SWOT ANALYSIS; Of site location for Pixel Hotel; Southport parklands.
A SWOT analysis is essentially an evaluation for the;
S: Strengths
W: Weaknesses
O: Opportunities
T: Threats
Off the given site / area, that all correlate on how we will interpret the site. All factors are key elements to look into as they give an extensive results that can effect how you design.
SWOT I People - Design User Experience
This SWOT analysis is from Assessment 2 and highlighted the general analysis of; Design User Experience & Physical and Environmental conditions.
As you can tell I opt for a general area around the Pixel Hotel "The South Hotel" on the scale of 1:800 (located in Southport Parklands, represented in red box above) By researching and being in the site the;
STRENGTHS of this site are:
- A 5 min walking distance from majority of restaurants, shopping centre,
- Within this 5 min walking distance there are Interesting locations such as; The Gold Coast Aquatic Centre, Southport Pier, Pacific Hotel, Australian Fair, Chinatown.
- Another Strength of the site is how much greenery there is around the area, given though that it is a parklands that has been newly renovated I can put this into my advantage as it can attracted guess even more, while also boosting a free and open area.
The final Strength of this site is how close it is to the Tram Station; giving an environmental friendly option to travel by foot and public transport anywhere in the Gold Coast.
However the WEAKNESSES are:
- Heavy Traffic is typically a norm at this point, but is more prevalent around the times of 10 - 2 pm, this then affects the accessibility of getting into 'The South Hotel' as there is only one way to get into the Hotel
- From this heavy traffic does come with it another factor that contributes on the weakness of the site, which is noise pollution. From visiting the site you can clearly hear vehicles going past, this could then effect guest within the Hotel if the noise gets too loud.
- The final weakness on this site is the natural element of the wind, most of the time there is a mild to strong easterly directed wind going through the site that can effect the guest/ visitors that are walking to the hotel and or from the carpark.
The Opportunities on the other hand;
- Even though there is only 1 that i have identified, it is very strong on its own and can be a pivotal element that can boast the Hotel's popularity. Given that the site is located in the Southport parklands, it is exposed to frequent multi cultural festivals both international and local events, visitors and guest can have unique access to and from the events simply by exiting the Hotel.
Threats;
- The big threats that i have identified with this site/ Hotel, is the possible night time activities that other people have in mind. Most of the area has sufficient lights on the footpaths however are not as present near the tree areas and this is where I believe there are some dangerous spots.
The image below is a more concise version of the SWOT analysis from Assessment 3, that represent a 1 : 500 scale view of the same information as above. However it is designed with the colours that I mainly used on that assessment.
Strengths:
As previously stated on the site conditions, the pier next to the site actually was once home to a theatre named ‘Pavilion Theatre’. Erected in 1927, it allowed families to experience something no many people can in that area. It would also be noted that the Pacific Hotel just a 2-minute walk from the site is also home to another historical landmark ‘The Pacific Hotel’ built around the same date. The site offers very rich historical information and an insight to the past.
< >Being the site is located within the Southport Broadwater Parklands, it is very evident that the site is surround by vegetation and greenery. While also giving guest direct access to the parklands for brisk walks.Another strength on the site is how close proximity it is to restaurants / pubs / bars etc.Just by walking 5-7 minutes from the site, guest can experience the very diverse & multi-cultural aspect of Southport by visiting the very close Chinatown. Guest can experience the unique taste, smell, scene of the Far-East.The noise pollution that comes from the Gold Coast Highway is very evident and can be loud at times, just the buses and trucks that drive by seem to produce predominantly most of the noise, another source of noise pollution can also be from events and festivals.The Site is also above a cafe that is busy from the times of 7 am – 3 pm, though the noise won’t as loud as the cars but can be prevalent at times.Capitalising on the historical value within site can provide guest within the hotel and site a better understanding and appreciation of bringing back a piece of history. Simply just adding information posters and pedestals can show glimpse of the past.
Threats:
The only threat that I see within this site, is that the area is classified as a public area and with that commercial building is not allowed. To solve this issue contacting the Gold Coast City Council to change the area into a commercial zone. However, it would also be noted to keep the parkland as untouched as possible.
Strengths:
- The strengths, within this site is as same as all previously stated for all of the SWOT as it affects the User, Historical, and the Physical & Environmental. As being in the parkland the open space and the close proximity to the all that you see above is the highlight of the site.
- Natural air and ventilation are also prevalently a strong element on the site, being in an open space and the parkland it gives guest a unique experience of the great outdoors.
Weaknesses:
- The only weakness with the site is the medium to strong wind that can be annoying at times.
Opportunities:
- Art installations and murals that show the Pixel hotel concept art around the site can promote the
- Another opportunity that I can promote the Pixel Hotel is how the Pier can be labelled a tourist attraction, as it used to be a theatre. By having a Pixel Hotel that pays homage to this historical landmark, guest can experience how a theatre once was.
Threats:
- Vandalism is a dominant issue that this site faces from day one, from tags to vulgar images Gold Coast Council has been cleaning up this mess countless of times.
- Another threat to the site is littering, obviously the parklands are generally clean on a day to day basis, however whenever there is an event or festival, the area is littered with rubbish.
