision m

of recreational and leisure activities as well as lodging

The resort hotel combines the functions of all hotel types by providing the

following facilities. Business facilities (Banks, business centres etc); convmtion

facilities (Conference rooms, banquet rooms, meeting rooms); Accomrnod;itwn;

catering services (speciality restaurants, theme bars, lutchen); Recreational facilities

(Swimming pools, lawn tennis, fitness club etc); EntertaLnment (Cinema, Night clubs)

and effective Administration. This resort hotel having a five star standard should

provide for the guest in terms of first class services and accommodation.

'The provision of the above-mentioned services is to give the users as many

options as possible: These enable guests from different parts of the world to ,enjoy

themselves satisfactorily even if their tastes differ. The adaptability ,and flexibility of

the hotel to the needs of guests is the key to the five star hotel standard.

In addition to these services, the hotel should afford the option of the type of

accommodation required. The type of accommodation usually varies fiom a smgle . .

room to a presidential suite, with the price tag increasing in the same order.

1.3 MOTIVATION: (See fig 1)

The mothating factors for my choice of designing a resort hotel for Asaba are

as follows:

1.3.1 Patronage:

The level of patronage by guests in the existing hotels in Asaba is very hiigh

especially in Sun Rise Hotel wluch is fiequentl y extended to accommodate the teeming

number of g~est/~atronizin~ the hotel. Yet, a fully booked hotel remains a regular

situation. s

1.3.2 Standard of Hotel:

The recent low standard of hotels in Asaba could nun off very important persons

(V. I. P's) in search of lodging accommodation in Asaba. The low standard of hotels

in Asaba is due partly to the failure to incorporate the following activities in their

design: conference facilities, recreational facilities, banking facilities, restaurant (s) and

bar (s), business centres, gift shops etc. Other , . . =

factors contributing to the low standard include: lack of room services, poor interior

decoration, sizes of rooms being relatively small, poor management, poor guest

services, lack of maintenance of hotel structure, etc.

1.3.3 Types of User:

The main targeted users of this proposed hotel for Asaba are dqpitaries from

most of the government ministries and establishments on assignment, travellers plying

the Lagos to Onitsha, Owerri and Port-Harcourt road, and Asaba and Onitsha bus~russ

men who have found it difficult to use the existing hotels in Asaba.

1.3.4 Creation of States:

Since Asaba became the capital of Delta State, the city has experienced large

lnflux of people includmg workers in government ofices (serving initially in other

towns (locations) in'Delta State) that are posted to assume duty m new branches oithe

newly created state capital, Asaba.

Moreso, government functions, seminars, conferences and banquets can easily

be carried out in the hotel, eliminating the added inconvenience of searching for

standard venue in hotels, located in other states that are lstant fiom Asaba. . .

1.4 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: (See fig 2)

The objectives of the proposed resort hotel in Asaba are as follows:

1 A.1 Accommodation: I , , , , I ' \ ( ' I , I 4 . 1 2

This objective refers to the provision of high class rooms, well designed to rneet ---

the hgh standards required by guests throughout the world. These include luxurious

interior decoration, room services, laundry, telecommunication services, audlolvisual

facilities, regular maintenance and spacious rooms that conform to the required

standard

1.4.3 Business Scope:

Since the site of the hotel is about ten (1 0) minutes dnve &om Onitsha, the hotel

should have a business scope that would cater for the busmess men of Asaba along side

asaba onitsha I I

with the business men of Orutsha. This implies that thehotel should be able to provide

such business services as banks, business centres, conference facilities, business suites,

rentable office space etc.

. . 1.4.3 Resort Capabilities:

Resort facilities are provided in @e hotel to serve the guests that are

accommodated and the tourists. These resort activities will also cater fbr the

Inhabitants of Asaba, since the present hotels in Asaba lzck these recreational facil.ities.

1.4.4 Entertainment:

Th~s has synonymous meanirig with resort capabilities but has its own clear-cut

meaning. It could be used to denote the recreational services rendered, that do not

include physical sports but are services to entertain the guests. The services under this

headmg include casino, night clubs, cinema, music shows etc. This aspect attracts the

patronage of the hotel by local residents and at the same time, serving the hotel guests 0 s

. 1.4.5 Convention Facilities:

The hotel +odd also be equipped with convention facilities such as confel-encc

rooms, banquet rooms, and meeting rooms that can effectively serve the government's

purpose during seminars, conferences and banquets. These convention facilities are

lacked by all the present hotels in Asaba.

1.5 SCOPE:

The proposed resort hotel for Asaba would be a hotel equipped with the

following facilities: .

- Accommodation (not less than 200 rooms)

- Convention facilities (Conference rooms, banquet rooms, meeting rooms)

- Business facilities (banks, business celbes etc)

- Catering services (specialty restaurants, theme bars, kitchen)

- Recreational facilities (swimming pools, lawn tennis, fitness club etc)

- Entertainment (Cinema, Night Club etc) and

- Administration.

Although the above list is not ex haustive, it provides a guide to the scope of the

hotel project. This work is primarily concerned with architectural solution to the

problems and needsof a Resort Hotel in Asaba. The final solution will be a synthesis

of users needs andsother external conditions of site and climate.

1.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:

The research format(Yadopted for thls work is deductive and involved the

collection and analysis of data through:

Site visit . .

- Interviews by consultation with hotel persomiel managers and specialists

- Library research

- Case studies of existing hotels where photographs were taken, and

- Other sources of doma t ion 'such as journals from the planning Board, Asaba

Print.

1.7 CONSTRAINTS:

Due to the discreteness of the hotel business, it was difficult and in certain cases

impossible to obtain mfoormatton on the subject. In most cases, I was compelled to part

with large sums of money to the hotel's security men Before being allowed to take a

camera exposure of the exterior view (elevation) only. At Nike Lake Resort Hotel,

Enugu, I went through the risk of taking photograph of' some of the hotel's intenor

spaces that I had been warned not to attempt, by avoiding the use of flash. The end

result was blurred image of the spaces when the film was printed. Other constraints

include people's attitude towards students. For instance, when I left school for Lagos

solely to conduct a case study of Lagos Sheraton, I was only allowed to talk wit11 the

personnel manager on phone and he asked me to come back in about three weeks tlme,

ignoring all my explanations with regards to time limit and identification letter from m y

department.

CHAPTER TWO

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND EXISTING CONDITIONS:

2.1 ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF HOTELS:

Since very ancient times, Inns have been in existence to serve merchants and

other travellers. However, just little'account of their operation was taken and knwn.

Clustered court yard - caravan stops existed in the middle East, and were called

caravansary (plural - caravansaries). These caravansaries were provided by the

government strictly outside the city gate, along the side of the road. Moreso, a traveller

who desires better service, would continue into the city to an in-town hotel caller, the

Khan, located in Mid-East. In roman times, hostelries-called mansions were situated

along the Roman Appian way with the aim of a c c o m m h g travellers on government

business. The commercial revival of the middle age stimulated a wide development

of Jnns and hotels. Many were operated by monasteries and other religious institutr.ons.

A famous example is the hospice in the Great St. Bernard Pass in the Swiss Alps, a

founded in the 10th century by St. Bernard of Montjoux (Bernard of Menthon) and still

operated by the community of monks.

In 13th century, China, Marco Polo found an extensive system of relay houses

in existence to provide accommodation for travellers and way stations for the Mongol

Postal service. Privately operated Inns intended primarily for the use of merchants

were widespread in both Islamic and Western European countries in the High Middle

Ages. In most of them, the Inn keeper served in a semi-official capacity as part of a . . marketing or fair organization, safe guarding merchants funds, and acting as brok.ers

In England, the industrial Revolution stimulated much progress in Inn keepmg.

The lnns became the standard for the world. The Hallmark of the English Inn was

cleanhess, comfort and good food. However, across the Atlantic, America innkeel~ers

were setting a standard for size. Infact, by 1800 the Inns of the United States were

largest in the world. The first American Hotel to gain wide fame for its size was the

73 room city Hotel, New York described at its opening in 1974 as "an lnmcnse

Establishment". The American trend towards large size continued into 20th century.

Hotels with 1000 (one thousand) or more rooms became fairly common in the United

States, while 600 (six hundred) room structures are r&e elsewhere.

Below are milestones in the Hotel industry in chronological order, reflecting .

social changes as well as new technology. The list traces the most significant events

in the development of lodgmg, from biblical times, to today's worldwide advances (see

fig 3) for the charted evolutionary tree diagram of Hotel types showing the developrr~ent

of diverse hotel types, mostly emerging in the last few decades as well as their rela1:ion

to other building types.

Hotel L_

5 ' I , Milestones .. -

8 . 2 /

BIBLICAL 500 6.c.

MIDDLE AGES

1100s

1200s

Boarding houses existed I

First resorts at ~njneral and hot ~pringr Iri Greece. Mamionas built along Roman road6 to lodge government.s;mctioned Lraveleps; ,

some inns existed for others. I . -, , Romans spread spa resorts to England, Switzerlnnd. Mideast; introduced ~ I I I . , dona C i s ) in Enland. Hiviera popuhr with Phoenician and Greek traders. -. -

Caravo,tsories, cloistered courtykd caravan stops, provided by govenl~nenl along roads in Middle East Xha~ts, smaU inns, established in Middle East towns. . ' . .

.. ....... - .. ~ . . . . .... ., ;; : - 4 ' . . . ' . . - Hotel Milestonu (continued). .

.. : 17BOs,,: ,: ' ; ~ e s s i ~ n ' s @:Cabis, l>rar~ce, is early large inn. ! " Covent Garden Inl! in Londo~i is early large inn.

', ' 1790s Industria! revolutio~i stinldatcd hotels ill Enpla~ld, Eumpe. and Amerlca: rcso. ..,I ,. . , ' ''. . duvcluacd. '

..... I. /

r - 7 .

' ' Corre's.l.Lolcl ~ I I I ~ Ci(y, I.l~rloI ill Ncw York wore first dow~itow~i llo'tclr. '

, , blotel d:A~igleterrc olic~rcd i n Cope~~l~nge~i, Da~inlnrk, is earliest large ndupti . . . reuse.. . '

.......... Manorial lords, abbeys, 'and monasteries sheltered some iraieiers. ' '"" " ' .' .. ' , . * I' LUXUV "s\~agger ! l ~ t c l ~ " established in major cities. M ~ & ~ c inns ~III by religious orders. Hospiefs . , buill as hospitals !nd sl?elte+ for Early reSOrlS built dong I"rcnc11 and Italian I{ :v!~~.~.

, . . ., " .... : ,:;{:. ,,.,, i:: , Imposing clubhouses built. . , , , , . . . travelers. . . . . . . I ; . +..c.

Some inns developed in larger lOWnS (no MWIS); ' : j , ...... :,.:; . i . .,!,!,: I ' U ~ O ~ ' S Cleremont stc;~~nsl~ip I:l~inchcd. ...... ,*.::;; Excharlgc Coffee I I I W W i ~ r ~ustorr is first alrlu;n ~ ~ ~ t ~ l . ICmmine houses uged as relay stations (or mil, govcmlenl v e ~ p o r f , rest slops. : .: , . ....... . . . . : . . I . . : , . .

cllanging horses. . , - . . ,- . Wospiwlers creited shelters for Crusaders :" ..,.;. . n d ~ & s hveSmg tq y y Lond. ! Trnvel became sale in ~ u i o ~ e . Inns prospied wl@,freed&~ and !igbt,t!J t ivel, I .,. - ;.'. .,:,.- . ,,,. , . . . . . . . . declined in timer of lawlessness. . . . . . ' hi . '. . +. . . . ,.- . !

.,. ;I .?. ;. : ,, ! l l ie European inn gradually developed. .. . , . .,. . :

. I]le l.hree Kings Inn in Uasle, Swilzerknd, opened-earliest inn still operaiing.'~ . . . . . . . . , :. : Guest houses, courier mi l stations in China, ~ o n ~ o l i a . . .

I<ooming and &lay stations for mil. govcrnmenl transporlndon, rest slops. Coue St. Georyes Inn opened in G l ~ n l . Belgium. ', . ' .

i . . . Angel Inn opened in GranUlan. Liicolmhire, En@nd.

. . I . .

The English counlry inn developqd; some ~ondon'inns. ,,. I ', , , ',; Castle Inn founded in Tnunton, Somerset, Enuhtid: . . . French law required innkeepers to replace stolen property . plus . lhree ti!nes d a n ~ n v r t In victims.

i 1810s :'! ~ < j o k o ~ ~ u c s t houses dcvclopsd in Jill~a11. .." :.' ':.: . C! :'Doh bungalow; 24:11our guest stops, rull by government in India. ,

,,

1820s " . ,Catskill Mountain ilousc in h'cw York Swte is cnrly majbr resbrt. . . i , ,

'

, City Hotel in Ualtil~lore. hlaryhnd. is lLsl wilh p:lltial gaslight. U & 0 Railroad befi;~n ;rasreuger service. , . lrcmont House in Uoston is lirst luxury tlo\\wown Ilotel with indoor toilets, do, locks on rooms, and B I;I carte menu. .V;

1830s Sar~toga Sprirlgs 111del q~ellcd ill Nrw York SI;llc. '

American I-lotel in New Yurk City is first with gaslight tlwouphout. i Astor llouse o p e ~ r d in New York City. I Sl. Charles nnd St. Imris Ilolcls estaWislrd irr Orlear~s, Loulsiaw. Holl's llolel opencd in New Yurk City is lirst with an elevator for baggage, , Refom Club in Lo~ulon 1:xJ cilurtyard rtmlcd in Lo bcconie an ur ly htriwn ' Euston Sraliotr lfotel opaled ill London is early cx;~~nple of railroad hotel;, I

. ,

Sagamore Hotel at Lake George in New ~ork : sb t e -~ firit with eleitricity In aU I . . , . - rooms.

Chelsea Hotel In New York City h first large residenlial hotel. '

Mountainview youac established in Whitefield. New Hampshire., ,:' .' Ponce De Leon Hokl In St. Augusllne. I.'lorida, b first built 111 co~kmte. Grand l.lolcl in Mackinnc Island. MidJym, lus hrgest vcrnridn.

' '

Victoria Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri, is rust wilh bnlhr in all rwmn;-' flotel Uel Coronado opened In Snn Diep, Culilor~ua is largesl'resort of ilslimc. Whiteface Inn and GoU Club founded in Lake Placid, New York., . Savoy in London is first hdtel with theater, chapel, print rlwp, laundry.

?he llroadmoor opened in Colorado Spring& Cobrado. . " '

Urown Palace in Denves.Colorado, has early aFum still operating. !

' ; . ... Copley Square Hotel opened in Boston. .

f cole Hoteliere in Lausanne, Switzerland, k fint b k l schdol. ' ,. Hotel Netherlarid in New York City is first with plmnenes hal l roon~s.. , . Tile Breakers opened in Palm Beach. Florida (rebuilt 1906, lY'G). . : ,. . Lake I'lacid Club established in Lake I'kdd, New York. . . . . , . .:

Original Waldod-Astoria in New York City (on site of Empke State Uuilpit~g) was 17 stories-tallest of time. . < I , , . . , ,'. . . Wentworth-by-the.Sea opened Ln New ~ a s i ' , . ~ e w Hampshire. I - ' Claridges, Berkeley, Connaught all opened lnLondoh :.-..- ,:. - :,

. I 1 . The Ritr founded in London.

. . . .

The Willard opened in Wadhgton, D.C. The Plaza built in New York City. 'hj Mihal Hotel opened in Uon~bay, (nslored 1973 by Inter-Contine~ibl), . Sutler in Uullalo. New York. set main principles of n~odern hotel circuhrion flow.

, .: . F i t crdss-country U.S. auto lIh . .

Grand Central ~ e n n d a l in New York City k early mixed-use eompkx. Uo~dlng house resorb developed in Catskills in New Yak State. BeUevue Swatford opened in Philadelphia. Copley Plaza built in Boston Beverly Hdls Notel established In California The Greenbrier opened in White Sulphur Sp&~gs, West VirBi~i~i. I

hsllonlar near Camrel, CaL'forl, b fvst nonprofit conferench center. ,.

Kahler Hotel in Ilochester, Mimerota, is l i t medical hotel. Fust trans-Ahtic flight and first dedu led &line. ? ., Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City has 2200 rooma-krgest of lime. "Hold t l o o ~ t #I" generated by economic prosperity.'

'

Grand Central in Ncw York City Is uomple of further developed hotel complex. M h u Bcacli developed witli Meditexmnean-style orcli~ectwc, lor cxi~~rg)lc. Flam~ngo, Pancoa$t, lloney IJkza hotels. School of Hotel Adrninistntbn established at CorneU ~ ~ v e r s i t y . F i s t nonstop cross-country p h ~ flight. Baker and Adolplrus hotels opened in Dallar, Texas. . ;.) Royal Hawa i i eslablrshed in Honolulu. i

Prohibition caused decline of hotellresuuranl business. The R~tz-Carlton opened on the Uoston Public Gnrdens. r

. The Sutler in Boston is lust hoWofficc building.

. Ahwanea Iiotel built in Yoremite National Park in Californh. Bitmore founded in Smtn Barban, Cdklamik . Stevens Hotel in Chicago has 2700 rooma-Lgest of lime. 8

The Cloister opened in Sea Irknd, Ceor& Arizona O~ltmore built in Phoenk.

Depression forced most U.S. hokb in10 receivership. I

The new Waldod-Astoria in New York City, Largest of Its lime, built d u r i ~ depression

Hole1 ~llestones (continuerll , . . . ,' .,

' ' 1940s . ..: Stalkr Iq4wash&gkon, D. C., is one of few hoiels built duli11p LVorld War 11; -0 in La# Vegas is a first casino bolel.

' Statler Hotels b, Lor. Angcles. Iiartford. Connecticut. Dallas, Xxas, lirst post- war hotels. 'San Mlanli is hrst ncvj post-war resort. 6 .

1950s . - "Hold Bw~n 12" generated by mass travel. ''

Resorts developed in Cnribbcan. , I

Vacntlon village concept dcvclopcd by Club Med.

.$:. a; Holiday Inn is l t s t motel with large rooms. , . . :

. .c- . Casino hotels devclo~wd in Las \'C'~:IS, Nevada. , Fountainbleau opened in Mi;mii llc;~cl~.

