Craft, Detail & Quality

<p>Over the past decade and even currently within New Zealand there have been quality issues within timber construction. My research proposes to address what these quality issues are both functionally, and aesthetically and how we can create a dialogue between craft, detail and quality. In residential architecture in New Zealand, the most common practice is timber stud framing or otherwise known as traditional platform framing. This construction type results in little variety throughout NZ as the vast majority is dominated by NZS:3604. This common platform framing can also create architecture that barely resembles the timber material. This research creates a framework to what will be a possible solution in exposing the details of timber joints, which in turn may prevent quality issues along with creating a crafted timber design. As a starting point for this research, it seemed appropriate to draw on traditional Japanese, European and Pacific construction techniques. These cultures have mastered the art of craft, and we in New Zealand could learn from this and reflect in contemporary practices in NZ. This could in turn create a solution which highlights the quality issues in construction of New Zealand residential architecture. Typically, in New Zealand platform framing construction, timber joint details are concealed. These concealed details are more prone to failure and so by exposing these, it can lead to improving quality of construction. Quality is, however, an elusive concept and this will become clear through an analysis of interviews with numerous builders, project managers, architects and of course the everyday user. These interviews define what they believe is the most common area of defect, and where quality can be improved. This research will therefore look at what system can be designed between the connections of architectural elements to focus on exposed refined details and joints. As these connection details are explored the definition of “craft” will become more defined, where it currently begins as examples of exposed, visible and readable detail. Taking place in a rural New Zealand environment in Raglan Waikato, the portfolio proposes a boutique hotel, with a scheme that demonstrates this newly proposed construction system as an alternative to platform framing. The role of the hotel design is merely a vehicle to apply and test the research. There are many implications that may be a factor in the conclusion of this research proposal, for example CLT timber accessibility and costs. However further outcomes will result in celebration and awareness of detailing which leads to improving quality of New Zealand timber architecture. This research explores turning traditional methods of construction into contemporary architecture using the technologies and material practices of today.</p>

Craft, Detail & Quality

<p>Over the past decade and even currently within New Zealand there have been quality issues within timber construction. My research proposes to address what these quality issues are both functionally, and aesthetically and how we can create a dialogue between craft, detail and quality. In residential architecture in New Zealand, the most common practice is timber stud framing or otherwise known as traditional platform framing. This construction type results in little variety throughout NZ as the vast majority is dominated by NZS:3604. This common platform framing can also create architecture that barely resembles the timber material. This research creates a framework to what will be a possible solution in exposing the details of timber joints, which in turn may prevent quality issues along with creating a crafted timber design. As a starting point for this research, it seemed appropriate to draw on traditional Japanese, European and Pacific construction techniques. These cultures have mastered the art of craft, and we in New Zealand could learn from this and reflect in contemporary practices in NZ. This could in turn create a solution which highlights the quality issues in construction of New Zealand residential architecture. Typically, in New Zealand platform framing construction, timber joint details are concealed. These concealed details are more prone to failure and so by exposing these, it can lead to improving quality of construction. Quality is, however, an elusive concept and this will become clear through an analysis of interviews with numerous builders, project managers, architects and of course the everyday user. These interviews define what they believe is the most common area of defect, and where quality can be improved. This research will therefore look at what system can be designed between the connections of architectural elements to focus on exposed refined details and joints. As these connection details are explored the definition of “craft” will become more defined, where it currently begins as examples of exposed, visible and readable detail. Taking place in a rural New Zealand environment in Raglan Waikato, the portfolio proposes a boutique hotel, with a scheme that demonstrates this newly proposed construction system as an alternative to platform framing. The role of the hotel design is merely a vehicle to apply and test the research. There are many implications that may be a factor in the conclusion of this research proposal, for example CLT timber accessibility and costs. However further outcomes will result in celebration and awareness of detailing which leads to improving quality of New Zealand timber architecture. This research explores turning traditional methods of construction into contemporary architecture using the technologies and material practices of today.</p>

A Comparative Genre Analysis of Boutique Hotel Webpages in Thailand and New Zealand

