In years gone by, an Asian luxury resort was a Phuket retreat that offered massages or a city-based, five-star branded hotel. Today, a new style of resort is starting to appear in China and other parts of Asia: The Nocturno Entertainment City. These large, master-planned developments include everything from theme parks to all types of residential facilities, hotels, themed retail shopping districts, Vegas-style theaters, fashion resorts, sports facilities and vast outdoor garden spaces. Through its acceptance of Western-style gaming offerings, Asia has demonstrated that entertainment architecture will be a key component for people when deciding how to spend their free time.
The master plans aim to encourage the development of themed projects, but those projects need to have an environmental base and need to be designed to appeal to the luxury market as well as to middle Asia. Developers can no longer create an attraction and then sell off parcels to individual investors to build whatever sells. Asian resorts are very interested in creating a total diversionary and active entertainment experience. I believe that Walt Disney would be proud that his planning and entertainment theories are now becoming accepted in China and throughout Asia.
Asia is currently going through a “wow” period in its design history. Many developers are looking to the fun side of architectural symbolism. The angular building, as explained by a famous architect, is not what the average Asian family wants—which is easily recognizable luxury symbolism. The new Asians want their architecture light and bright, a suburban atmosphere with blurred lines between the exterior gardens and the interiors. Many Asians deal with the harsh realities of their cities every day, so new designs must bring the outdoors indoors.
The shaping of spaces is very important to all Asians—the “wow” in the lobby, empowerment in the casino, feeling at home in the restaurant. These spaces need to be shaped and scaled to create a prescribed set of emotions and responses. It has been our experience that when the space is incorrectly shaped, the success level is greatly reduced.
Asians love the show—the great light spectacular, the historical exhibit on display in the lobby, the Hollywood spectacular attraction, or that special piece of unique art. These guests expect something different. Another great hotel lobby with marble floors, plush carpets and gold leaf moldings is just another yawn. Excite them, and they will become permanent customers.
Asia’s impact on luxury designs is incredible. Luxury goods, luxury patterns and luxury finishes created in a fresh new way are defining architecture and interior design, not only in the region, but throughout the world. No longer does Asian equal brown. Now it’s more like brilliant reds and oranges placed in very refined ways, set to attract and delight the customer.
Asia’s culture also influences the design. We did a survey at one of our Macau projects and found that 50 percent of all of the building’s occupants used feng shui as a determining factor in making their choice of which entertainment facility to visit. Feng shui design components are more important to many Asian developers than the energy efficiency of the structures.
Speaking of energy-efficient structures, Asia will be developing structures that will be very energy efficient and have a very low carbon footprint. They will also become world leaders in cradle-to-cradle designs.
Although Asians love America, they in no way want Western design techniques imposed on their life. They want the spirit of Asia with the excitement of Las Vegas—family fun within an Asian context. Designers cannot superimpose their design attitudes on any Asian development.
In Asia, things happen … life, architecture and design have not been prescribed by zoning or by an architect. In many regions, the built environment is shaped directly by the people who use the space. When one is walking down the street and turns that corner, there is always the surprise of something unique and unexpected. New buildings need to be organized to delight the occupant at every turn.
Asians also like combining activities. The planning of any building requires a unique look at tandem activities and their proximity to the main entertainment use. Designers should plan for dual (or more) uses—entertainment, drinking and eating all in the casino. The proximity of these facilities will determine whether the main entertainment attraction is successful.
Contrary to the streets in Asia, where life walks fast (Let’s get there ASAP!), in an entertainment resort, Asian customers love convenience—a few steps to the elevators, a few steps to their hotel room, a few steps to the restaurant. These customers want to spend time and money on entertainment attractions, not on the journey to those attractions. Designers should thus keep the journey to a minimum; all money is wasted on beautiful corridor treatments and the like. Asian life demands efficient, clean designs, allowing for the fewest footsteps between activities. Save the dollars for the “wow” spaces.
Asians also like bright attractions and dislike dark spaces, so designers should not be afraid to light their designs. A lighting designer who understands the customer is a requirement in assuring a building’s success.
Although technology might have been invented in America, Asians are advanced users of all of the latest technology features. Any design can accept a high degree of technological sophistication, and customers of all ages can utilize advanced technology features.
As Asia continues to aspire to be the greatest on the world stage, new designs and technologies will be invented to create the next generation of new architecture. No longer will Asian architects be looking toward the West for design inspiration. Asian designers will be seeing this new bright world in their own imaginations. We all can only hope to play a small part in creating their built environment over the next decade.
Who will be the Asian Walt Disney or Steve Wynn? Which Asian client will allow their great imagination to rise and build the next truly famous monumental entertainment attraction? We know that in the upcoming years we will all look at Asia with amazement, and I hope you will, too.
Steve Anderson is the Senior Project Designer, Interior Architecture at Steelman Partners, located in Las Vegas, Macau, Zhuhai, Ho Chi Minh City and Manila. A graduate of Phoenix Institute of Technology, Anderson has more than 28 years experience in interior and architectural design. Most recently, he has led the design teams for the expansion to Thunder Valley Casino and high limit casinos at Galaxy Casino in Macau.
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