, . . . First commercial trans-Atbntic jet'iervice. , , . ' Airlimes beg;m developing Ilolels.

19.M~ 23,000 hotels. 40.000 motels, 170 chains operated in U.S. . ., ...,.. . . .' . . Resorb developed in Spanish Mcditerraaean. Portugal. Ualearic Islands. Scan- . .. . , , . dinavia. Greece. Yugoslavia. i . Hyatt Regency in Atlanta, Ceorgi~, reintroduced slriunl.

I . . . Arden House of Colun~bia Univcrs~ty, Tarrytown House in Tarrytown, New York, ;- : and General Electric Con in Crotoiwille. New York, are first confere~lce ccqtcrr

used extensively by businesses. . . , 1 . . Sheraton at Prudential Center in ljoston is lirsl major IroteUtnixcd-use coln(ilcx.

Hilton Palacio del Rio Hotel i l l Sali Antonio. Texas, was 6rst.built wit11 coimete , prefabricated n~odules. . .= . I 1970s Boeing 747 introduced; arlines became active 111 hotel develop~~est tlnough ;uu-

sidiiuy chains. " I

.New hotel expansion took up slack caused by demoliton and co~ iks ions &,hotels to aparlrnents and ollicc buildings. , P

Walt Disney World in Orlaxlo. Florida, opens as first nwjor hotellao~usvolcnt destination center. Extensive hotel developnicnt ill hlitldle East generated by oil prosperity. Luxury condonliniu~ns develr~ped offering hotel se~vices. Hotel restorations extensively dcvcloped. I Pus1 suite hotels Converted from co~ los . .,

' ' lheshadng aud condon~iniurn rcsorrs dcveloped. Peadrtree Plaza in Al,lnnta. Ccorgia, has 70 stories-tallest hotel.

in development of facikies.

' I Multesort complexes dcielopcd. in Maui, Hawaii, and Cancun. Mexico. Clina opened to foreign tourists: intcmatiorial ho:el experts invited lo participate

""Hold ~ w n , #3" gcnelxtcd by ill~lnvativc marketing'and develop~llcrlt of spe. chlized types of holcls; many combined with large-scale conrplexes such as

. Copley Pkce and Lafaycttc Place in Boston. Airport hitels, conference centers, suitc I~otels, vacation villages, health spar. nmina hotels, ski lodges. timesharing and condo resorts expand rapidly. Casino hotels developed i~; Atl;1111ic City. Now Jersey. : Condo hotels developcd sucli as l'lle I<itz~C~irlton and Your Seasons ill Llostor~ and U.N. Plaza in N.Y.

' Lililile? service budget 111o~els coi~tinue rapid grow~h. I'opukr reviviil of country inns. . Marriott Marquis in Atlanta is largest convention hotel. Marriott Marquis in Times Square in New York City is highest cost I~otel projccL Hyatt and Marriott open mega-hotels ir; Orlando,.Florida.

Hotel Boom in China; 50 major lrotcls under construction or desiyr iiicluding 2000-room Lidu in Pelting; ii~crease from 200.000 visitors at beginning of decade Lo 5,000,000 per year cxpcctcd by cnd of century. First comprehensive book on liotcl ylanni~rg published by Whitney Library of Design. .

i;

'. I : , ' . I

I. I . .

I . . ,

. - 1 . . , I , '

, , a ' , : - 4 . .

2.2 HOTELS IN NIGERIA

Hotels in Nigeria have very peculiar and brief history. Before the 16th century,

inter-group relationship existed between the existing ethnic groups such as Iros, the

Itsekiri, the Urhobos, the Hausa, the Yorubas, the Igbos among others. These

relationships were the result of business and trade between ethnic groups which

necessitated the movement of traders from one place to another to sell and buy goods.

The method of t r a n s p o ~ o n was by treklung, therefore, nwst traders had to spend days

before getting to their destination. Hence, the trader< had to spend their nights in

= nearby villages if caught by dusk during the course of their journey.

The trader, if it was his first time in the village, stayed in the house of a total

stranger. To protect himself fiom harm (from the stranger), he usually underwent a

ritual with his host, called "lgba Ndu7' whlch means exchange of blood. This was a

lund of oath whch entaded the drinlung of each other's blood. The belief was thai the

oath protected the trader fiom h m while in the stranger's house and in turn protected

the trader fiom harm fiom the trader. If harm befell any of them, nemesis was to deal

with the other. The trader then continued this way sleeping in foreign villages until he

reached his destination, after whch he returned home through the unfamiliar villages.

On his return journey, he would stop in each stranger's house (now a friend)

and would spend the night again in his house. Usually, as the trader returned, he would

gve hls host a gdl to strengthen their relationship. Next morning, the trader continued

his journey back home.

Such wasthe situation in those days. This revealed that there existed a kind of > s

trust and confidence between people and this situation could not give rise to a n y

embryo of a hotel. Even in cases when people fiom areas outside present day Nigeria,

came into a village, they were sent to the village chief who took care of their needs at

no cost. Although, in certain circun~stances, the guest was obliged to give the chief

some gfts as a matter of courtesy. This clearly showed fiat no kind of profit - oriented

enterprise could be established to cater for the lodging of transient traders as this ,was

already done fiee of charge by villagers. So, one begins to picture that hoteling is not

inherent in our culture. The main factor that led to the evolution of hotels in Nigeria

is the creation of Urban are% by the British. The British had already succeeded in

breaking the intergroup relationship that existed in pre-colonial times in order to

establish strong trading relationship with the ethnic groups which resulted in people

preferring to sell their goods to the whites than to one another.

The creation of urban areas (cities) was as a result of the need for traciing

outposts, admmstrative headquarters and religious estates. This resulted in the influx

of Nigerians into these areas designated as no man's land. Hence, anyone going into

a town would either know whom he is going to stay with or would find hs way to one

of the b o a r b g houses or Inns that existed then. These lodging facilities were

origmally a colonial idea and provided bed and board to its users. There was no more 0.

knockmg on stranger's doors. If you don't have relative or fiicnds, you then, resort to

these facilities.

The feehg of trust that existed, had been obliterated by the feeling of suspicmn

d k e d into the mental embodunent of the Nigerian person by the British. Though this

may be regrettable, this factor gave rise to the hotel industry in Nigeria. After the birth

of these small Inns, as they were aptly called, time passed by and towns grew bigger,

sizeable lodging organization appeared and were called hotels or motels depending on

their function. Most of the biggest hotel facilities were managed by expatriates, for

instance the Hotel Presidential, Enugu which was sited in the adrninistratlve

headquarfers, and inherited by the then, East Central State after the creation of the 12

states. This management of the hotel continued well into the early 80's before being

run by blacks as mentioned above.

The early 1970's brought about an increase in the establishment of hotels most

of which were funded by the oil boom. Some hotels were designed solely for the

purpose of the Festac "77", for instance, the Eko Hotels'(1ater called, Eko Meridien)

Lagos and Durbar Hptel, Lagos. In this particular ,period, most cities had at least a

hotel with more than a hundred rooms. Other hotels that sprouted up during this era

included the Hotel Presidential, Port-Harcout; Durbar Hotel, Kaduna; Premier hotel, t ,

Ibadan; Hill Station Hotels, Jos, etc. This era was remarkable for moulding thc

character of things to come.

The 1980's brought about the development of the new breed hotel. The early

part of h s period gave rise to hotels such as the Shiroro Hotel, Muma; Nlke Like

Resort-Hotel, Enugu; Olympia Hotel, Port Harcourt; Agura Hotel, Abuja, and

Metropolitan Hotel, Calabar. These hotels merged beautiful structure with hgh class

service, but the best was yet to come.

In the mid "~O'S", the second five star hotel (Eko Meriden being the first) in

Nigeria was opened in' 1985. The Lagos Sheraton was to be the first of the five star

hotels to be constructed in the 80's. Other hotels in this period included Concord Hot.el,

Owerri; Anport Hotel, Port Harcowt, and Modotel, Enu~u . . $

The later 80's brought in the remaining five star hotels whlch were sited in

Abuja. Nicon Noga Hilton, Abuja was the first to be constructed and was opened in

1987. It has the hghest quahty of service that could be obtained in Nigeria and hence

it is called a five-star Deluxe. Sheraton its neighbour, was later constructed and

opened in 1989: The period also witnessed the take-over of the five-star hotel, Eko

hotels by Meridien Hotel corporation, France, in 1988 This period ernphasizud iho

dawn of awareness sweepmg across the hotel industry, with hotels now hying to offer *

more to the users.

The 1990's seems lrke it is going to be an interesting and exciting period for the

hotel industry in Nigeria. Already a Mega-star hotel, hotd Sofitcl is being collstl-uctecl

in Lagos about two kilometers from Eko Meri'dlen Hotel. The Federal Palace Hotel

has also been sold for a whooping N493 million ($50 million US), to lkeja Horels,

owners of Lagos Sheraton. Morealso, with the creation of new states by the federal

government, most states are likely to undertake hotel projects f o ~ keir capital, ensuing

a busy period for hoteliers in Nigeria. Moreover, these hotels would try to attract

customers by offering services better than the current existing hotels. This reveals [hat

though, the hotel industry in Nigeria is a relatively young one, we have definitely come

a long way

Hotels are generally

OF HOTELS:

classified by location, function, and other spec:ial

characteristics (1. Rutes Walter A. Hotel P I P 1985. New k'ork

Architectural press). The first two factors may classifi the type of hotel while the last

factor may classifjl the rating of the hotel. A particular Hotel may fall into more than

one category thus leading to over lap whch does not impair the usefulness of the . .

classification system, though, "Along with new hotel types and almost infinite

combination and varieties, it is becoming increasingly &fficult for guests to select a

hotel when labels are rnisleadmg or inadequate. The situation mow is that down-town

hotels for instance have as many tennis courts, swimming pools etc as resorts. Resort

Hotels have as many anvention or conference guests as down town hotels or aiipor t

meeting centres. Inns are not necessarily old, and motor Inns are not necessarily

superior to motels, 'lodge', 'spa', 'guest ranch' are also unclear labels, price is not an

indicator - Expensive hotels may have small rooms, whle budget hotels have large,

better appointed rooms. Buying on the basis of mgredients looks like the new wave*'

(2. New Haven Register. 1983. New Haven Press).

Classification of hotels can be achieved through two .varying and separate

systems of classification as follows:

A. Types of hptels

B. Rating of Hotels

These two systems look at Hotels from different angles; while the first looks at

hotels from the aspect of their location and function, the second loolcs at their special

characteristics. However, both take into consideration, the make up of the hotels.

. , 23.1 Types o f Hotels:

The Hotels in the world are &verse but many are the off-spring (descendants)

of a much broader type. These spring offs, though, have then ow11 peculiar

characteristics, have characteristics similar to those of the broader type and occupy a

small niche in the hotel indusby if treated on their own. To avoid such elaboration and

repetition, this section would deal with hotel types in broad strokes (major headings)

and would attempt to give the definition, characteristics u d descendants of the hotel

( 1 ) Resort Hotels .

Definition:

Resort hotels are, in a very simplified detinition, hotels which provide

recreational and leisure activities as well as lodging. In broader terms, "resort holels

are hotels that have scenic, historic, recreational, and / or therapeutic advantages". (3.

Encyclopedia Britannica. 1980. New York Encyclopedia Britaica Inc P. 1 1 18).

They also have comfortable rooms and excellent casinos.

Locations:

These resort hotels are usually located in excitiiig i - u d relaxing places which include

scenic greenery and landscapes, beaches and monumental or historic areas. Also, they

are located near recreational facilities.

Function:

The main market target of resort hotels are vacationists, tourists and sport:;

persons. In recent times, however they are extending their scope to include business

persons by providing convention facilities.

Descendants:

The beach, golf and tennis resort, the health spa, the vacation village, the time sharing

and condominium resort, the Manna Hotel, the Slu Lodge, the tourist / sight resort, and

the Multi-Resort Complex.

ii. Convention Hotel

Definition:

Ths is a hotel that provides for mass meeting activity. Its features include

meeting spaces and related facilities specially designed and equipped to seme a large.

. . group.

Location:

The location of this hotel is not particularly a factor in its success, but such hotels

located near major transportation terminals are particularly advantageous.

Function:

The hotel primarily caters for meeting groups. Thls factor in particular gives rise to the

size and number of its guest-rooms and the size of its catering facilities.

Descendants: J

Large conference centre, small conference centre, mini-conference retreat etc.

iii Down Town Hotel:

Definition:

The Down town hotel as the name suggests is a hotel that is located in the main

business area of a town, It was the first descendant of the trachtional inns - Eiuly s .

European Inns, New England village inns and American seaport inns. The Down tcewn

hotel had more comfortable rooms, served food as good as any restaurant, provided a

centre for faskuonable social and business occasions and was much !arger than any inn.

Location:

Downtown hotels have traditionally been built in prestigious 1ocati.ons

convenient to main business centres and fashionable shopping dstricts. They are also

usually built very near major railroad terminals.

Function:

The Downtown hotel is a hotel that can serve several different purpose or use,

it can serve as convention hotel, resort hotel, motels, casino hotel, etc. Their location

near major rail road tenninal enable them to have a high commuter patronage.

Descendants:

Most major hotel types could be said to be the descendant of the downtown hotel.

iv. Suburban Hotels and Motels . .

'I'hese are hotels and motels located in the suburb. Till the last decade, small

budget motels rafier than hotels were built in the outslurts of towns. There are two

fimdamental berids responsible for the choice of sub-urban areas for location of hotels.

1 . Increasing problems with downtown areas including congestion, crime, high

rents, taxes and land costs.

2. Corporate decentralization into office parks that accompanied population

migration.

Being sensitive to public taste and frustrated by downtown constraints, hotel

developers began to dnft towards the sub-urban areas to the extent that today, nearly

70 percent of all hotels' growth take place in the suburbs. ,

~escendants:

Airport hotel, the roadside and small town hotel / motels and the country inn.

v. Residential and Condonrinium Hotel

Definition

These are hotels that provide residenbal dwelling unit (s) w~th all the amenlrles ..

of a luxury hotel. = . .

Location:

Residential and Condominium hotels are more desirably located in the down tc-lwli

areas.

These hotels usually serve guest who prefer to forsake heir house and home for

the carefree life of a hotel. However, their suites and amenities are limited. For

instance, they have kitchenettes in the suites but restaurants in the building

Descendants:

Suite Hotel

vi. Super Luxury Hotels

Definition:

These are small but elegant and luxurious hotels. The level of luxury and cllass

is so intense that only a handful of uniquely styled, impeccable small hotel can suffice 8 .

Location:

They are located in some major cosmopolitan cities and a few of thc exccl Icnt

resort areas.

Fuaction:

The hotel usually caters for the titled celebrities or very wealthy guests who can

afford the hlgh rates charged for high standard acmmmodation and service

vii. Mega-hotels

Definition: s

These are hotels which are relatively large (usually not less than 1000 rooms),

and offer more variety of services.

Location:

Mega-hotels thrive better in areas attracting several major markets. About 90%

of Mega-hotels are located in area with resort and tourist potentials, though their

location does not primarily determine their success. 3 a

Function:

The u w s of this hotel are numeroils - business, convention, tourists, children,

teens etc.

viii. Mixed-Use Developments

Definition:

These are complexes that combine a hotel, office buildings condominium and

shopping hall.

Location:

These Mixed-use developments are usually located in city centres. The newer

developments have been built in sub-urban areas where land is available in order to

facilitate a more flexible planning.

Function:

The mixed- use developments, set the standard for community revitalization by

regional and international clientele to their large convention f'acilitles, okXce structures

and impressive malls and by providmg the latest in recreation and entertaihent b r the , .

city.

2.3.2 Ratingof Hotels:

In ths aspect of classification of hotels, hotels are rated in "stars", they are rated

between one - star and Five - star with the quality of accommodation and services

increasing in that order. The classification involves an assessment of the characteristrcs

and space of the hotels. Usually, the assessment is in two hmensions. 'The first is the

architectural assessment of the physical design of the hotel and the second involves an

assessment of the hotel management (service). Our concern will be more on the h s t

type due to the scope of this thesis.

Below are some of the categories and parameters used in rating hoiels (see fig

4 below). The table illustrates the parameters used by France. However, the parameter

tends to vary slightly from country to country.

1 Star 2 Star 3 Star Description of Amenities

I Sanitary Installations with hot and cold

water running 24 hours.

2 C e m a l heatiug or Air -conditioning

3 Shuttas, Srreens or curtains ou whdows t .

4 Wash hand basin with hot or cold watcr

5 Electric plug or electric razor (in the

toilet rooms or bathrooms)

6 Telephone intercom 111 all rooms

7 Telephone iuterwm with cxtemsl

connections in al l rooms

8 Surface area requirements of nxxption

hall and lounge (miaimurn and rnaxhun

requirements)

9 Lift compulsory horn 2nd

Floor

7 rooms 10 rooms 10 Minimum number of rooms

12 Cianlgcs or Car pxking spaces - - --

13 Breakfast served in the mms

14 Personuel sp& oue languagc

15 ~ersonncl speaks morc then onc

languagc

- - -

16 Surface arca of guest room (M) lor 1

- -

17 Surfaw area of guest rooms (M?) lor 2

persons

18 Surface area of guest rooms for 3 3 9

19 Surface area of guest room for 4

persons

20 Number of pest roonls withshower or

bath

21 Number of guest room with shower

22 Number of guest rooms with private

WC

23 Minimum surface area of bathroom or

shower

8

2.4 EXISTING CONDITIONS IN ASABA:

The hotel industry in Asaba has actually reached its zenith. The growth of

hotels in Asaba has been sporadc. These restaurants serve guests that attend

ceremonies, (burial, marriage), conference, political activities, religious crusades, etc.

These hotels generally have low standard accommodation and service, Most

of the hotels in Asaba do not have adequate parlung space. Somt: do not have any, md

in such hotels, cars are parked outside the hotel premises. The only hotel in Asaba

having adequate parking space is the Hilton Hotel, but the parking bays were not . .

efficiently laid out.

In recent times, the management of most of the hotels in Asaba became mare

of the importance of improving the standard and atmosphere of their hotels. Satellite

dish has sprouted up and become the most comrnoii h t u r e of hotels in Ass.ba.