<p>This study analyses the characteristics of boutique hotel websites in Thailand and New Zealand as a genre. The study has four main objectives: 1) to identify moves and steps of English boutique hotel websites in Thailand and New Zealand, 2) to examine visual images presented on boutique hotel websites in Thailand and New Zealand, 3) to compare and contrast the move structures and visual images of these websites, and 4) to explore contextual factors which influence the variation between move structures and the representation of visual images of these websites. Despite the increasing popularity of boutique hotels, there exists almost no research analysing these webpages as a genre. While studies have presented a general overview of the appearance and the popularity of the boutique hotel phenomenon, textual and visual analysis of boutique hotels remains under-investigated. Moreover, cross-cultural studies of hotel webpages are also limited. Bhatia’s (1993) and Kress and van Leeuwen’s (2006) frameworks were adopted to investigateand analyse the genre of boutique hotel webpages. Bhatia’s (1993) model was used to explore textual and ethnographic perspectives. Kress and van Leeuwen’s (2006) visual analysis model was adopted to examine the ways in which visual images are depicted and organised in these hotel online advertisements. In addition to textual and visual analysis, interviews with hotel owners, managers, web designers, and web audiences were conducted. The purpose of these interviews was to explore the intentions and practices influencing the shape of the design and organisation of the hotel websites as a genre. Finally, using the frameworks of Bhatia (1993) and Kress and van Leeuwen (2006), the analysis of move structures and the visual design between the hotel webpages in the Thai and New Zealand datasets were compared. This analysis shows minor variations across the two datasets in both textual and visual elements. The differences in terms of move structures between these two cultures are subtle, conforming to the same conventionality inherent within the respective genre, as it connects to their social context and functions. Consequently, my analysis opposes the notion that genre is cultural, proposed by Crossley (2007); Hyland (2000); and Mauranen (1993). In regards to register analysis, the web designers in both cultures used similar distinctive lexico-grammatical features to persuade and engage the web audiences such as the personal pronoun you and we, imperatives, adjectives. Only the use of adjectives exhibits major differences, which reflects the uniqueness in a provision of services and facilities within these two countries. This study posits that the influential factors responsible for variation between these two datasets are a result of how the websites market their hotels and how the hotels operate. However, the interview data with the hotel owners and web designers did not clearly illustrate how they establish generic conventions and develop distinctive lexico-grammatical features. My participants suggested that they used their intuition or consulted other hotel webpages, in which they share a similar theme or concept when they developing their webpages. In regards to the visual representation, the findings show that the depiction of the visual elements across the two countries generally does not differ. Rather, they seem to be reflect a homogeneous genre because they conform to the same practices. That is to say, the designs of thehotel webpages have their own integrity, in which the web designers usually follow. From a genre perspective, these similarities in terms of a representation of move structures and visual images between these two cultures are seen as either a recurring situation or reproduction of generic conventions of a particular genre, which is considered as a social action within a discourse community.</p>

A Comparative Genre Analysis of Boutique Hotel Webpages in Thailand and New Zealand

<p>This study analyses the characteristics of boutique hotel websites in Thailand and New Zealand as a genre. The study has four main objectives: 1) to identify moves and steps of English boutique hotel websites in Thailand and New Zealand, 2) to examine visual images presented on boutique hotel websites in Thailand and New Zealand, 3) to compare and contrast the move structures and visual images of these websites, and 4) to explore contextual factors which influence the variation between move structures and the representation of visual images of these websites. Despite the increasing popularity of boutique hotels, there exists almost no research analysing these webpages as a genre. While studies have presented a general overview of the appearance and the popularity of the boutique hotel phenomenon, textual and visual analysis of boutique hotels remains under-investigated. Moreover, cross-cultural studies of hotel webpages are also limited. Bhatia’s (1993) and Kress and van Leeuwen’s (2006) frameworks were adopted to investigateand analyse the genre of boutique hotel webpages. Bhatia’s (1993) model was used to explore textual and ethnographic perspectives. Kress and van Leeuwen’s (2006) visual analysis model was adopted to examine the ways in which visual images are depicted and organised in these hotel online advertisements. In addition to textual and visual analysis, interviews with hotel owners, managers, web designers, and web audiences were conducted. The purpose of these interviews was to explore the intentions and practices influencing the shape of the design and organisation of the hotel websites as a genre. Finally, using the frameworks of Bhatia (1993) and Kress and van Leeuwen (2006), the analysis of move structures and the visual design between the hotel webpages in the Thai and New Zealand datasets were compared. This analysis shows minor variations across the two datasets in both textual and visual elements. The differences in terms of move structures between these two cultures are subtle, conforming to the same conventionality inherent within the respective genre, as it connects to their social context and functions. Consequently, my analysis opposes the notion that genre is cultural, proposed by Crossley (2007); Hyland (2000); and Mauranen (1993). In regards to register analysis, the web designers in both cultures used similar distinctive lexico-grammatical features to persuade and engage the web audiences such as the personal pronoun you and we, imperatives, adjectives. Only the use of adjectives exhibits major differences, which reflects the uniqueness in a provision of services and facilities within these two countries. This study posits that the influential factors responsible for variation between these two datasets are a result of how the websites market their hotels and how the hotels operate. However, the interview data with the hotel owners and web designers did not clearly illustrate how they establish generic conventions and develop distinctive lexico-grammatical features. My participants suggested that they used their intuition or consulted other hotel webpages, in which they share a similar theme or concept when they developing their webpages. In regards to the visual representation, the findings show that the depiction of the visual elements across the two countries generally does not differ. Rather, they seem to be reflect a homogeneous genre because they conform to the same practices. That is to say, the designs of thehotel webpages have their own integrity, in which the web designers usually follow. From a genre perspective, these similarities in terms of a representation of move structures and visual images between these two cultures are seen as either a recurring situation or reproduction of generic conventions of a particular genre, which is considered as a social action within a discourse community.</p>

