The entrance to waterparks and theme parks, is the first point of contact that visitors and tourists have with them and therefore provides the first impression. In this respect, entrances present, through signage, design, mascots and other themed elements, their own particular narrative. They also fulfil the practical function of organising and directing the flow of these visitors and tourists. This strategic location gives them an importance that Amusement Logic considers from the very first phase of waterpark and theme park design.
Indeed, the entrances or gates bring together visitors and tourists arriving by various means, be they private vehicles, public transport or pedestrian paths from other leisure areas or from hotels and shopping areas. At the same time, they fulfil essential operational functions: ticket sales and verification, security checks, sale of souvenirs and other items, and the location of lockers for luggage or other objects.
Entrances to water and theme parks are often coupled with adjacent areas, such as a plaza or open space, which are sized to accommodate peak-hour crowds. In addition, buildings for administrative tasks are also often coupled with entrances.
In terms of the architectural geometry of entrances, they usually range from rectangular to circular. The rectangular layout offers greater flexibility in design, as it allows for adjustments in both directions. In contrast, circular or semi-circular compositions often have the focal point at the main entrance and are in this sense more rigid.
The theming, or as we said before, the particular narrative of the waterpark or theme park, is reflected in the entrance. Its design can be approached, from this point of view, in two ways: with the aim of attracting the attention of visitors and tourists and, therefore, in such a way that it stands out from the rest of the buildings; or with the intention of integrating it into the general theming, without becoming a conspicuous object per se, an aspect that would be entrusted to the whole ensemble and not to the entrance in particular.
By Tianshu Liu, Senior Architect in Amusement Logic’s Architecture Dept.