Renovation and r e f iub ihg have been undertaken too. Hilion Hotel and mike W!:i tc

Hotel are among the hotels with excellent guest rooms.

However, all the hotels in Asaba lack all the rcci-ealiolid ihcilities i r ~ existc~)cc

This was my observation throughout my case study of hotels in Asaba.

Below is a study of the most popular hotels in Asaba.

2.4.1 Hilton Hotel, Asaba:

Date of establishment: 30th of June 1997.

. Number of rooms: 34 rooms. 0

Types and rates of rooms (as at September 1998). See fig 5 below)

Types of services available:( telephone, conference facilities, laundry facilities

and satellite facilities).

Rooms

Single

Executive single

Standard double

Royal double . . Suite 1

Suite 2

Suite 3,4, 5,6,7 and 8

Presidential Suite

Number of restaurants: One

Type of clientele: Business men and corporate people

Number of elevators: None

Number of entrances into hotel: two (Main Entrance and service entrance)

Number of fire escapes: None I

Number of bars: One

Maintenance: On part time basis

Type of recreational facilities: None

Price (W)

W350.00

W1,OOO.OO

W 1,500.00

W2,OOO.OO

W6,OOO.OO

W4,OOO.OO

W3,500.00

W 10,000.00

Strength of staff 1 1 permanent and 2 temporary staff on morning duty and I 1

permanent and 2 temporary staffon evening duty, daily.

Star rating of hotel: 2 Star Hotel

The hotel records about 80% occupancy most of the time, and 1 00% occupancy s .

during ceremonies such as marriage, burial, crusades etc.

Larry Ville Hotels:

Date of establishment: 16th of May 1998.

Number of rooms: 1 1

Types and rates of rooms (as at September 1998). (See fig 6 below).

' - Type of services available: Laundry service

Type of Room

Standard

Standard dooblr:

- Number of restaurants: One

- ' Type of clientele: All kinds

Rates exclusive Non Resident

& 100

& 110

- Number of elevators: None

- Number of entrances into the hotel: One (serving as both main entrance and

Deposit Resident

800.00

1,600.00

Price Resided

1,400

2,200

service entrance)

- Number of fire escapes: None

- Number of bars: One

- Number of ofices for administration: One

- Maintenance facilities: Available. i~~clucle Carpenters, plumbers and electrician

- Types of recreational facilities None

- Strength of staff 16 permanent staff and 4 temporary NYSC staff.

- The hotel has an average occupancy late of 75% and is fully booked about 50

days out of 365 days during ceremonies and conference.

2.4.3 S~mrise Hotel, Asnba:

- Date of establishment: 1983

- Number of rooms: 8

Type and rate of rooms (as at August , 1998) (See fig. 7 below)

Room

Semi-single

Full-single

Junior suite

Executive suite

Price (W)

N 1 50.00

W200.00

Fd300.00

W 500.00

Deposit

W250.00

Fd300.00

Fd400.00

Fd700.00

Type of services available: Telephone, satellite facilities.

Number of restaurants: One

Type of clientele: Businessmen and corporate people

Number of elevators: None . .

Number of entrances into the hotel: One (serving as both main entrance and

service entrance). The single entrance also serves the hotel extension.

Number of fire escapes: None

Number of bars: One

Number of ofices for administration: One and a shop

Any maintenance facilities: None

Types of recreational facilities: None

Strength of staff: 9

Star rating of hotel: 1 - Star hotel

Average occupancy rate of 80%, fblly booked on weekends, that is 104 days out

of 365 days. s

2.4.4 . Mike White Hotel, Asaba:

- Date of establishment: 1992

- Number of rooms: 18

- Types and rates of rooms (as at ~e~tefnber, 1998) (see fig 8. Below)

I V.I.P. Suite: double A/C I W1.300.00 I

- Room

Single

Double

V.1.P Suite: single A/C

Types of services available: Telephone, conference hall, satellite facilities

i

Price

W350.00

WSOO.00

W 1,000.00

Number of restaurants:' One

Type of clientele: Business men, corporate people and government staff

Number of elevators: None

Number of entrances into the hotel: One (servLy as both main entrance and m

service entrance)

Number of fire escapes: None

Number of bars: One

Number of offices for administration: 2

Any maintenance facdhes: Avadable, service workers - Carpenters, plumbers,

electriciahs and teleannmunications repair men (on part time basis)

- Types of recreational facilities: None

- Strength of staff 14

- Star rating of hotels: 2 - star hotel

- Average occupancy rate of 85%. Enjoys 90% occupancy ona weddings, . .

bachelors eve, religious crusade, burial ceremonies etc. The hotel is fillly

booked about 8 days every month, that is, about 96 days out of 365 days.

The above study and analysis or the existing hotels in Asaba, reveals sonw ol'

the following factors:

- Inadequate number of fire escapes.

- Lack of recreational facilities as well as restaurmts & bar options.

- Lack of convenjion facilities. . - Inadequate provision for parking.

- Lack of elevators.

- Inability to separate the front house (Reception main entrance lobby, shops

etc)fiom the back house (kchen, wiled linen storage, uniform ishue, laundry

etc).

A cross - examination of the existing problems would help in the design of' a

hotel that would'offer high standard of services and accommodation.

REFERENCE CHAPTER TWO

1 > I s

Rutes Walter A 1985: Hotel P l m i n n mr! Sesy6n. New York. Arctutectural Press. I I

I . . I

I 1983. New Haven Reylster. New Haven Press 1 -

. . , s 1983. . :; I . New York. encyclopedia Inc. P. 1 1 1 8 , I

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 CASE STUDIES:

Hotel design is a very intricate undertalung. Before executing a hotel design, . .

it is necessary to study existing five-star hotels that are Kesort, Conventwn, Mega etc

in character (type). The aim of this study is to acqure %q understanding of the type m d

number of accornrnodahon, standard and quattty of service and other ancillary activit les

that would help to gain adequate experience on the basic princ~ples of a Resort - I-totel

design with references to examples. Some examples are kiven below:-

3.1 NLKE LAKE RESORT -HOTEL, ENUGU:

Source of Information:

Visits to the hotel where interviews were conducted, photographs taken, and

visual observation.

Brief:

In the early go's, the archtects were appointed by the then, Anambra State

government (the owners), thereafter, briefed and commissioned to execute the project.

The construction work ended in 1988, and the hotel was opened in February, 1988.

The hotel was initially managed by Macoon Mauris, a Lebanese. After his tenure as

the Personnel Manager of the hotel, the management of the hotel went into the hand

of Nigerians. The first Nigerian to manage the hotel was Mr. Ratty Ozor. The second . .

manager was Mr. Joseph Agbo, and the third was a Sole administrator, Lieutenant

Colonel Echeazor. However, Lieutenant Colonel Echeazor was on contract with the

government, and during his tenure, he was w o r h g jointly with Mr. Joseph Aybo. 'Ti l l

the present day, 5th of October, 1998, the management of the hotel is still in the hand

of Mr. Joseph Agbo.

Due to some undisclosed short-comings, the hotel is experiencing, as a result

of the comtant change of it's management structure, the little information received.,

concerning the hotel was oral, and was given by the frorit office manager, Mr. Reuben

Ekete.

Location:

The hotel is located at 'the outskirt of Enugu city, along the Abakpa express

road-side. The main entrance gate into the site is about 60 metres away from the

express way.

Form Description:

The hotel block is a three winged Y-shaped one. The 2-storey Y-shaped block

is divided into 3 wings. The block of the C wing houses, the back of house activities

(kitchen, laundry etc); Administration and Generator house (see label on site design , ,

and layout plan - fig. 9). The main entrance lobby is central in position in relation to

the three wings of the hotel: The service stair-case is also central in position and is

dlrectly accessible fiom the main entrance lobby.

I h e equilateral wings of the hotel block have doable-loaded corridors, that i:;

rooms loaded on both sides of the corridor.

Architecture:

The archtecture of Nike Lake Resort-Hotel is based on the principle: of

equilateral triangle. The external shell of the hotel's guest room block was

predominately painted with whte coloured texture coat while the

kitchenladministrative block was painted with milk coloured texture coat. ' f i e

generatorlpower house was treated with read coloured wall tile.

LECEMD HOLWAY

LAKE ChSIdO.

Construction and Materiais:

The dry form of construction was used entirely in the main Hotel buillng.

However, the foundation for the b u i l h g is in-situ reinfbrced concrete spread

foundation. The floor slabs are 80 mrn thlck pre-fabricated reinforced concrete slab, . ,

whlch are supported by metal trays of galvanized and ribbed stcel sheets.

Gravel concrete tiles were used in the Swimming Pool areas, Volley bail Courts,

Lawn Tennis Courts, traditional village bar area etc. In the interior, drfferent types of

tiles were used in the Public washrooms, lutchen, stores, launhy and other staffroon~s.

Spaces and Facilities:

The spaces and facilities available in Nike Lake Resort-Hotel include:

460 Room (as at September, 1998, only 160 rooms were functional)

Single Rooms

Double Rooms

Studio Rooms

Junior Suite

Senior Suite

Presidential Suite

- Royal Suite

- 1 Restaurant

1 Lounge Bar

- 1 Night Club 3 .

- 1 Convention Hall

- Olympic Standard Swimming Pool

- Lake Casino (no more fhctiond)

- Holiday Village

I Villa 1,2,3,4, and 5 (5 bungalows)

Villa 6,7, 8 , 9 and 10 (5 Duplex structures)

- Shops

- Tennis Court

- Laundry

- Volley Ball Courts

- Lawn Tennis Court, and

- Traditional Village bar.

Merits:

- The location of the hotel near-by the Lake casino helps to ensure constant

supply of fie& sea breeze.

- The hotel posits a humane approach to the archtecture of Hotels bythe use of . .

well-lit spacious flowing spaces.

- The (back of house) activities are clearly hfferentiated fioin the (front of house)

activities.

Demerits:

Due to the distant location of the hotel away from the Enugu city, the hotel does

not attract local patronage to sustain it during off periods.

Irregular supply of electricity power, and lack of alternative power supply

system as an A d to constant power supply.

Most of the recreational facilities such as the (Lake Casino, Tradtional Village

bar, and Children's play ground) is not functional anymore. b

lnadequate Natural-Lighting of the entrance lobby, and the corridor that links

the entrance lobby, shops, night club and the conference hall.

3.2 LAGOS SHERATON, LAGOS:

Source of Information:

Visit to the hotel, interviews conducted, photogrwhs taken, sketches, and ~ i s t

to the Project ~rchitect and . Chief . Engineer.

Architects: Ibru Vaughan Richards Associates, Lagos.

Brief:

The architects, Ibnr Vaughan Richards were appointed and thereafter commissioned

by the llceja hotels (client) in the early 70's to design a five star international hotel - the

Lagos Sheraton Hotel. This hotel i s being managed by ITT Sheraton Corporation,

USA as the name implies. Construction work started in March 1981, and was

accomplished in 1985, although the construction period was expected to be twenty-lour

months. The hotel was the second 5-star hotel in Nigeria, and was opened on the 23rd

of September, 1985.

Location:

The site is located to the North of Lagos, about 6 kilometres from the coast on

Auport road (Sir Mobolaji Bank, Anthony way) next to the calm suburb of Ikeja. It is

EXTERNAL VIEW e r n * 1

few minutes away from the Ikeja industrial estate, the domestic airport, and is sitilated

convemently between Murtala Mohammed international PLlrport and the City Centre

of Lagas.

Form Description:

The building is essentially composed of two geometric volumes - the podium

on whlch is asymmetrically placed, the six storey T-shaped tower of the guest rocms

The longer axis of the guest room tower has East-west orientation whch helps to

reduce penetration of sun in the rooms by 90%.

The three wings of the T-shaped tower have double loaded comdors with fire

escapes at each end of the corridor and a fire escape at the junction of the wings. The

total number of fire escapes in the hotel is four (4). The three fire escapes at the ends

are totally enclosed and do not have any opening except at the top, which bears a

skylight dome that opens up in the event of a fire outbreak. This mechanism enables

the smoke fumes to disperse.

The building's podium houses conference facilities, the service areas and; the

mechmcal areas, whde the addstration areas and the catering areas (restaurants and

bars), the retail are&, the lounge and other public areas are located directly under the 0

b

towers.

The elevators are centraked. The parking lots are landscaped with shrubs and

ground cover. To the South-west quadrant of the nlassing is located, the pool

terrace/outdoor area, catchmg the prevalent South-west winds and under the evening . .

shadow of the guest room tower (see fig. 10).

Architecture:

The design of this hotel is quite simple and utilizes basic architectural grids and

at the same time attempts to create excitement by the use of materials. The public areas

have simple design. This simplicity helps to acheve the flow of one space into anotlwr-

(for instance, the Italian restaurant which opens into the lounge). This method was also

used in two of the hotel's restaurants. The aim of the Italian restaurant opening into the

lounge was to project a fee!iiig of eating on a piazza while looking out into the stwet

(lounge). More also, in the crackpot, the restaurant was designed such that a whole

roof was part of the interior design - with the aim of projecting the sense of eating In

a seaside restaurant while looking out to the sea (swimhing pool).

The typical hotel accommodation floor is made up of 66 units, which was 8

employed in varying ways to achieve different room types, ranging fiom 4 units for a

3 bedroom flat to 1 unit for a standard room. The design of the public areas also

created natural effect by the construction of waterfalls and use of. decorative plants m

the cockf811 lounge.

0 s OFFICE S= STANDANCARD .

Construction and Materials:

The dry form of construction was used entirely in the main buildmg. The lype

of foundation used is the reinforced. Concrete spread foundation which was cast in-

s1tu. . .

The floor slabs are 80 rnrn tluck prefabricated reinforced concrete slabs, which

are supported by metal trays of galvanized and ribbed steel sheets. The curtain wall to

each face of the guest wings is assembled in two layers, the inner one being lined. The

outer layer that is directly exposed to weather, consists of pre-formed stove enameled

aluminum sheets assembled with open drained joints. The colour of the aluminum

sheets used is beige. Thls colour was used throughout the external parts of the

buildmg, but was only broken down in contrast by the dark brown sun-breakers and

aluminum framed openings.

In the interior, marble was used extensively, especially in the cocktail eyer

between the cocktail lounge'and the main entrance to subdue the wear and tear effect

in the hlgh traffic zone. Marble is alio used in the two retail shops and in the car-port

to denote the mtrance. DIffkrent types of tile were used in' the public washrooms such ..

as kitchen, stores, laundry and staff rooms. In the pool terrace, gravel concrete riles w

were u t i k d . Vinyl tales were used in the service rooms, employee's rest room, offices

and lutchen.

Moreover, the ceiling materials used in different spaces vary from one space to

another. For instance, mineral fibre tiies (vermiculite) have been used for the false

ceiling in the bedrooms, room , , corridors, emergency stair cases etc. Ceilihg panels of

silica and lime were used in the public rooms, employees facilities, lutchen and

laundry. Fabric drapes and reflecting tdes have been used in parts of the cocktail hyer

and lounge.

In the public areas, natural plants such as herbs, shrubs, etc have been used to

enhance the landscape. Lighting effects were also employed to create na~ural

atmosphere.

Spaces and Facilities:

The available spaces and facilities in Lagos Sheraton Hotel are as follows:-

- 340 Rooms:

- 21 8 Standard twin rooms

- 57 Standard Queen-bedded rooms

- 50 Businessmen's Suites

- 1 5 SuitesIPaldur rooms

4 Restaurants:

Crackpot Coffee shop

Pili-Pili restaurant

The Italian restaurant . , The Bakery

2 Bars

Lobby Bar

Goodies Pub.

- Gift Shop

- Pharmacy Shop

- Business Centre

- Tennis Courts

- Night Club

- Laundry

- Car hire

- Banquet facilities

- Conference facilities

- Book Kiosk.

Merits:

- The hotel is ideally located to serve the needs of the first-time visitor to Lagos,

and delight the regular traveller to Lagos. . .

.. Both the main and convention entrance of the hotel are emphasized by miubie

walls, boundmg the glass doors and panels.

- The entire hotel mass is sensitively placed on the 302 x 100 m rectangular s~tc.,

by setting it back some lOOm fiom the noise and fumes of traffic on the Sir

Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way.

- Different techmques such as recessed ceihg panels, different floor finishes ,ul t l

planting were used in the interior to define spaces that are not clearly separated,

for instance the use of recessed ceiling panels to dlfierentiate between the

cocktail foyer and lounge.

- The design of the public areas in the podium, is such that the guest sees almost

all he needs to see of the public areas in the hoiei, inciuding the reception Jesh,

the cocktail lounge, the restaurant and bars, and shops.

- ,The hotel design paid a lot of attention'to fire protection by using fire-resistant

materials and providing enough fire escapes. The fire escapes are four (4.) in

number. The use of smoke detectors, fire dampers and fire-resisting doors was

also emphasized in the hotel's design.

Demerits: . .

The extension capabilities of the hotel is very limited since the site has been

made tight by the provision of numerous and adequate parking lots.

The spatial layout of the hotel's accommodation tower reveals that some rooms

in the hotel facing West direction would be exposed to the evening sun.

The service entrance of the site is distinct from the man entrance of the site,

thereby, creating the inconvenience of having to exit the premises before going

round to the service entrance.

The cocktail lounge is usually dull and dark in the day time due to failure to

achleve natural lightmg in the design.

ABUJA SHEXATON, ABUJA:

Source of Information:

Ths includes visit io the ardutect, the hotel where photographs were taken, and

interviews conducted.

Architects: Lame Towry Coker Associates, I.,agos.

Brief:

' lhs hotel was initially the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Abuja and was managed by

Hyatt Hotel Managers lnternational for the owners, cap~tol llotels. As a result of

disagreement between both parties, the hotel manager had to quit, then, Sheraton hotel

managers were invited to manage the hotel, therebq changing the name to Al~uja

Sheraton. The above f x t made it difficult to get enough infomution about the hold's .

management. However, the hotel was constructed between 1985 and 1989. It was

used in May, 1989, for the Ahcan Developmciii Bank j&B) Conference in Abujil but

was officially opened on the 15th of January, 1990. The hotel is the second five star

hotel in Abuja.