Business model adaptation as a strategic response to crises: navigating the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose This study aims to explore how hotels adapt their business models as a strategic response to crisis situations. It sheds light on the processes and methods of business model adaptation during severe crisis situations, such as the COVID-19 outbreak. Design/methodology/approach A single-case study was conducted. Data were collected from the owner/manager of a boutique hotel chain in Chiang Mai, Thailand through an extensive interviewing process. The authors also examined corporate documents. The authors then re-organized the material as a coherent narrative about how the company navigated the COVID-19 crisis. Findings The findings show that the hotels in the study adapted their business models by cutting costs through stopping non-essential operations, increasing non-room revenues and adding new revenue channels, bringing in cash from advance bookings, securing financial support from creditors, leveraging government support and training staff for the “new normal.” Originality/value Few previous studies have focused on business model adaptation during the COVID-19 crisis. The investigation of this largely neglected area provides two main contributions. First, it extends the literature on crisis management in hospitality firms by examining business model adaptation patterns and processes during unprecedented crisis conditions. Second, it provides managerial insights and a business model adjustment framework to help practitioners in urban settings in their efforts toward recovery from the COVID crisis.

Peran Pencahayaan Terhadap Suasana Ruang Interior Beehive Boutique Hotel Bandung

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh dari peran pencahayaan untuk menciptakan suasana yang dapat menggambarkan tema atau penggayaan tertentu yang diterapkan pada desain ruang Beehive Boutique Hotel sehingga dapat terlihat, terasa, dan teramati visualisasinya oleh pengguna ruang atau pengamat ruang. Pencahayaan menjadi elemen yang penting untuk menghadirkan suasana serta karakter pada suatu ruang interior. Terdapat banyak jenis pencahayaan yang dapat diterapkan pada ruangan interior dan bergantung pada suasana apa yang ingin dirasakan oleh pengguna ruang. Pencahayaan juga dapat mendukung untuk menghadirkan visualisasi dari penggayaan yang diterapkan pada ruangan. Metode yang digunakan pada penelitian ini adalah pengamatan dan perbandingan berdasarkan teori yang dipakai pada penelitian. Hasil dan kesimpulan yang diambil dijelaskan secara deskriptif menurut pengamatan yang dilakukan peneliti dengan membandingkannya dengan teori yang dipakai. Kesimpulannya adalah bahwa peran pencahayaan yang diterapkan pada ruang interior Beehive Boutique Hotel dapat membantu menciptakan suasana yang menggambarkan tema atau penggayaan Skandinavia yang diterapkan pada interior hotel.

Impact of Substantive Staging and Communicative Staging of Sustainable Servicescape on Behavioral Intentions of Hotel Customers through Overall Perceived Image: A Case of Boutique Hotels

Customers have become very sensitive regarding the innovative evaluation of services. Due to competition in the hospitality industry, it is a challenge for hotel marketers to understand customers’ behavior. There is scant research in the hotel industry of Pakistan and especially on boutique hotels. This research seeks to measure the relationship between substantive, communicative elements of the sustainable servicescape and behavioral intentions (word of mouth) in a boutique hotel setting. However, the mediating effect of the overall perceived image is examined between these constructs. Responses of boutique hotel visitors were collected from Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad, and Murree. Data were analyzed by using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results display that both substantive and communicative servicescape elements positively affect the perceived image of customers, which has a positive influence on behavioral intentions such as word of mouth (WOM). Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.

Social media marketing influence on Boutique Hotel customers’ purchase intention in Malaysia

As of January 2020, global social media users have exceeded 3.8 billion, accounting for 49% of the world’s total population. Internet and social media have become an indispensable part of people’s daily lives worldwide. However, most previous research only focuses on social media marketing in other businesses, and there is less research about the development of boutique hotel social media marketing. This study investigates the relationship between different social media marketing practices and customers’ purchase intention in Malaysia’s boutique hotels. The article also explores how to properly conduct social media marketing to increase the customer purchase intention of boutique hotels and promote the boutique hotels’ development in Malaysia. The non-probability random sampling technique 309 response was collected from Malaysian social media users using an online survey. Findings of the research found out that factors including marketing activities and eWOM significantly impact customer purchase intention of the boutique hotels in Malaysia through the mediating variable perceived usefulness and the mediating variable perceived trust. The study offers implications for the development of social media marketing in boutique hotels.