FENG SHUI: Exploring its application in hotel design. A case study of the Kampala Serena and Pearl of Africa Hotels

Abstract

“The more we know of other forms of life, the more we enjoy and respect ourselves. Humanity is exalted not because we are so far above other living creatures, but because knowing them well elevates the very concept of life.” - E.O. Wilson This study sets out to understand the theories and practices of Feng Shui and to develop recommendations on how these can be used to create harmony with nature in hotel design through observing and shifting the built environment. The hotel industry in Uganda developed mainly tailored to the tourist industry. 80% of tourist accommodation facilities are concentrated within and around Kampala. There is a need to create more of these within the tourist sites such as national parks and reserves. With increase in infrastructural development, negative effects on the environment will also increase depending on the scale of the development. This study will offer understanding into the ways coherence between the built and natural environment can be created. It will aim at understanding ways in which hotel destinations can be designed in a way that connects people and the environment.