Location:

The Abuja Sheraton Hotel is situated on Ladi Kwali Way, approximately 39

kilometres (24 miles) fiom Abuja International Arrport. T h ~ s implies that it was located

in the heart of the newly growing Federal Capital Territory.

Form Description:

The first impression of Abuja Sheraton in the context of form is that of a

truncated pyramidal frustum, however, it would be more appropriate to interpret the

three hmensional perception of the b d h g as an Egyptian Mastaba p ~ c t u a t e d by . .

holes. This system also attempts to redefine the tower podium concepl. by

encapsulating the podium in the lower part of thc Mastaba. The location of' the

wnference hall, kitchen and Luigi restaurant is in the podium extendmg further fiom

the main tower. As a result of the shape of the tower, the rooms are staggered

vertically on top of one another to get equal room and corridor spaces.

Moreover, this irregularity factor ir, the fiwr areas allowed only for single

loaded comdors with an empty space in between them whch forms a court yard round

the whole 8 floors of the hotel. The courtyard is housed by the building in a manner

that it forms an atnum. More also, the courtyard is &bided into two parts by an 8-

storey bridge whch houses the lift shaft. The sloping sides of the towers are punctured

by holes used for the balconies. This creates a feeling of an array of voids and ail&

texture to the form of the building (see fig. 1 1).

Architecture:

The Abuja Sheraton's design is based on a regular square grid. The structural

elements of the hotel are also bascd on square gnd which forms a structural unit. These

structural units fom rooms, and the size of these rooms depends on the nurinber of units . .

used. They range from one unit for the stmdard bcd~ooin to sis un~ts 1b1 ~ l w

presidential suites.

The design of the hotel considers a humane approach to architecture whereby

lighting effects were used in the entrance lobby to excite and wet the users appetite.

Acrylic skylight were used to i h s e light into these areas. There-withal, the use of the

8-storey courtyard attempted to subdue the brutal atmosphere of most hotel

accommodation tower by trying to bring the guest into the natural and hunlar~e

perspective.

Construction and Materials: b

-. The In-situ construction technique was predominantly adopted'in the Abuja

Sheraton Hotel b d b g . This was due to the buillng's form, which did not allow for

pre--fabrication of most parts of the building. Consequently, concrete was used

extensively as a construction material.

The exterior finishes of the building is mainly beige, polka dotted 2.5 cm rnatt

firush and ceramic tdes. These tiles were extensively used in the accommodation tower

of the hotel and in the lower parts of the hotel building. Internally, numerous materials

were used; matt water-proof wall paper, wood finishes, marble tiles, internal railed . .

vermiculite ceiling finishes, carpet finishes etc. Also, lighting fixtures used in the

internal design of 'he hotel ranged fiom hollow submerged lighting fixtures in the

entrance lobby to bed side lamps in the guest rooms.

Spaces and Facilities:

The space and facilities of the Abuja Sheraton Hotel and towers are:

- 671 Rooms:

4 Presidential Suites

2 Pmbassadorial Suites

16 Deluxe Suites

32 Executive Suites

6 1 3 Standard Rooms.

- 3 Restaurants

Luigi ' s Restaurant

Papillon Restaurant

Mirabelle Restaurant

2 Bars

Elephant Bar . .

Lobby Bar

Gift Sops

Car Rental

Bank

Courier Services

Night Club

Casino

Hairstylist

Laundry

8 Meeting Rooms ( I 50 persons each)

Conference Centre (2500 persons capacity)

Business Centre

Health/Fitness Centre

Gymnasium

- Saunas

- Steam Rooms

- Tennis Courts

- Juice Bar

- Air-conditioned Squash Courts.

Merits:

The location of the hotel in the serene valleys of Abuja presents an interesting

and exciting vista of the buddng capital, such as the renowned ccntral mosque.

The hotel posits a humane approach to the architecture of hotels by the use of'

well-lit spacious flowing spaces.

The form of the hotel is so interesting that it charms many guests to the hotd by

that attraction alone.

The rooms all have balconies which allows the guests to feast in the vistas and

also allows the guest the possibility of encountering the natural pray of wind in

the area.

The interiors of the hotel are made natural by the introduction of natural plants,

fish ponds and lighting effects.

- The number of rooms and restaurant facilities offers guest a wide range of

options - and satisfaction.

- The hotel also offers several recreational facilities to the guest, and more

importantly satisfies.tourists and vacationists. ..

Demerits:

As result of the use of skylight in parts of'the cntraricc lobby, parts of 111cse

areas not affected by ths gesture appear dark and dull.

The hotel design is too spread out for the comfort of the guest. This is depicted

especially in the juxtaposition of restaurant spaces and conference spaces

The Atrium was not enclosed, hence, the spaces irnmedatcly around and in the

courtyard are &ected by weather factors.

Due to the large number of rooms (67 1 ) and the number of floors (8) the hotel

occupies a large quantity ofppace.

8

NICON NOGA HILTON, ABUJA:

Source of Information:

This includes visits to the hotel, photographs taken, interview conducted and

M sit to National Insurance Company of Nigeria Headquarters, Lagos.

I OX

Architects: Aprofim Consultant S.A. Switzerland.

Brief:

The owners of the Kotel, NICON an Israeli Tycoon, GOAN (NOGA) in the

early 80's appointed a Swiss firm, A p r o h to design and build the hotel in Abuja. The

project's implementation started in 1982 and was accomplished in 1986, but was

formally opened in April, 1987. The hotel is the only hotel in Nigeria with a five star

deluxe status because of the fact that it is the hlghest rated hotel with the best

accommodation and best standard of service in the country. The hotel is currently

being managed by Hilton International, ~ ~ i i has the highest tariffs in the lodging

industry in Nigeria.

Location:

The hotel is located in the central area of the Federal Capital Territory within

easy access of the ministries and future embassy sites. The hotel is few minutes away ,

from the Northern express way, and is located 40 .krn away from the A h j a

International Auport. With the direct complimenhy air-conditioned shuttle'bus, it is

40 minutes only.

EXTERNAL VIEW

Form Description:

The hotel is a redehtion of the concept of a tower, ;top a podium. In the case

of h s hotel, the form is based on the concept of a tower atop a pyramidal frushun The

tower is three-winged, and Y-shaped. The. tower houses the accomm~dation and s .

support facilities whlle the spread eagled frustum houses the rental facilities,

adrmnistration, business centre, etc. The equilateral wlngs of the hotel have dou.ble-

loaded corridors. The rooms at the end of the wings of the hotel wings were

particularly designed as presidential suites. The elevators were centralized in position

to aid easy access to all guests. Moreover, a small portion of wing C which forins the

presidential suite wing has two elevators specifically for the suites.

The service elevators were niched in each wing whde the fire escapes were

placed at the end of each wing. The hotel has a clear-cut f ~ r i n Red sun-breakers were

also applied on the facade.

Architecture: . , J.

The archtecture of the Nicon Noga Hilton is based on the equilateral triangle -

whch was applied in two and three Imensions. It was used in its raw singular form

or as a composition forming hexagons and other shapes. This articulate persistent and , .

thorough use of the triangle gave the hold a sense of rhythmic being. 'This rhythm ,was

enhanced by the uninterrupted use of beige and red colours in the interior and exterior.

The exterior shell of the hotel is predominantly treated with beige and reddish under

stones. In the interior, beige was de-emphasized while red was taken to a state of

grandeur by the use of red structure, red columns, red carpets, red wall finishes cttc

The architecture of the hotel is a tightly knit one (see fig. 12).

-. Construction and Materials:

li

The exterior walls were clad with beige granite tiles and stirrups. There was

extensive use of sun-breakers which varied fiom red to beige. The materials used in

the interior includes; marble tiles, carpets, wood finishes, granite tile on the tiool-s,

anodized steel, wood finish, marble tiles on the walls, and alpha lux reflective tile,

polished wood, polished metal tiles and plastic on the ceiling. Lighting fixtures were

tremendously used tb gwe Ifferent lighting effects.

The dry method of construction was adopted, that is most materials used were

prefabricated and later installed or rather joined to each other. As result, the buildmg

could easily be disrnantied and set up in another area Wet construct~on method was

only applied extensively in the basement and staff areas.

Space and Facilities:

The available spaces and facilities in Abuja Sheraton Hotel are as follows:-,

- 797 Rooms

- 337 Standard Twins

60 Alcove Twins

16 Studios

60 Junior Suites

80 Royal Rooms (bridal Suites)

30 Presidential Suites A

8 Executive Suites

20 Presidential Suite B

- 3 Restaurants:

Zurna ~ r i i l

Bukka Restaurant

Oriental Restaurant

3 Bars:

Grill Bar . .

Cocktsul Bar

Pool Snack Bar.

Gift Shops

Car Rental

DHL Courier Services

2 Banks

19 Meetmg Rooms

Business Centre

Conference Centre

Laundry and Valet Services

Safety Deposit Boxes

Mail and Postage Facilities

Swimming Pools - Adult and Children's Pool.

Sauna

!A bless Centre and Gymnasium

Squash Centre

Tennis Courts

Casino . .

Facsimile, Telex, Telephone, etc.

Night Club

Volley Ball

Basket Ball

Mini Golf

Badminton, and

Bicycle Rental.

Merits:

- The hotel is well-sited in the centre of Abuja and is very close to the centml

business district, and governmental areas.

- The hotel is self-contained, enabling guests to stay in the hotel for days without

leaving the hotel.

- The use of'trianyles as a design source (form) presents a well-integrated plan -.

concept that serves a three dimensional geometric pattern.

- The hotel design is such that the office rental spaces on the mezzanine floor are

adequately removed fiom the main hotel space in such a way that there is no

cross interference between both spaces. ,. - The room options presents an array for the guesl to choose fiom.

- The hotel has three restaurants, hence the guest may choose to dine in relmcd

informality (Bukka restaurants), continental specialty (oriental restaurant) or

elegant luxury (Zuma Gn11).

- There is a sepaziie elevator from guest floors of wing C, direct to the fitness

centre and swimming pool, which enables guest already dressed for work-cw~s

or swimming to get to these areas without goin8 through the hotel lounge

Demerits:

- The fire escapes in the guest room wings are not enough.

- The atmosphere of the hotel is too brisk and ~nhurnane for the casbal guest and

does not allow for vacationists and tourists to enjoy their stay.

- The hotel rFms have no balcony, thus rendering i t inlpossible for the guest LO

have a semi-physical contact with the immediate landscape and environment.

- There is no direct link between the administration and the service areas.

Moreover, there is no dlrect link between the service areas and the public areas

without going through the kitchen.

Source of Information:

Visits to the architect and hotel, interviews conducted, photographs taken,

visual observation and side sketches.

Architects:

Oluwole Olurnuyiwa Associates, Lagos in partnership with Walter Rur;ls 'Toan

and Lunde Associates, New York.

Brief:

The hotel was proposed by the Federal ~ o v e k m e n t for the Festival of l3lack

Arts and Culture (FESTAC '77); hosted in Nigena. After a competltlon wds . 3

conducted, the architects, Oluwole, Olurnuyiwa were given the go-ahead to desig,n the

hotel. The hotel was completed in March 5th, 1977, and was managed by Holiday lnn

Incorporation, thus called Eko Holiday Inn, until 1988 when it was taken o ~ e r by

Meridien and became known as 'Hotel Eko Merihen'

Location:

It occupies a site on Victoria Island, Lagos on the bay of Kurarno River. It is

ideally located in the privacy of this bay and is in walking distance of the bar beach

Its location is about ten minutes drive to the city centre and forty minutes brivc to thc: . .

Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja.

Form Description: ..

The hotel is based on the tower atop a podrum definition. The tower is a A

modified rectangular box with 45" trapezoidal extension on each side. That is. two

staggered parallel diagonal shafts joined togethcr by a central rectangulw o w . 'I'l~c

elevators are lit by large curtain walls that span through the whole floors. These curtam

walls allow for vistas of the densely built areas of Victoria Island, There are four fire

escapes, one fire escape in each diagonal shaft and two in the central shaft

The rectangular shaft remained the same throughout the entire floors, that is, in

terms of room design. However, the diagonal shafts, especially, the lower &aft and 11w

junction to the rectangular shaft were changed on different floor levels to form diff'erent

room types.

The penthouse restaurant (Shangri-la) is atop the tower, and could be reached

by the elevators. The restaurant has two terraces, oiie overlooking Kuramo waters and

the swimming pool, whlle the other overlooks the office building in Victoria Island.

This restaurant houses the water tanks. On the ground'lloor, we have the lobby and r?

r:

central courtyard. The lobby is not defined by walls but by columns and it has a small

man-made waterfall.

The staggered floor level in the basement areas, as a result of the slope of the

land towards the Kuramo bay, houses most of the (back house) activities (see fig. 1 2x ) .

Architecture:

The building is based on a square grid which applies to most of the tower.

However, this grid is used in conjunction with a 45' based grid to get a kind of

geometrical flow. All the chamfers of the buildmg plan are 45' to the horizontal plme.

Imrne&ately one alights in the car-port (Porte cochere), one enters a lobby that is not

really defined and is i n f o r d to the core. The only hint that this might be the lobby IS

the presence ofreception desk and cashier's booth. This fieedom flows td the elevator

lobby and retail shop from which there is a verhcal movement to the more formal areas

in the accommodation tower. More also, below, thc lobby flows towards the

restaurants and bar areas. The conference facilities are located behind. Descending

down the staircase, one sees the swimming pool area with the cocktail bar and the

Kurarno cafe restaurant. The cocktail bar flows to the pool deck whch includes the

barbecue and pool terrace seating. The architecture of the Eko Meridien Hotel tries lo

incorporate mformality and fieedom of space in the publk areas and strici formal ,ty 11-1 -

. .

the private areas.

Construction and Materials:

The construction method used is the In-situ construction. No major part of the

building structure was pre-fabricated . The major construction materials are conciwe

and sandcrete blocks.

The exterior finish material is sandtex coating with a vcry rough finish. The

predominant colour is whte, whde the contrasting colour to white used, is dark brown

whch is the colour of the bronze anodued aluminum handrails used in the balconies.

The glass fixtures are tinted translucent brown and also have bronze anodized frmies.

Several hvers finishes were used in the public areas, hard materials such as

marble tile and terrazzo finishes were used. On the walls, a rough finished wall \ u s

coated with whlte paint and vermiculite ceiling bouds wherc used on the ceilings. 111

the private areas, the floor hush was rug carpeting, wood finish, white concrete walls,

and vermiculite on the ceilmgs. Planting and lighting fixtures were also introduced to

create the feeling of a haturd environment. C

Spaces and Faciiities:

n e followings are the spaces and facilities available in the Eko Meridien Hotel.

- 471 Rooms

10 Stuho Rooms . .

399 Standard Rooms

57 Twin Superior Rooms

4 J m o r Suite

1 Presidential Suite

- 3 Restaurants:

Foods of the sun Restaurant

Kurarno Cafe

Shangri-la

- 2 Bars:

Pool Bar

Casino Bar

- Banquet Facilities

- Bank

- Beauty Saloon

Car Hire

Book KioskDrug Store

Fitness Centre

Foreign Exchange (Bureau de Change)

Laundry

Medlcal Service

Shoe Cleaning

Shopping Arcade

Business Centre

Souvenir Shop

Chalets

Night Club

Casino

Merits: I

- The location of the hotel in the Kuramo bay with views of the bar beach and of

the city helps in portraying the hotel as a resort one.

- The hotel &sign attempts to make the hotel atmosphere more humane and

natural by allowing the flow of a r and light.

- The construction of the Kuramo lodge as separate lodging facilities enables a

guest to make use of the facilities and yet be segregated from the main buliding

The height of the hotel enables it to be seen from far, and to see distant glact:~. . . This helps in attracting patronage of the hotel by guexts

- The casino and night club are integrated in the build~ng, but have separate e

entrances so that they do not constitute any inc+venience to the guest.

The elevator lbbbies permit views and light ihroug,h the window wdls i l a l ~ x

the guest does not feel impatient while waiting for the elevator to heed their

call.

The penthouse restaurant is a unique design that proffers good vistas wh~le

eatmg and the thought of the height of the restaurant adds to the atmosphere of

the restaurant.

Demerits:

- The hotel lifts are not centralized, hence the guests in the upper diagonal shafi

are more disadvantaged in respect to the others.

The entrance lobby is too harsh to new visitor because of the lack of seats and

definttion of space, as a result, the guest is forced into a defined area where he

is psychologically forced to spend money.

- The hotel rooms are not maintained, hence, the rooms have been infested by

bugs and roaches, and some amenities llke hot and cold water are not constant

in supply.

- The offices in the ground floor are not centrally air-conditioned and are not

naturally ventilated.

- The conference facilities do not have their own seydate entrance. Hence

conference participants are forced to mix fieely with the guests.

3.6 CAMINO REAL BEACH-HOTEL, MEXICO:

The Site:

The Camino Real is a sandy promontory alnlost completely surrounded by

water, the Caribbean and a salt water lagoon. The hote! is sitiisied on the beach and ' .f &$

the only physical feature of the site is the expanse of flat,, white coral A d with palm

tree with cear, warm and mild sea breezes. Cancrum has many miles of sandy beaches

and is situated at the top of the Yucatan Peninsula in the Mexican Caribbean 1

Centuries ago, the Mayan lungs watered there and today the climate attracts tourists a31

the year round. The region is largely devoted to the industry and the ancicnt

archaeologcal area of el Rey is a short &stance from Cancrum. All h e usual typical -

holiday attractions including fishing, sailing and golf are available in the area.

. .

Design and Layout:

The hotel consists of two main elements. A guest block with 256 air-

conditioned bedroom, balcony and sea view. The second elernent is the public zone

which accommodates the main restaurants, bars and disco. The two areas are linked

by a covered way with an out-door restaurant and a very large swimming pooi w1t11 it's

own natural beach. Tennis courts adjoin the pool and there is a sample space for

s u n b h g on beaches and terraces'. The section shows the relationship ofthe ~ l o m s

with a central courtyard or atrium (see fig. 13).

Construction and Materials:

A modem reinforced concrete structure with, high qualitylGnishes and

contemporary decoration and furnishings. The hotel is-completely air-conditior1t:d.

