Inscrutable nature-based spatial experience, The challenges and opportunities for studying contemporary accommodation architecture of tourism destinations in the Arctic

• Main Authors: Herneoja, Aulikki, Mäkinen, Miia, Rantala, Outi, Hakkarainen, Maria
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Oulu School of Architecture, University of Oulu 2014
• Subjects: nature-based spatial experience; tourist destination accommodation architecture; space; place; wilderness servicescape; nature servicescape; human-made servicescape; northernness; Arctic; Lapland
• Online Access: https://journal.fi/atut/article/view/45390

The main emphasis in this article is on detecting the knowledge gaps for architecture to support nature-based environmentally sensitive tourism, especially from the point of view of elaborating the accommodation concepts. Experiencing nature as part of the accommodation is highly appreciated by tourists (Tyrväinen et al 2014). Though, unfortunately the current hotel-like lodging concepts are not any more satisfactory for the tourists, especially now when the demand has shifted on the self-catering units. The notion of servicescape used in tourism research to emphasize spatial qualities among other things turned out to be rewarding also for architecture. In the context of second-homes and wilderness tourism exertion is affiliated to the experience of being on vacation. We see here an interesting knowledge gap for architecture to contribute for the discussion of future lodging concepts through the research by design approach. Keywords: nature-based spatial experience, tourist destination accommodation architecture, space, place, wilderness servicescape, nature servicescape, human-made servicescape, northernness, Arctic, Lapland