Comment:

The Camino Real is an unshamed contemporary hotel fbr tourists. 'I'he site

makes no demands - it has unlimited flat sand and sea with palm trees. It's des.ign IS

a bold attempt.

3.7 ISSUES ARISING FROM TEE CASE STUDIES:

The above study and analysis of some existing hoiels in Nigeria, and an cxis~i~w,

hotel Oversea, the Camino Real Beach-Hotel, reveals that they posses

facilities/activities that satisfy the 5-star requirements. The design of their physical

structure also meet with the 5-star status.

A cross-examination of the existing activitieslfacilities will serve as a gu-ilc t o

the attainment of the following standards:

- Improved room service

- Rooin options for the guest to choose fiom.

- Free flow of traffic - the service entrance of thc slit: wiii not be distlnct iio~r I 1111-

main entrance of the site so that the inconvenience of having to exit the

premises before going round to the service entrance will be avoided.

- ~x tens io i capabilities of the hotel should be maintained

- Zoning of the hotel buil&nglactivities into the (back of house) and (front of

house) without cross-circulation.

- Provision of adequate parking area

- Proper orientation of the guest rooms in such a way that the longer h i s will not . .

be exposed to the sun (Solar Radiation).

- Maximum attention to fire protection.

- Adequate Vistas.

- Achievement of natural lighting.

- Possession of several recreational facilities to serve the guests, vacationisis arid

tourists

i - Creating a natural environment though contact with ~iiiture, that is, by lhc j!

introduction of natural plants, fish ponds and natural lighting effects.

- Use of form(s) that can charm guests to the hotel by thai attraction alone

- Provision of balmnles which allows the guests to feast in the vistas and also

enabling them to encounter the natural play of wind and sea breeze of the River 1

Niger.

I - Central positioning of the,elevators and escalators in relation to the bed rooms,

I and in such a way that they can be assessed directly from the entrance lobby,

and

!

Separate entrance into the convention area.

J

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 THE USER CATEGORIES:

The categories of users of the hotel are broadly based on the ty-pe of people that . .

are expected to use the hotel. These types of users would derelmine the room d;:sig~~

for the hotel and also the design of public areas. The broad categories of users include

the following:

1. Business Users: These are users of the hotel, that are strictly for business !11

town. They are either individuals or in groups, and heir. purpose of tr.avel

ranges from sales to conferences.

. . 11. Government Bodies: These are government staff worlung in all facels of

government establishments. It also include-.dignitaries on a visit to the

administrator of the state. They are either individuals or in groups, and them

purpose of visiting the hotel is either for accommodation or conference,

banqueting etc. L

. . . 111. Pleasure Users: This include tourists and vacationists or both Their purpose

of visiting the hotel is for leisure and recreation. They travel as a family, a

couple or as single guest.

iv. Non-lodging Users: These users are usually resident in the town. 'They provide

the necessary local patronage that makes the hotel work during off-per~ods

Though they do not lodge, they iiiiiuence the design of public spaces.

v. Administrative and Maintenance Staff: These staff require space designed

for their use. Infact, the staffof the hotel are the pivot in the provision fcrr arid

designing of the ancillary spaces. The staff of the hotel are grouped inm the

administrative staff and the maintenance stall'. The adtninistralive s~al't' a-e

involved with the administration of the hotel and it's resources, whde inc

maintenance st& (back of the house staff) are involved with the physical

running of the hotel.

With a close study of these categories, it would be easy ro realize that the nccd

of each group varies. The design d r h l s hotel will therefore, provide for the diverse

need of each group. Taking into cognizance the fact that any deficiency in atiy group

will result in deficiency in the whole hotel mechanism.

4.1 USER CHARACTERISTICS:

A complete comprehension of user characteristics is essential in the guest room

design. The need of the lodgers must be reflected in the guest room design For

instance, if some hotels have a high rate of single occupancy, they require few rooins

with double beds. For similar reasons, they need better designed,and larger work

surfaces for the business person and full 'lotel services.

The table (fig. 14) below establishes the major hoirl guest markets, and thclr.

characteristics.

Guest Guest Characteristics

Siugk: or double occupucy: 2-

4'night slay; 75% rncu. 25%

womeu so~rrewfiat price

intensive

Siuglc occupancy; 1-2 night

stay; 85% men, 15% women;

very price intoasivc.

SiJ1glc wC;upmcy: ' young

prol'cssioncils: mid price to

upscale

Purpose of Travel Cuestroom 9esipn

Factors -- -

Corporate busuuss; sales; King; standud bath \r 111: I

shopping I

- --

Double occupancy: 1-7 11ight

stay; mid p r i ~ to updato.

(iuoludes ch11dn:n): 1-4 night

stay: longer ir resort arcas;

'I'ours, club, asso~iations: Ku~g: cli~u~ing, iiorli I sigh-saiug; thcauc, surlbco; nlodcrnte

sporls, weckzndpackngc: s t o r a g 1: :

shopping, vocalion. c o m p a r t l u u n t a l i d

I bath. a

seeing; spol~s:' liunily sl iow~.; lounge brca

activity 6 I with zsczptioual work

4.2 GUEST ROOM BED TYPES:

Guest rooms have varying arrangements and bed types. The table (fig. 15)

below gives a comprehensive listing of hotel guest room types (the more common

being identified with an *) and standard bed sizes.

Twin

* Double - double

King

Queen

California King

Oversized Twin

Size

2 twin beds ( I x 2m) - - - -

2 double beds (1.3 5 x 2m) . 1 lung bed (2 x 2m)

, ,. - 1 qaecn bou ( 1 . 3 x 2m)

Queen - queen 1 2 queen beds I

Queen - studio I 1 queen bed and convertible sofa

Double - studio

* King - studio 1 king bed and convertible sofa i

1 double bed atid conve~tible sofa

1 Wall bed (sic0 room) 1 1 wall bed 1

. . * Palour

4.3 GUEST ROOM ACCOMMODATION Y'OPIJLATION:

The number of rooms assumed adequate for the hotel 1s 200 This assunpt~u~l

1 convertible sofa

is based on the fact that Asaba is a fast and continuous gr-owmg town wlth the nu1n:)c.r

of guests coming into the town increasing 3: i h same proportion with chis growdl

In the Nigerian context, it has been shown that resort hotels attract customlxs

to themselves fiom all over the country and overseas. These customers ~ncliide

vacabonists and tourists especially. For instance, Eko Meridien Hotel, Lagos. bloreso,

based on the Nigerian context, the average number of guest-rooms in hotels in Asilba

is about 200 rooms judged by the numerous number of hstels iii Asaba, and the~r-

adequate patronage by guests. Hence, it would be appropriate to choose about that

same figure for the hotel in Asaba (proposed hotel)

The choice of a 200-room hotel for Asaba is in cons~deration of the need for

future expansion. When hotels intend to expand, they spend more money on the

extension (expansion) of the hotel structure than they would have spent i f the future

expansion was preconceived and integrated into the build~~lg design and construction

at the first stage. In some cases, the expansion may b~ impossible as a result clf tlic

limited land mass of the site, except upward expansibi.. of the already existing hotel . . .

li

building not designed to carry extra floor(s). For instance, the Lagos Sheraton t lotel

has 340 rooms which now proves insufficient, hence the need for further expansion

which is not also reasonably possible. The above problem is one of the factors that

compelled the lkeja hotels, owners of Lagos Sheraton Hotel to purchase the Federal

Palace Hotel buillng at the exorbitant rate of W493 million ($50 million US).

However, it is unreasonable to state that a hotel has too many rooms, because

the hotel is a fixed asset and one day, the market will grow to match the size of the

hotel. Feasibility analysis has to be undertaken to understand the profitability of the

hotel, using the break-even analysis, which compares the total of fixed and variable

expenses at different occupancy levels with anticipated revenues. This is shown in the

table (see fig. 16). . I

,The profitability of a 200 room Hotel.

4.4. THE CLlENT AND THE FINANCING:

Due to the high cost of design and construction of a resort hotel with a five-star

standard, the project would be too expensive to be financed by individuals or mele

groups with genuine financial . . background. I have decided that my client would be the

Delta State yovewent with the support of Anambra State govcrment which at: the

two states expected to benefit from the project based gn it's central location. 130th

states would own 60% of the project while the rest 40% would be ~ssued out as stock

to private investors or any major corporation interested In the hutel project.

The hotel would be managed by any major international management group,

preferably ITT Sheraton since they have more experience than any other hold

management group in Nigeria.

4.5 DESIGN IMPLICATIONS:

The hotel should not be built in phases but in one opeiaiion. This is to fore:stall

problems such as increase in cost of construction and construction materihls as wel as

failure of certam structural materials 'such as exposed steel, and long time exposure of

upper floors to rain in absence of roof (top cover). Capacity for future expansion

should be adequately considered. The structural form of the building should be abk

to depict a five-star standard. Also, the sensitivity and luxury of a hotel wlth a live-star .

standard should be emphasized by the lavish, but caufwus use of building matelxils.

In addition, the design of the hotel should be disabled/children friendly. Finally, be~ng

a resort hotel, it should possess all the recreational and entertarnrnent facilities at a rate

that meets with 5-star status.

4.6 CATCHMENT AREA:

This proposed hotel for Asaba is expected to attract users from all over the

world. The different areas involved is called 'catchment areas' and can be broadly

classified into primary, secondary and tertiary areas as Follows~-

4.6.1 Primary Catchmeot Area:

This include the towns that are within 30 rmnutes drive fiom Asaba. FOI,

instance, Awka, Onitsha, Agbor, Ogwashi-Ukwu, Isele-Ukwu, and lllah

4.6.2 Secoudary Catchmeot Area:

T h ~ s include the towns within a 30 minutes to 3 hours drive to Asaba, sucll ;IS

Aba, Owerri, Enugu, Abudu, Auchi, W m i , Sapelle, Benin, Ekpoma, and Pori-

Harcourt .

4.6.3 Tertiary Catchment Area:

This comprises of areas outside 8 3 liuurs driving distance from ~ s a b a , such as

Abuja, Lagos, Ore, Ibadan, Makurdi, Uyo, Kano, Calabar, and Overseas countries.

The primary catchment would constitute the locd patronage. These people

belng relahvely closer would participate in the use of other tacilities other than lodging

facilities contrary to the secondary and tertiary catchment arcas whose members are

more concerned with the lodging facilities.

4.7 TOWN SELECTION CRITERIA:

In the selection of Asaba, as a site for this project, some factors were taken into

consideration. The major faclors that influenced the choice of site as Asaba are as

follows:-

4.7.1 Location: F

Asaba is located between the Eastern and Westem pats of N~ger~a. 'This

position renders it accessible to these parts of the country. Available data shows Ihat

due to the unique nature of Asaba, it has been an administrative centre durin:,: the

colon~al era as a provincial hcadquarter.

4.7.2 Population: . .

Delta State has, accordmg to the 1991 provisional census, a population 01'

2,507,15 1 persons of which Asaba attracts a very large percentage of the population

figure. The very densely populated Asaba and it's neighbouring towns will be able to

provide adequate local patronage that the hotel would need in times of low fbr.eign

patronage.

4.7.3 Accessibility :

The Asaba town is very accessible by road fiom most motor parks of the

country. Infact, the town's settlement is near to the express road. Asaba is very close

to Omtsha whch is the main stabon for transport vehicles travelling fiom West to 13ust

and vice versa. .'This enhances the f'unction of the hotel as a stop over for traveller.;

going long distances.

4.8 SITE LOCATION:

In location, the Delta State capital, Asaha lies about 6" 30% and 60' 45'N [see

fig 17% b). (Fig. 18) shows the locabon of Asaba w i h Delta State More also, Delia

State is located approximately between longitude 5" 30'E and 6' 45'E and betweel,

latude 4'45'N and 3' 30"N. It is bounded by Edo State on the North, Anambra Slate

in the East, and Ondo State in the West. In the South-west and in the South, i t ha5 a

1 28.75km corn line bounded by the B i ~ h t of Bcnin on t h e Atlant~c: Ocean.

4.9 CLlMATlC ANALYSIS:

The climate of a region is defincd as the avelage ~veitthcl conci~twns I ! ) a

particular place over a long period of time. 'I'he climatic elements associated wi.ih

human comfort and building design, are as follows:- solar radiatio~i, alr ternperatur;:

hwnihty, wind and precipitation (rain, snow etc). The characteristics of these elen2enls

in a local~ty is determined by the latitude, altitude above sea level, distance from thc

ocean and conditions of the ocean.

MAPOF NIGFRIA SHOWJNG DELTA STATE .

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION.

v 05HlmlLI . . LOCAL . GOVT AREA !%lOWIEJC M M A . .

MAP OF DELTA ?TAT!€ FHOWING LOG. GOV ADMIN. BOUNDAKIE5

6' 30' Pt

, 4.9.1 General Climate:

1 r Climatically, Asaba is typical of tropical climate an J characterized by two major

seasons: - . .

1. Rainy or wet, and . .

ii. Dry season I

THE RANY SEASON: begins from about late March or early April lo October.

During the month of August is a short break pron~ptly referred to as the "Aup~st

break"

THE DRY SEASON: is between October to March. This period is millked by the

North-east Trade Wind which blows through the desert and is dusty. This wind is

characteristically dry, cool and dusty, and causes the Hamattan.

4.92 Wind:

The prevailing winds in Asaba are the South-west tropical rnariiime air mass

, I 1 . . , , . . :

with varying velocities and frequent calm periods. The wind velocity is seldom low

_ I ' and causes Iscomfort. There is also the tropical continental air mass with varying

velocity, dry and dusty.

4.9.3 Rainfall:

The rains start in April and last till October with ihc greatest amount in tlie

month of July. This is usually associated with the South-west winds. The mean annu.:il

rainfall is about 250cm. The highest monthly average rainfall is 340cm And it occurs . .

in September, while the least is in December. (see fig. 20)

4.9.4 Humidity:

The relative humidity of the town is high all the year round with the average

monthly range of between 25% and 89%. The lowest humidity occurs in Deceniber

and January, while the highest is in the months of July and August (see fig. 21).

4.9.5 Solar Radiation:

Asaba capital city has a hgh intensity of solar radiation. 'The period of highest

heat capacity is when the sun is directly overhead. However, the effect of solar

r a c k o n is reduced by cloudy sky during the wet seasort and the pressure 6f fog d u m g

the dry season (see fig. 22) for cloud cover chart, and (fig. 23) fbr the climatologlcd

map.

SOURCE METEROLOClCAL SERVICES, BEUlh).

CL'IhAATOLOGICAL M&P ;ante

ZONE-1 -HOT DRY' ZOUE-2.-TE MPERATE D R Y

Z ONE -3 -HOT HUMID

4.9.6 Temperature:

Asaba city has a very high temperature due to its high relative humidity. It is

hlghest in February and March.

- The maximum monthly temperature range between 24.2'C and 28.2'C

- The maximum average temperature for the year is 3 I "C

- The minimum average temperature for the year is 32.8'C.

- The monthly chfference between the maximum and minimum temperatwe C

ranges from 5.9'C to 1 0.7'C (see fig. 23). .-

4.10 SITE SELECTION CRITERIA:

The development plan of Asaba dld not show my (srtcj arcn mapped out by thc:

development control department of the local authorities ibr the establishlent of a

luxury class hotel. Thee land use proposals have been mapped out but, just few of'

them have been allocated to particular uses. This resort hotel shoilld be locatzd at a

place or spot of special interest. The slte should be unique in itself and should have . something specidly attractive to offer to its visitors. Some of the hctors that could

influence its location are as follows:-

- Accessibility: The site should be accessible fiom the vicinity as well as outside

162

the irnmedlate environment.

- Availability of space: The site for the centre should have sufficient space for t l u

execution of the project as well as capacity to expand.

- Government favour: A site is best chosen where government has'mappeti out

:( areas for hture development/expansion. J

- Scenery: A hotel must have the ability to see and be seen

- Existence of Attractive natural features: Such features as beaches, scenic

greenery and landscape, and monumental or historic areas influence the chloicc

of a site for Resort-Hotel project.

- Availability of Service facilities: The availability 01' servict: facilit~cs lil\,,:

electricity, pipe borne water, good roads and tcl~yilone lines favours the slling

, , of hotel project since it helps to minimize extra cost,of procuring such facilities

- Existence of similar projects: Projects like hotel.'clo not require duplication I r t

fi

an area. The existence of one in an area is enough and may not be benef id

to locate another one within the area. I

Minimum construction cost: Extra costs incurred during construction such as

a result of the type of foundation, adaptation of building to site, the demolitlon

of exlstmg buddings etc should be avoided as much as possible to enhance I he

cost effectiveness of the building construction

4.1 1 SITE SELECTION:

Due to the fict hat Asaba is a newly created State capital, the deveropment plan . .

has been drawn up, but most already sub-divided sites have not been allocated to any

use (development), except the few sites shown on the key of (fig. 26).

in order to choose a site for the luxury hotel for Asaba, two or more of the most

potential sites should be chosen, analyzed and graded for final selection. The two sites

chosen include:-

I

SITE A: This site lies within the industrial area of thc head bridge layout,

Oshirnili South local government area - (as part of block 1). It 1s very

close to the toll-gate (sce fig. 25).

SITE B: l h s site lies w i t h the central (core) area layout development phase 1 I1

and phase I (see fig. 26).

A test of the sites against selectiulr of tire better site is showe'below:

mighbouru~g residents but also in telms of amssibility, but there exist sollie bf nlotorable roads. I possible probhiis of' traffic such as I)ad I

Factor

Accessibdity

Site A

Site A is quite accessihlc: no: oliiy io Ljle

Site B

S~te 13 has a greater advautagc in tern~s i

Spa% Availability

Service Fachties

Ik i s te~w of

similar projects

Government favour

Scenery

M i n i m u m conslruction costs

Proxuuity to

complimeut ary activities.

Site A has a W a t a laud mass ~ncasuring

Site A enjoys several facilities such as

clecbicity , pipe bornc w utcr. good roads and possibil~ty 01' getting wnkr directly

from the River Niger.

Site A is not w i t h h e uuxudiate

vicinity of my esistiug hotel. 'I'he brdgc

herd layout is a virgin arca.

Site A is a son of mix use arca aud would be able to gain palrouagc of stall. of the UCU~Y CO~~pillk'~. MOI r: also, it is

dircclly oppositc block (V11) wh~ch is the co~n~~~erc ia l area nmppd out by . govemlleut.

Site A has view of thc ltiver Niger us well as uatural vegekiliou and vista of the Asaba town, llud Onitslla lowu.

Bridge head layout has a stuble soil for

building except for fcw slopes that owur

at the entrance from h c major Road, which =quires cuttiug lutd Glliug during couslructiou.

Site A has appropriate locution. I t is not

too far or too near to h e C.11.1). 'i'his characteristics is peculiar wih =sort

hotcls, creating a feeling of' kavmg your environment for a mrcatioual and entertahnent ground.

Site I3 is located w i t h h e aily nJi~:~.c

s o ~ ~ r c otl~ar horcis such as I lilton. Mike

While, Littlc Pirradise nud (irccn Salids are lwrtctl

Site 13 is also lwa td 111 an area n~ilppcd

out by hr: g o ~ ~ r u u c u t agaiust lu~ure

dcvclq~~~rcul.

Site 13 is locrtod in u rcsidcntiitl l i~yo~t . 'I'be ody v k ~ a s available arc Illat's of ~b\: Judi~i;uy. cultural ccuke and

pilrliani;ntiuy iucaclc.

Sitc B is relatively llat aid geologicall:,

stable.

07i-lIfllLl SOUTH L O C A L L O U . AREA DELTA STATE..

(PART OF- & L O C K 1) AT HEAD 'BRIDGE LAYOUT

4 L 0 LIC, B EtW - A SABh 4%PR€SS - l?OAv. I

4.1 1.1 Site Grading:

Based on the above analysis of sites A and B, an assessment can easily be made

and the gradmg made as shown below (see fig. 27). .

Factom

Accessibility

Service Facilities , 70 70 I

-

Space Availability

I Existence of similar Projects I 80 1 70 I

A

65

B

80 -- -

YO

Average Grade Point I 78.1 I 66.8 I

70

-- -

Govemniont Favour

Scenery

Based on the gradmg,it can be inferred that Site A has the hlgher grade point

and is therefore chosen as the site for the five star hotel in Asaba.

4.12 SITE ANALYSIS: (See fig. 28u, v, w, x, y and z)

The site is located w i t h the industrial area of the bridge hkad layout, in

Oshimili South Local Government Area, on BLOCK 1. li is about 60 metres away

fiom the Onitsha - Asaba toll-gate, and bounded in the South by the Rsver Niger. The

site is accessible duectly from the Agbor - Onitsha express way. In the East, it is

bounded by a small hver. (See plates 5 1, 52, 53, and 54)

-- -

YO

95

- -

50

65

NOISE DUE W

I i ! I LESS NO1 i AREA . . . .

SITE TOPOGRAPHY DRAINACE PATTERM.

4.12.1 Vegetation and Topography:

* The site has a very gradual slope or rather flat land. The contour lines reveals

intervals of 45,5O, and 55 whch shows there's negligible difference in level. The site

is covered partly by overgrown Elephant and Bahama grass and cultivated plants such , .

as cassava, okra, maize, melon etc. (See plate 55)

4.12.2 Vistas:

This site at bridge head layout offers a lot of vistil~. From the site, one is able

to see the River Niger and Lagos - Onitsha express way while standng on the floor

A view of Asaba town as well as Onitsha town (layout) is also possible.

4.12.3 Present Land Use:

The site is wtually empty. It is a piece of vlrgir? !x~d that has been mapped 0u.t

by the government, bit, yet to be put into use.

4.12.4 Infrastructure:

Physical mfiastructure such as electricity lines, telephone line, water main I me,

etc, exist along the boundary road.

4.12.5 Merits of the Site:

, 'The site enjoys easy access fiom all pails of Asdba and beyond.

- The site has a good topography. Being relatively flat, no extra cost is ~ncurred

in attempt to excavate and level-up the earth (soil).

- The site has natural vegetation and the presence of the River Niger which can -

be utillzed as a beach to support the recreational facilities since the River Niger

shares a common boundary with the site.

There's no existing structure in the site. So, the labour and extra cost of

clearing existing buildmg(s) is unnecessary.

The site has service facilities nearby.

The site is very close and can even be assessed drrectly through the major road.

Ease of locabon by foreign guests. Since it is ve~y close to the toll-gate, the loll-

-gate can be used as a reference point when describmg the location of the 11~aiei

to foreign guests.

Since the site is not very close to the C.B.D, it is extremely devoid of nois;:

pollution except noise generated by the englne of velucles passing by

s

4.12.6 Demerits of the Site: . . - The site has some undeveloped supporting facilities. For instance, there'#;

access road in form of foot-path but, yet to be tarred and developed. (See platc

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1 BASIC PRINClPLES -1.N DESIGNING HOTELS:

A hotel should be bctionally designed to facilitate different activities for . . people of all ages and sexes. The hotel design should create a comfortable

accomm&on with all the ancillary services as well as a safe, healthy and attractive

environment.

Entrances to areas in the hotel that are mapped out for h e disabled perscm

should be designed in such a manner that makes it possible for them to use without

extra help. For instance, the provision of ramp near steps. The convention acas

should be designed in a way that ensures that it is an integral part of the hotel, yet,

could serve as separate ann with separate entrance. The recreational areas should be

carefirlly mapped out in such a manner as to avoid interfaence while in use, and should

also blend aesthetically into the surroundings. ..

I

Considering the structure, hotel buildmg types m p rzi.ige from simple smdl

shelters, to the complex contemporary large structures. These builQngs also vary in

design fiom rustic, depicting the style of early colonial days to the contemporary,

representing the most modem archtectural techques. The site to be used, usually

presents some limitations which require special solutions, imaginative planning, and

a flair for creativity.

However, as a basis for planning, it is possible to identifjl a number of

underlying principles which . . can be applied in most cases and reflect's the rit%ii

objectives in the development of the resort.

5.2 PLANNING OBJECTIVES:

The planning objectives for hotel are numerous. For the purpose of this work,

they are dlvided into segments for easier understanding

5.2.1 Orientation and Siting of Structure:

The planning objectives includes:-

- Analysis of wind loading

- Consideration of solar gain; generally, North/South orientation is preferable to

EasWest orientation that results to buildmg exposure. I

- Siting of structure should enable visibility fiom the access road.

- Analysis of potential for guest-room views.

5.2.2 Guest Room Floor:

The planning objectives for guest room floor are as follows:-

- The arrangement of plan, so that guest ~~ooms occupy at least 70% of gross fl!oor

area. . I

- The location of elevators and stairs at interior locations rather than on exterior

walls.

- Provision of elevator lobby in middle of structure'

- Use of adequafe space for corridor to facilitate guest circulation. p.

- Location of vendmg facilities near public elevators,

- Provision of service elevator, lincn storage and chutcs 111 ccnlral location ?

- Minimum corridor width should be 1.6m.

- Maximum distance between guest room and exit stairs should be 50m (with

sprinklers).

- Location of hardcapped guest rooms on lower floors and near elevators.

- Location or design of guest rooms side to side for plumbing erndomy.

- Assessment of the relative visual impact and construction cost of various guest

rooms plans and configuration.

The use of fonn(s) that enhance space optimization, and

- The use of form(s) that can facilitate future expansion of the guest room block.

5.2.3 Exterior Approach and Entrances:

- Each entrance need to be clearly indicated acmrding to its h c t i o n with a . .

canopy, special illumination, or other architect&d treatment. IF

- The amount of tr&c congestion should be predxted to enable the provision of

space for waiting taxi, loadmg and unloadmg of passengers and bags, and short-

tern standmg including valet - delivered cars and tours of airport buses.

- Provision of covered drop off at the main entrance and secondary entrance (ball

room) to protect guests fiom rainfall and sunshine effects.

- Provision of ramps were necessary for both disabled guests and luggage

- Pedestrian areas should be sufficiently wide for handling baggage carts, mi

providmg door-man and bell-man station.

5.2.4 Administrative Office:

- Location of front desk so that it is visible from the entrance

- Location of front desk in sight of the guest elevators.

I I

I -

I Positioning of luggage storage and bellman near the desk.

The fiont desk plan should be fiee of structural columns

Layout of the safe deposit room in such a manner that the cashier cm irandle

guest transactions.

~ccessibilky of sales , . and catering offices to h c t i o n area.

Location of accounts and executive office near fiont desk.

Provision of decorative focus at the desk such as counter material, lighting

treatment of back wall, and signage.

Screening of guest's view into office work areas.

The eont desk should be planned so that the cashier and registration functions

can be staffed.

Lobby:

Establishment of clear paths to the front desk, elevators, restaurants and bxs:

meeting and banquet areas.

Provision of lounge seating areas near the desk and entrance. Thli area would

also be contiguous with the lobby bar

Provision of lease space convenient to the guest circulation areas.

-on of such accessory functions as toilets, coats, house phones, directclry..

v

..

and assistant manager's desk conveniently in relation to the lobby

5.2.6 Food and Beverage Outlets:

- All beverage outlets would have service back-up, elther to the kitchen or to the . .

bar.

- All food outlets would have direct close access to the lutchen except outlets

within minor food services thzt may be served fiom pantries.

- All outlets would be easily located fiom public flow areas, and the cafe would

be visible from the lobby.

- Most food outlets would have a bar adjacent or should include a small holding

lounge.

- Large restaurants and bars would be planned so that sections can be closed

during slow periods. I

1 - Restaurants and bars would have exterior frontage and direct outside access

were possible. a

- Flexible lighting would be installed and controlled fiom the bar, including stage

and dance floor lighting. I

- Provision of a &dl stage or dance floor or consideration of how plan might be

modified to accommodate entertainment tables, would be organized with views

towards t h ~ s focal point.

- Clear deht ion of the seating areas would be made, separating them fiorr~ the

aisles, services, buffet, and host areas. Each table should have some privacy 8 .

fiom other tables.

- Bars would be provided in easy-to-locate area by guests and visitors.

5.2.7 Functional Spaces: ,

- All hctional areas would be grouped together, although separation would be

I desirable in some cases.

- Location of additional functional areas such as exhibition hall or audo-vl !d

theatre close by, but not adjacent to the ball room foyer.

- Location of function space close to the hotel lobby

- Provision of separate fbnction entrance fiom the street or parkmg area other

than the main entrance. Adjacent public support areas would be iricluded. For

, instance, toilets, coat rooms, telephones and convention services office. 1

- Direct food access to the ball room and all banquet rooms. If banquet pantry is

present, it would be on the same level.

- Essential meeting and banquet storage adjacent to the ball room.

- Design of the ball room and other large rooms to be independent of the guest

room tower so as to sirnplifjr the builang structure.

. .

5.2.8 Recreational Facilities:

- Swimming pool should be planned so that guests can reach it from guest iciill

elevators without passing through the lobby.

- Support facilities should be provided such as toilets, lockers, towel Issue area,

snack bar or v e n h g , equipment room, and furniture storage.

- Health club should be planned so that it could be assessed directly fiom the

guest room elevator by guests.

- Provision of a diving board should be totally avoided

- Tradhonal architecture and locally sourced materials should reflect on the

. design of the trahtional village bar. (See plate rfiarked X).

5.2.9 Engineering and Mechanical Area:

- Group enpeer and assistant offices, and record and drawing storage should be

located around control area.

Location of the secretarial area to control all access to shops and mechanical

areas.

Location of mechanical areas so that noise and vibration do not afl'ect guests.

Location of large eqgipment' in such a way that they could be easily replaced.

Position of carpentry, upholstery and paint shops adjacent to each other.

5.2.10 Laundry and Housekeeping:

- Provision of linen chute including provisions for smoke control, venting and

locked access. ..

- Location of ofices so that they usually control The laundry and housekeeping

areas.

- Establishment of separate locked linen storage for particular departments.

- The laundry and housekeeping areas would be located near the ser\;icl.:

elevators.

- Planning of continuous flow of linen and uniforms through the l~undry cycle

5.2.11 Kitchen:

- To be designed in such a way that there would be straight flow of fwd from

storage to area being served.

Minimal &stance should be allowed between lutchen, serving area and

restaurant seating.

Shared facilities should be placed centrally. . .

Location of secondary storage near each station as required.

Arrangement of compact work centres.

Elimination of cross-traffic and back-tracking.

Provision of service verstible between the kitchen and all outlet, banquet pantry

and ball room, and baffles between service corridors and banquet rooms.

Walk-in refigerators and fieezers arranged together to share common walls and ' .

compressors.

Floor slabs for refrigerated storage would be depressed, so that finish floor

flashes with main kitchen floor.

The minimum heat generating equipment would be installed.

Consideration of sanitation and employee safety. I

! ' , 5.2.12 Employee Areas:

Provision for visual control of the entrance and the man service corridor.

Location of time keeper and security office immediately inside the empl.oyec

(staff) entrance.

Small, private offices for interviewing and counseling employees should be

included. . .

Provision of training room for stafl'meetings. ..

Provision of manager's apartment as part of giest room programme.

Location of staff' cafeteria near lutchen or near employee locker room.

Planning of staff' cafeteria to contam semce line, seating and soiled dish

holdmg area.

Separate access to toilets without passing through lockcrs.

- Provision of separate lockers for banquet st&.

5.3 PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS (WAYS AND MEANS):

There are no d e h t e methods or procedure for planning hotels, because each

situation requires individual appraisal and interpretation. However, lthe following

instance, illustrate some of the principles whlch would be applied:

5.3.1 Grouping of ActivitiesIZoning:

In planning hotel, dfferent activities have to be distinguished by zoning mto

different groups in order to separate them and achieve minimal lsturbance and

efficient management. Moregver, the activities wodd be grouped in such-a way as to

allow contact betbeen one related space and another. In addition, there is the need to

avoid:

-

-

5.3.2

The overall recreational area becoming too exposed and monotonously laxge

and impersonal, and

Conflict between lfferent interests, for instance, noisy activity and quiet

activity.

Flexibility:

The hotel building has the possible need for expansion especially in order to

match the demand of the dady growing population In planning the hotel, a minimwn

I

of 50% expansion potential should be considered to permit future horizontal expansion

of the guest room floors as well as ground level public area. Where sufficient land is

not available, expansion wing can be planned over a parking area.

It is impractxable to design for vertical expansion due to the following reasons:-

- The elevator machmery and mechanical facilities would need to be raist:d to ..

accornrnodate.the added floor; and the process would interrupt the operaticm of li

the existing hotel during expansion.

- Huge extra cost is incurred in attempt to over size the foundation and clther , ,

structural supports.

- The construction noise and vibration would interfere with guests comfort in the

existing hotel.

5.3.3 Contact with Nature:

Contact with nature could be physical contact or by visual contact. In high rise

build~ngs, physical contact is almost impossibIe, yet, it is regarded as more mlporkint

aspect of contact.

However, contact may be converted to visual contact in high rise

buildings. This can be achieved by allowing trees, gardens and natural resources

(water, light etc) were possible to penetrate into or extend through the Irotel. On 111c

other hand, the hotel tower could be arranged to take maximum advantage of'tht.

scenery. Moreso, hotel designs which features an association between the mteriors and

exteriors through thk use of atriums, courtyards and openings are usually preferred by

I 96

hotel guests.

Nature can be brought into closer contact with the hotel structure by

landscaping. Landscaping in th~s sense would mean the sculpturing of natural be1 ngs,

design of gardens, potted . . plants and txaes, fountains and rocks, the& should be

employed in the interior and exterior of the hotel building The rest effects would bc

achieved architecturally by change of levels, natural light penetration etc. At the same

time, natural features should be retained even in the most built-up areas as part OF the

landscape design.

5.4 DEFINITION OF ACTIVITIES

5.4.1 Administration:

This refers to parts of the hotel that has to do with the organisation and running

of the hotel's affairs and activities. It is usually broken into four part:

- Front office: This involves areas that are located near the front desk

- Accountmg : These are offices involved with the monetary runnini of the hot el.

- Sales and Catering: These are areas concerned with the public relations of'the ?

hotel and sales of hotel services.

- Executive offick: These offices house die exeLuiives of h e hotel managem a t .

5.4.2 Lodging:

Th~s refers to the provision of accommodation to the guests of the hotel. This .

type of accommodation also provides such support facilities as toilets, baths, mini bars,

wardrobes, living room etc. . The . type of accommodati~ii &pencis UII the fype cf room

and amount of extras available. The available type of rooms are:

- Standard Room: These are standard lodgmg with the minimum required for a

five star hotel. They are either lung (single bed) or double - double (double

bed).

- Junior suite: These are rooms with bigger room space than standard rooms.

- Standard suite: These are rooms with a standard bedroom and a wing room.

- Presidential suite: This has a c h i n 8 room, living rooms, and more than one

bedroom.

5.4.3 Catering:

Catering facilities are associated with food and beverages. Catering refers to

the preparation and consequent chstribution of food and -. beverages whlch is usually

done in the lutchen an'd its support facilities. Bef~i6 prgparatioa, food and beverages

are kept in the store, and after preparation, they are served in the restaurant. This

therefore, brings the cold and chy storage as well as beverage store into play.

5.4.4 Services:

This involves areas that have to do with the physical running of the hotel. The

word physical in thls context refers to the actual act of doing the work that makes the

hotel function well. These . services . are in three parts.

- Employee Areas: These are areas that involves the employee welfare.

- Laundry and house keeping: This refers to cleaning and washing of the hoxel's

in and out.

- Engineering and Mechanical areas: This involves the mechanical and electrical

installations. It also include the maintenance facilities in the hotel.

5.4.5 Public spaces:

Public spaces do not refer to any activity. The term public space in this aspect

refers to all the activities carried out in the public areas of !he hotel. The activities ,mind

functions of these spaces vary and the major activities fiat occur in the public spaces I:

are: 8

- Registration: This occurs in the front desk of the hotel

- Recreation: This involves indoor and outdoor recreational facilities such as

swimming pool, games room, night club, etc.

- Convention: This involves conference, banquet and meeting rooms.

5.5 ACTIVITY SPACE STUDY: (See the table - fig. 29) below. . 1

I Activity Space

a. Standard lodging Standard rooms

b. L u w y lodging Junior suites I c. Super luxury lodging I Prcsidcntial suites I 2. Catering

I

Food and bweragc preparation I Kitchcu I I b. Food and beverage storage

- - - --- - - -

Dryland cold storagc:

c. Food and beverage distribution KcstauranVBar etc

Registration I Front dcsk I

ci Indoor rwrcaliori I Nl&t club/Ciu~ixs rwnls ctc I cii Outdoor recreation Swimming pool / tennis etc ,

4. Administration

1 a. Guest admdstration Front offlee

d. P. R. 0 and Sales Sales and Catering s

5. Service8

b. Monetay adrmnistration

c. Executive adnuIllstration

a. Employee welfare j Employec arc:is

Accounting

Esautivc: onice --I

b. Washing Laundry

c. Cleaning tiousr: keeping

d. Maintenance 7 machme repairs / elecLrica1 repairs. Enginrering ! M;;;huiiii;ul arcus. J

5.6 FACILITY COMPONENTS AND DESCRIPTION:

n s is based on the activity analysis of most existing hotels within and outsid12 the

country. The facility components and their description is given bclow:

Guest rooms: This identdies the type of room by the bed type. More also, proper

selection of guest room mix is important because it influences the hotel's ability to

rent 100 percent of its rooms in order to generate maximum profit. The double-

double best serves family and group business market while the single guest rooms

matches single users, and has the highest percentage of the mix. The balance

between the single and double-double guest room types result in the appropria~e

mix for hotel.

King (50%)

Double-Double (42%)

Handicapped (2%)

Suites (6%) '

Managers apartment

Support

Corridor

Linen storage

Elevators.

Lobby: This include the flow area, waiting area and retail shops with the lobby

as well as support facilities

Flow area

Seating

Retail shops

Assistant manager

Support

Telephones

Toilets

Bellman station

Function Areas: This include facilities like conference centre, banquet rooms,

meeting rooms and their facilities

Conference centre

Conference centre foyer

Banquet room

Meeting rooms.

Support facilities

Function room storage

Audio-visual equipment storage

Food and Beverage Outlets: This include the restaurants and bars as well as their ' .

support facilities

Coffee shop

Theme restaurants

Specialty restaurant

Delicatessen / pastery shop

Snack bar

Cocktail lounge

Entertiinment lounge

Lobby bar

Pool bar

Night club . .

Support facilities

Performers dressing rooms

Bar storage

Toilet, coat and telephones

Administration: This encomponents all the office section involved with thu

running of the hotel. Such as the fiont office, sales and catering, executive office

and accounting departments.

Front onice:

Front office manager

Assistant manager

Credit manager

Llirector of rooms

Reception 1 Secretary

Reservations area

Fire control room

Telephone operations

Bellman

Safe deposit boxes

General cashier

Count room

Work are 1 mail

Storage

. ,

Executive ofice:

Reception / waiting

Executive assistant manager

General manager

Resident managel

Food and beverage manager

Secretary

Conference room

Copying and storage

Sales and catering:

Reception / waiting

Director o f sales

Sale representatives

Director o f public relations

Secretary

Catering manager

Banquet manager

- Function book room

- Convention services

- Copying and Storage

- Secretary

Accounting:

Reception

Controller

Assistant controller / audit

Accounting work area

Pay-roll manager

Secretary

Copying and storage

Computer room

Dead files

6. Employee Areas: Employee areas has to do with the composition of the

personnel and employee facilities. ,

I A. Personnel:

- Time keeper

- Personnel / Reception

" 4 - 3 Personnel manager

- Assistant personnel manager

- Security

- lnterview room

- Training room

- Files and storage

- First aid. . .

B. Employee facilities:

.. Men's locker j Toilet

- Women's locker / Toilet

- Banquet stafF lockers

- Employee cafeteria

7. Receiving and Storage: This area requires to be separated from the main i'ood

preparation area

- Loading dock

- Receiving area

- Receiving office

- Purchasing office

- Locked storage

- . Empty bottle storage

- Trash holdii~g area

- Refiidgerated garbage

- Compactor

Car wash

Grounds equipment storage

General storage

Laundry and Housekeeping: The laundry aspect is concerned with the cleaning

of guest and employee linen while the house keeping has to do with arrangement

of the house and its contents. The componmt areas of the laundry and hc~ust: d .

keeping are:

Laundry:

Soiled liner1 room

Laundry supervisor

Valet laundry

Supplies storage

Housekeeping

House keeper

Assistant housekeeper

Secretary

Linen storage

,Uniform issue / storage

Supplies storage

Lost, but found

Sewing room

Engineering: This include all the engineering aspect of the hotel supervised by

the chief engineer such as maintenance, repair shops and offices for the engheer.

Chief Enginekr

Assistant engineer

Secretary , .

Carpentry shop

Plumbing shop

Electrical shop

Paint shop

Key shop

Energy

Engineering store room.

Mechanical Areas: This include all the mechanical and electr~ical parts of the

hotel such as:

Mechanical plant

Transformer room

Energy generator

Meter room

Fire pumps

Electrical switch board

Elevator machine room

Telephone equipment room

11. Recreational Areas: This include all facilities concerned with the recreation of

guests and visitors to the hotel. It includes both outdoor and indoor facilities.

- Swimming pools and deck

- Whirl pool

- Sauna a ,

- Exercise room

- Games room

- Lockers / Toilets

- Manager's office

- Attendant

- Equipment storage

- Pool pump / filter

- Squash

5.7 ACCOMMODATION SCHEDULE (Space Programme)

This is a source of information on the quality and size of the total space, thai is, its physical

and psychological attributes. In relation to physical space, the schedule provides an

analysis of activities taking place, equipment to be used (the amount type and size) and the

area required to operate and service this equipment. It also lays emphasis on the available

space and local zoning requirements.

On the other hand, human psychological requirements of the spaces specified in the

accommodation schedule include the scale of spaces and the shape of spaces.

The accommodation will be considered in relaiion to the activities taking place,

- -

Total 640

Main h c h m 60

P&a 3 P

Rona vclviw srw I 2

t d

I

3

I

Con~pwiol I 16 16

Loadmg dock

R c c c ~ n g ml

RcceiVing office

Purchvau~g office

Storage

Trash holding m a

Rofndgcraled garbage

Car wash

16

16

1

2

608

48

16

56

32

16 - 16

208 . 16

;6

16

1

I

I

1

2

1

1

1

I6

I6

16

16

I6

Assi$lr~t prsonnel manager 1 1 16

lnlerview room 10 1 32

'Irdining room 10 1 32 3 2

hlcs'n lu\;t.cr/lcnlr;l I 'Ib

Womm'n lockcr/luilct I 96 96

Employec cafcletia 50 1

Tolul

Soilcd lincr~ room I

hue 16 1 144

bundry supcrviaor 1 I 16 16

Suppliu 81wagc I 16

Vdcl laundry I I 16

llousc k e e p 10 I

SUM housr k r c p r I I 16 16

Iincn slongc I 48

I'hs and stor%e

Medical unit . .

I ~umhlics storage I I I 1 16 1 16 1

4

I

1

I 32 i 32 I"

r

Paint shop 4 I 32

1V repair uhop 4 1 32

Key shop 4 1 32 32

Energy mYlngcment compuler 2 1 32

hginuzing store room 1 32 32

Transformer mom . I 16

Ekchcal switch board 1 22 22 I

Emergency generator

M e n room

Telephone eqwpmmt m I 1 I 32 I 32 A Swimming pIr and deck 500 1

Whial pool 2 2

Lockcrs, ~oilcts 2

Saulu 16 I

Indoor 1:dcilitiea 3W 3 1168

Equipment slorqr: 1 64 64

Pool pump/fihCr 1 64 01

1

1 16

96

16

GUEST BEDROOMS 1

. . . . . . .

3 Typical arrangcmenls ol balh 8 duck accoss panels lo dWU should ta % hr Ir:ducls should have lire slms balwoon Iloors: sizes vaov w~lh hetghl ol btd j. 'a 1s besllor access lodud bul'b's 'c' plovlde mot0 space lor vanlry lop

nolo "a p~or~sfon ol plr debnds on anR& 01 holol and rnl SONICO arrangcmenls Pn k b local Ilnon ,lo or qnJ mny be tcclu~rod dopandlng on molhodol COl8lrOl c IlOor 510 lor bods Cols no1 shorn

2 a base bod roauiremenls ba~ranaemonl ol

possible; Iuxufy sulles may also be plarlnotl as penlhouse or vdlas In grounds Fire: man lravol dislarwos

' : .- .- - .. SNACK BARS

I---

L I L- 5 Wslcl lal~lus wltll nloro space G nclrigcrolcdshowcaso

Modwrn 11 bar slool

L. 1 Spnco reqlrltsd for bonql~nlinq lo1 37 nllwinq bll ?*NICC

! Space required in Ir lor 14 allowing lor crvlce. 2 0 m7/cwcr

I-.. ' I 3 nawvwlinn valincr nl lahhqfm 10. typical nmnannenfs for lergr bt~q!,:.l:. I ;!MI AwI:~

-- Typical cash d~:sk lor 4M).Mdl holel

L -.------ 5 L A ~ lor 700 hcdr hole1

3 Key (L leller ra1.k I

8 Slnndn wtlh open r.hnlvnt lor I m ( 7

L .-J 5 lylrlcnl l#nltl oll lor 120 Lu?J Iwld

CHAPTER SIX

ENVlRONMENTAL SERVICES

This refers to treatment to the building and its surrounding environment agaiust

undesirable conditions and ei5ects. The environmental ser-vices include:

- Ventilation e

- Solar Radiation, and

- Landscaping I:

6.1 VENTILATION:

Ventilation may &ur naturally or artificially. There are two aspects of ventilation which

include the following:

- Natural, and

- Artificial ventilation

6.1.2 Natural Veutilation:

~ n o r m o u s attention would be paid to natural ventilation for the supply of fics11,

natural air needed by the users (occupants) of the building. a

Natural ventilation helps to ensure the following:

- Maintain the quality of air in the space above to a certain minimum level by the

replacement of used up air in the house with fresh out-door air. A phenomenon cdled i

HEALTH VENTILATION.

- Provide THERMAL COMFORT by enhancing the rate of heat loss fiom the body,

219

and preventing discomfort due to the occurrence of moisture on the human skin.

- Cooling of the internal spaces when the in-door temperature is greater than the

out-door temperature.

6.1.3 Air Distribution: ..

Air distribution within the building is affected by a number of factors such as.

- Window orientation with respect to the wind

- Window sizes

- Vertical locations of windows

- Window types and options of opening

- Sub division of internal space

I 1 . Window orientation:

i The air distribution and quantity within the.room depends on the angle of incidence

of the wind to the window inlet.

When the angle of incidence is perpendicular to the window surface and the room

has windows on opposite sides of the walls, the air stream simply flows from the inlet to

the outlet. The rest of the room is slightly affected other than turbulence experienced at

the comers of the outlet. 5 :

,Moreso, when the wind strikes at 45' to the inlet, most of the air volume takes . ~ p

a turbulent, circling motion around the room, thereby increasing the air speed along tiie

walls and comers of the room as a result of the change in the direction of wind.

When the opening occur on the adjacent sides of the walls, better ventilation is

I .

achieved when the wind is incident at 90' to the inlet wihdow than when the angle of -. incidence is at 45'.

t

IF

2. Window sizes:

The size of windows will affect the air distribution if the room is cross ventilated. When 8 .

window (s) occur on one side of the wall only, the window's size has little effect on the

velocity of the internal air.

Moreover, an increase in the size of the windows has a greater effect on the

internal air velocity if the room is cross-ventilated, as long as the inlet and outlet art:

increased in the same proportion. When the inlet is less than the outlet, the air velocity

within the room increases. On the other hand, when the outlet is less than the inlet, it leads

to decrease of air stream velocity within the room.

3. Vertical Location of Windows:

The height of the window outlet has a s:iglii er"iect on the pattern and velocity of

air flow but in the area bfthe window inlet, there is an abrupt drop in air speed below the

window sill unless it is prevented. The velocity of the air flow below the window-sill-levul

may drop up to 25% of the rnaih air stream. A change in the level of window. sill ' %

significantly affects the velocity at certain level, for instance, if the height of the window

sill is higher than that of the sedentary occupants, the room will be poorly ventilated in , '

most of the occupied zones.

4. Window types and Positions of Openisgs:

In relationto the air flow experiment carried out by Hollernan in Texas in

order to study internal air flow, it is evident that with the use of double-hung and

horizontal sliding windows, the air flow continues horizontally. However, just one-half

of the total window surface is.free opening.

With the use of vertically pivoted windows, it is possible to coiitrol the amount of'

air flow and its horizontal direction. With standard casement windows, control is possible

through opening of the two saches or one against wind (air flow).

However, louvres are the best window- type and could be positioned either

vertically or horizontally. With the use of this window type, it is possible to direct air-flow

upwards or downwards in order to achieve the required level of ventilation.

5. Subdivision of Internal Spaces:

The arrangement of the partition walls and windows position, either allows the air

flow directly fiom inlet through outlet openings or forces it to change direction several

times before leaving the rooms, thereby, ventilating the room (s). So long as the inter-

connecting openings remain open, ventilation remains satisl:actoiy.

s

6.2 ARTIFICIAL VENTILATION:

Artificial or mechanical ventilation refers to the method of achieving ventilation of

a space artificially by the use of artificial means such as machines - Air conditioners etc. .a

These devices are usually,applied in order to give supporit to natural type of ventilation

when it is lacking or inadequate. However, they are not cost-fiee like the natural means,

but, can aid in correcting certain undesirable conditions that are impossible to achieve by

natural ventilation means. Mechanical ventilation helps to ensure the following:

- Keeping the tables, chairs and the entire building's interior fi-ee from dust

- Exclude external noise that would have filtered into the internal spaces if natural

means were adopted, . . - Ensure co,mfort of workers by providing the requisite amount of controlled fresh, I

sterile air at a comfortable temperature and humidity.

The mechanical ventilation systems could be used singly or in combination lo

achieve the desired effect. The mechanical systems are namely:

- Central system

- Split system, and

- Unitary system

6.2.1 Central System:

In this system, air is conditioned in a central plant and ducted into the various

architectural volumes where it is required. The merits of this system include-Ensures

controlled (temperature, humidity, air flow rate, odour, filteration, sterilization) ect. I

- Ease of operation, repairs and maintenance siice the plant is located awayfiorn the

area it is required to supply.

- Ensures energy conservation as a result of monitoring and recycling.

The central air: conditioning system has two main possible arrangements such as:

mono-zone and multi-zone distribution.

6.2.2 Mono-zone Distribution:

The mono-zone system is usually preferred since it provides a wide range of

programmes. This system effectively satisfies the need of large architectural spaces such

as auditorium, halls etc, and involves the installation of large supply and return duct which

are usually concealed in ceiling.voids, vertical service cores, roof top installations and

hollow floor slabs.

The air distribution could be in the following directions, determined by the

direction of The movement of inlet air:

- Downwards

- Upwards, and

- Across the space

Downward movement:

In this method, fresh air is introduced via the diffusers located in the ceiling or -. through high level gdls and extracted through the floor or througll the lower part of the

R

walls. The demerits of this system include:

- It attempts to hold cigarette smoke in suspension, thereby rcquirind 1 cross-

extraction.

- It negates the principle of hot air rising up.

- Air movement control is difficult, as such, some stagnant zones may remain.

Upward movement:

In this system, the supply of air is introduced at a low level and extracted upwards.

This system also attempts to hold cigarette smoke in suspension, but, it conforms with the

principle of hot air rising upwards.

. . Cross flow distribution:

In this system, air is extracted and removed through the wall grills and floor

6.2.3 Multi-zone Distribution:

This system is usually employed in areas with varying occupancy, conditiolis and

activities requiring local adjustments. The system depends on the pri~iciple of high velocity

air distribution. Instances include:

1. Dual duct system:

This system combines the utility of both hoi and cold air supply at hgh velocity,

fiom the central plant to the attenuation a l~d mixing boxes in each zone, from which the

mixed air can be diffused into spaces where they are required. This system provides

flexibility in meeting local variations such as heat gain or loss, resulting from exto~nal

conditions and changes in room occupancy and use. 1

2. Split system:

This type of system is preferred in public areas of many buildings as result of their

great capacity and lower noise generation.

P Unitary System:

This type of system is compact and self-contained, with possession of refridgera.tor ,

fan, air filter, compressor etc. They ire usually installed in wall/ window openings. Tlic

merits of the system include:

- Ease of installation . .

- Initial low capital outlay

- Freedom of individual control

*

The demerits of the system include:

- High noise generation I:

- Impairs the aesthetic value of the building ficade, and it is difficult to integrate irl to

the building design.

6.2.4 Supply, Extract, and Combined Systems:

Some rooms in some buildings require air supply for the purpose of ventilation.

. This can be achieved by the provision of a local air exhaust (with air filteration and heating

as required) used to balance the air movement. The three systems of mechanical

ventilation are as follows: %

- Extract system:

This system is employed in the ventilating of toilets and provision of exhaust hood

over cooking areas.

- Supply system:

This system brings in filtcied air fiom outside into the areas where it is needed, t'or

instance, the fire ventilation where air is forced into the stair hall and corridor at high

velocity to remove smoke.

- Balanced or combined system:

This system provides the greatest degree of control but, it is very expensive.

6.3 SOLAR RADIATION:

Solar radiation influences buildings in the following waj;s:

(a) Direct radiation

(b) lndirect or reflected radiation

(a) Direct rndhtion:

This is radiation fiom the sun directly striking the surface of the building. It is dependent

on the altitude, latitude of the sun, the time of exposure, the prevailing conditions of

weather and pollution and the orientatiori of the building surfaces.

(b) Reflected Radiation:

This radiation on the building surface is a function of the retlectance value of external

surfaces, for instance, other buildings, paved areas around the building etc. Transmission

is a critical factor for consideration in solar radiation in buildings. 'The transmission of

solar radiation into a building is dependent on the time of exposure, the heat capacity of

the structure, and the heat transmittance value. The effect of all these factors will increase

the room temperature, thereby, rendering the condition of the room uncomfortable for

living.

6.3.1 Control of Solar Radiation:

The architect carries out the arduous task of solar radiation control and at the same .-

time attempting to provide adequate material lighting required for normal operation. 'I'he r

means of solar radiation control on wall in building design are:

- The use of shrubs and trees to shade the building against the effect of solar

radiation. Grass should also be employed on external environment in order L'o

check the effect of reflected radiation.

- The orientation of the building should be in the East-west axis in order to expose

the longer facades of the building to north or south.

- The use of recessed window type to provide screening by the form of the

construction.

- The use of canopies, louvres, veranda and blinds.

- The use of reflective glass.

The use of shading devices: Shading devices are of three kinds:

(a) Vertical devices such as columns, fins, and rotating louvres. These devices are

usefid against low altit.cide of the sun

(b) Horizontal devices such as balconies, projecting floor slabs, pergolas etc. These

are useful devices against inten'sive sun. 1

(c ) Egg-crate device which is a combination of both vertical and horizontal members

to achieve a chequered pattern.

- Appropriate consideration of colour scheme in order to achieve maximurn

reflectance. For instance, white colour on wall has, high reflectance value alld

should be chosen in preference to black colour, blue colour etc.

- Use of internal shading devices such as Venetian blinds

- Natural ventilation, and

- The use of air-conditioning system in conjunction with other methods of control.

Protection of Roof Against. Solar Radiation:

The means of protecting the roof against solar radiation are:

(a) High reflective roof material: Where roofing sheets are employed, they should

be painted white or any tight colour.

(b) Use of solar slabs: Solar slabs are small' rectangular units laid over concretc roof

deck

(c ) Use of inverted Earthenware: Ths method imolves placing earthenware

upside down over a concrete deck

(d) Use of high level ventilation: This embraces the principle of "stack-effect" - a

situation where hot air (light air) rises up. When hlgh level windows are used,

air flow through the room will blow away the hot air in the room.

(e) Use of water pool: Thls method is very effective in checking solar radialtl~ll

through the roof, but it is veq expensive. The pool of water above the concretc *

deck helps to maintain a cool atmosphere in the interior

* 6.4 LANDSCAPING:

.. Landscapink helps to improve the overall envirpnmental qual~ty of the proposed

R

design. The use of plants helps to articulate the design of the various areas, aqd at the

same time helps to soften the effect of climate

Plants can be utilised in various ways such as:

- Architectural use of plants

- Engineering use of plants

- Climatological use of pl'hts

6.4.1 Architectural Use of Plants:

Plants can be used architecturally to create wd!s, fimrs arid canopies (roofs).

This is possible as result of their appearance, scale, fonn, mass, texture, colour and

varying proportton. Plants can also be used as complimentary elements in Architecture

as a way of defintng visual and physical space and screening elements in the I

environment.

, Some of the ways plants are used Architecturally include:

. (a) Plants as Articulants:

- I

Plants are used as sculptural elements thus creating a focal point. I - Used to articulate outdoor space by enclosing spaces as wall, canopies

floors

- Due to the dynamic nature of vegetation, the htilre appearance of the plants

, j should be well considered when uslng plants to define space

(b) Plants as Design Strengthening:

- Plants are utilised in the refinement and reinforcement of design's intent of

230

spaces and circulation patterns.

- Plant materials should be utilised, in space subdivision in such areas as plazas,

parks etc.

- Plants could be used to define architectural elements especially the entrance.

I t - Plant materials can be used visually and physically to channel pedple through

external spaces.

- Plants could be used to create narrow path (s) for movement, or define large

area (s) for relaxation.

- Plants could be used to enhance architectural elements and views.

- Plants can be used to provide background and foreground to a building.

- Plant materials can be used to lmk up spaces or buildings with one another

- Plants can be used to "anchor" tall buildings to the ground.

(c ) Plants as Screening Elements: .-

. In visual screening, in order to make a logical choke of the type, colour, texture

and form of plant needed, the following questions should be examined carefully

- What is required to be screened ?

- From which duection ?

- How high or dense is the require screening ?

- Is the viewer moving or stationary ?

- What is the 'viewers angle in relation to what is to be screened ?

(d) Formality and Iuformality in the use of Plants:

A prudent use of plaits can be employed in order to achieve a formal or

informal design.

6.4.2 Engineering Use of Plants:

This is observed in the areas of

(a) Erosion control

(b) Atmospheric purification

(c ) Acoustic control

(d) Glare and reflection control

(e) Plants for circulation control

(a) Erosion control:

Erosion occurs mostly on new construction sites. This erosion caused by an

agent of denudation, water can be controlled by the use of plants The plants mols

spreads throughout the soil and helps to bind the loose sod together. ,

(b) Atmospheric purification:

This can be achieved in the following ways

- Oxygeuation: This is manufactured by plants during photosynthesis

- Diution:Ths is carried out by plants blending both fiesh and foul air Other

impurities extracted out includes air borne dirts, sand, smoke etc.

(c ) Acoustic Co~~trol:

Although plants are used as sound buffer, they have little screening effect oil

noise level of 60 - 70 decibels, and vibrational noise. They best screen wind dnven

sound produced by express way and other busy roads. The thickness of planting for

effective control ranges fiorii 7.6 to 10.6m and should be planted m such a way that it

is lower at the source of the sound, and higher toward9 the position of the hearer In

order to achieve effective upward reflection of sound. "

(d) Plants as circulation control:

Plants are used to map out the circulation pattern of vehicular and pedeslnm

movement, and at the same time, adds to the beauty of the environment.

Betbre the use of plants for circulation control, the following factors should be

properly considered

- Characteristics of the plant variety

- Spacing and planting density required

- Ultimate height and spread of The plant

- The required width of the pl;inting

(e) Plants as Glare and Reflection Control:

Plant materials intended to screen would at the same time soften the effect of

dare and reflmon. The effectiveness of the operation depends on the location, height

and density of the plant since glare results fiom direct exposure to bright source of

23 3

light, plants should be used in a way as to intercept the sunlight rays.

Reduction of reflection could be achleved by planting in order to intercepl I~g,ht

rays fiom the sun before striking the surface.

6.4.3 Climatological Use of Plants:

The use of ground shrubs aid trees is one of the best ways to control solar

radiation on certain surfaces such as reflective buildings and large paved areas. 'Thc

climatological use of plants involves thc following aspects:

(a) Moderation of wind temperature:

Windhreeze can be cooled when it passes through a shade before enter~ng il

building. Therefore, great care should be tAen wile11 ordering the use oi' &mi

materials in order not to neglect the important cooling efTect of wind and breeze

(b) Humidity and Temperature Corrtrol:

Plants aid in the blockage and filteration of solar radiation, inhibit wind flow,

transpiration and prevention of evaporation fiom the soil. This is best achieved whim

the plants or trees are grouped together, for instance, in the car parking bays where

trees are used to shade the parked 'cars fiom effect of glarc x i racbation. D

7.1 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM:

The aim of the design is to provide a Resort hotel of five-star standard f o r

Asaba. The facility is to be a deluxe, high-rise, business/convention/resort hotel of

about 200 rooms. This Hotel complex, located in a residentiallcommercial sub-urban

area of Asaba, would be designed to accommodate convention groups and trave:llers,

and will also attract vacationists and tourists. The public facilities provided will cater

for the needs of the urban population as well as the need of state and regional

population. ,

7.2 T W DESIGN PHLLOSOPHY:

In brief, the phlosophy guilng the design is described in three words -

splendour, luxury, and comfort. These were appropriately considered to achieve a

harmonious unit.

, 7.3 THE OBJECTIVES:

I

The design philosophy would be achieved in the following ways:

- Use of lighting and acoustics to acheve the creation of certain eff- b ~ t ~ as

required by eachlevery space.

- Skillful use of buildmg materials to create luxurious and fhctional effects.

- Use of generous space in a three dimensional context to encourage splendour

and luxury, and

- Introduction of flora into the interior and exterior morphology of the building

to induce a closer contact with nature.

7.4 SPECIAL DESIGN CONSIDERATTONS:

These are considerations that would have a great efiect on the design of the

hotel. They are essential guide-lines in the achievement of a functional design, and

include:-

- Lighting

- Acoustics, and

- Fire protection.

7.4.1 Lighting:

The electrical system constitutes a major part of any building project, especially,

the hotel project, where it is employed to acheve special lighting effects. The 1igh:tmg

effects that 1 intend to adopt in my design and the various areas they will be installed

include:-

Entrance Lobby:

A combination of direct and indirect lighting woClld be used to project a sense

of w m t h and comfort. The indrrect lighting is concern5d with the use of hidden ; a d

recessed lighting fixtures, while the dlrect lighting involves the use of exposed ceiling -

e mounted lighting units and wall-mounted lighting fixtures.

Cocktail Lounge:

The cocktail lounge is lit most part of the day naturally fiom the atrium.

However, at night, lighting is by the use of side-table lamp fixtures and flood-lip,ht.

Restaurants and Bars: " I<‘+ ., The all-day family restaurant uses a direct, more general lighting fixture than

the specialty restaurant which uses more exotic indirect lighting units (in thls case,

chandeiiers) which creaie a very warm and mushy atmosphere. The penthouse

restaurant does not have any special consideration as regards to lighting, except in the

context of creating of mood of luxury etc.

The bar is psychologically lvided into public and private areas by concentrating

the lighting units towards the bar counter, thus, making the tables and booths a more

private area.

Function Rooms:

The function rooms, such as banquet halls, conference hall, etc as a matter of

principle, require bright lighting which can be achleved in &verse ways depending on

the size of the space. The smaller sp&es would use a mixture of diredindirect lighting

whle the larger space would use only ge~leral &rect lighting.

Guest Rooms:

The guest rooms require flexible lighting that can be dimmed according to ::he

user's wish.

Night Clubs and Casino:

The lighting system used in these two spaces varies. The night club requires

fast-flash and fbn coloured lighting against a musky, misty background, whilc the

casino requires a very bright lighting as a result of its delicate fmction, and secu.rity.

This would entail the use of fluorescent lighting fixtures.

7.4.2 Acoustics:

In the design of hotels, it is important to identify noise control as an essentid

part of the design process, especially in guest rooms and function areas that are among

the most sensitive areas. But, practically, in every part of the hotel, includmg the pubhc

areas (lobbies, meeting room foyer, entertainment lounges, bars); recreat~on ~ L C I ~ I ~ I L ' S ,

service areas (kitchen, laundries, mechanical, receiving and trash areas) and guest

rooms (because of television and hospitality of users), thae'ls the potential of unwanted ..

noise. The solution of noise penetration through partitions would be to use solid core . 6

partitions and special wall treatment that would reduce, if not eliminate total nolsc:

penetration and dispersion. Very noisy areas such as the generator house would require

special buffers (noise insulation). oreso so, in function rooms which would require

extra acoustic treatment for sound lstortion, the use of sound absorbent and reflective

materials would tone down noise lstortion to a minimum.

7.4.3 Fire Protection:

Due to the residential function of the hotel, it becomes of vital importance to

238

ensure the safety of the occupants of the building against the danger of fire outbreak. ' C. , '*

The archtect usually attends to this subject in two ways, whlch include the following-

1. Design Aids:

This refers to'the method used by the architect in his design to make his

bullhg and it's occupants safer fiom the dangers of fire. They are called'design ,aids . , .

because they are part of the physical design of the building. Thls usually involves

abidmg to strict buildmg regulations and inventing dety conscious interiors. From the

fire protection act, 1982 of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) of

America, it was gathered that the fire resistance of materials are of importance. 'I'hc

code define the different construction elements, the number of hours they should

withstand, ranging fiom 45 minutes to 4 hours. The code also outlines the required fire

separation between different spaces and their interior finishes accordmg to their ability

to limit fire growth. The N.F.P.A. also'goes ahead to outline the codes for such

elements as exit requirements and occupancy load.

The implementation of these codes in the design of the hotel for Asaba could

be seen in such gestures as maximum distance between fue exits as 40 metres, spandel

drapes, bedspreads, flame resistant nylpn carpeting and ceramic tile. Also, as a r e d l

of these codes are such gestures as a three hour (fue) separation betweeithe banquei

halls and night-clubs, and 2 hour (fire) separation between offices and the computer

room. As regards to safety conscious interiors, I have tried to control the spread of fire

inside the building by using a hard floor entry as.a fire break. This is especially noticed

in the guest room floor comdor by recessing the door way away from the corridor 2nd

by using ceramic tdes instead of carpeting on the floor. Drop seals made of nylon brushes %

should be used under the door to prevent the sprczid of smoke.

2. Mechanical Aids:

Mechanical aids are such a h , other than the physical desigl, that are used in

combating the threat of fire outbreak. Thls aspect is usually handled by the services engineer,

but, with some help from the architect. The aid include automatic sprinkler, stand pipes, fire

hoses, smoke detectors, alarms and fire extinguishers. More aids included in this systlm as

detectors are, central annunciator panels, fire and smoke dmiyers, exit sign age and emer3ency

lighting. These aids are all connected to the central annunciator panels. One is located in the

telephone switch board room and the other in the enerw room.

Since the design of the hotel may be based on tbe atriumlsingle loaded corridor type, h'

the system of smoke evacuation would be similar to that used in most of h e hotels in A~iwrica.

It involves the drawing of smoke fiom the fire area into the atrium and exhausting i t at the roof'.

Thrs is achieved in the following ways:-

- Non-fire floors are kept at positive pressure (fresh air is supplied at corridor ends from

the atrium; return air fans, shut off and dampers closed)

- Fire zones are kept at negative pressure (air supply ducts are closed)

- Stair-wells are kept at positive pressure (fresh air is supplied by dedicated WJAC

system, and all doors well sealed against smoke infiltration).

- Atrium is kept at negahve pressure (induction jet at centre of atrium'floor directmg

smoke'upward, entry doors automatically open, the exhaust, exhausts smoke at roof,

computer-controlled smoke dampers in supply and return duct, ducts all air hruitlling

components that are not part of smoke control system, and shut down manual back up

system at the fire control room.

The design concept is to integrate those facilities that are necessary for

(recreation, convention, acc~mmodation, entertauunent, birsiness, catering services and

administration) for betterlproper use by the public. Effort will be made to integrate

these activities/facilities into one component in such a way that the activities can take

place concurrently at any particular time without any interference among them.

Moreso, the facil'itiedactivities should he provided in such a way a to satisfy people

across the lfferent age grades, sexes, faxrulies of dEerent types and social backgro:~nt!.

7.7 THE DESIGN SOLUTION:

The Hotel design will be achieved by strict adherence and observance of'the

following rules: -

Circulation:

The activities provided in the hotel will attract the participation of two basic

categories of people, the customers/users (guests) and staff of the hotel. The circulal ion

route of both categories of people will be split at the entrance. TWO distinct man

entrancelexit will be provided into the'site in order to separate the userslcustome~~s

traffic f?om the stafftrffic. This will also help to distinguish the staff car parking area

from the customers car parking area, as well as allowing the advantage of proper-

checking smuggling of the hotel's goods and items by the hotel staff.

The hotel budding will also be clearly distinguished into (front of house) and

(back of house) without cross-circulation. The restaurmt, therefbre, will serve as the

meeting point (interaction point) between peoplc ui the (back dhuusc) iuld p ~ ~ l d c

the (front of house). However,, the customer/users elevat~rs/cscalator will be cerilraliy

located and du-ectly accessible fiom the entrance lobby.

. t i

8 .

Flexibility:

The need for flexibility and possibility of fiiture expansion renders closed fc~nns

unacceptable except if future market demand/profitability curve is seriously considered

in advance for a period of about 100 years that a building lasts.

A good flow of interior spaces is also essential. Spaces will be as versatile as

possible so that they can serve for great variety of activities.

Construction Materials and Finishes:

- Walls:

Prefabricated reinforced concrete will be used throughout the walls excepe a1

the foundation level where in-situ poured concrete wi!l be used.

Potentially wet ireas or rooms whose walls require fiequent washing such as *

the kitchen, laundry, etc will be f i s h e d with ceramic tiles. Decorative finishes and

paintmg will be used at strategic points at the concourse, eritrance hall, conference I d 1 ,

meeting room, guest room, etc.

- Floors:

Floors will be constructed of concrete, but, the finish on a particular area will

depend on its usage. On areas with heavy traffic, for instance, the corridor, entrmce

hall etc. hard mate~ials such as terrazzo tile will be used. The rooms requiring some . .

acoustic treatment such as the conference, meeting ioom etc. will be finished ~ t h

carpet or other absorbent materials.

On other areas with low traffic, P.V.C tiles could be used

- Roof:

The choice of roof system will depend on the span and area required to htm

covered. The use of steel truss will dominate in construction of the roof. Concrete r m '

will be avoided as much as possible except where other roof systems can not serve, for

instance, roof top seat-outs and viewing plat-Soxms.

7.8 CONCLUSION:

The design of the hotel will be the fiuit of an intricate analysis, synthesis and ,

proposal, based on the actual conditiolis surrounding the design of a resort hoiel in

Asaba. More need not be said, as the design itself would serve as a worthy conclusic~n

to a befithng expose on the mtncacies involved in a hotel des~gn, moreso, a resort type

of a 5-star standard. -

r:

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Architectural Digest 1991. ''D AD'S 100 Arch- New Ywk, Mc Graw Hill.

. . Architectural Journal 1970.. . “Principles of Hotel Desigc London. The Architectural

Press.

De Chiara J. and Callender J. H. 1984. me Saver Standard for building tym,. New York, Mc Graw Nll.

Journal ofTropical Architecture 1986. "Sheraton Lacos: A Study". Lagos. Journal of Tropical Archtectural Press.

. . Mario Pisani 1991. 1-n Au V o y w . Rome. Cute Segretc

Mc Quade Walter 1984. Architecture in the Real World. New York I-iarry Abr,unr lnc.

Mdls Edward 1985. Planning: The Architects Handbook. London Butterworth

National Fire Protection Association 1982. "Fire Protection Act 1982" Quincy N.F.P.A.

L

Neufert Ernest 1984. ''Ar&&ct s D& . , ". New York, Granada. ,

Russel Beverly 1990 "Ar-e and Design 1 970- 1990" New York, Harry At-) 1;

Inc. Rute Walter A. 1985. -ci D- New York Architectural Press

Uhuegbulem N. 1992. "5-Star Hotel for Onitsha" M.Sc (Arch) Dissertation, Schtwl of Architecture, Abia State University, Uturu.