Sunrise Waterpark, Abuja, Nigeria, a design by Amusement Logic | VIDEO

Nigeria, with some 220 million inhabitants, is the most populous country in Africa and the seventh most populous country in the world. Its largely urban population, or 54% of its total, is relatively young, with approximately 74% estimated in 2020 to be between 5 and 49 years of age. At the same time, a burgeoning and growing middle class is conquering new purchasing power. Finally, the inhabitants of Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, enjoy a relatively higher purchasing power compared to the rest of the country’s cities and territories. This is precisely the promising socio-economic context that the developers considered appropriate for the development of a new water park. For this, they counted on the support and experience of Amusement Logic. We are talking about Sunrise Waterpark.

Designing a master plan and an executive project with judgement

Indeed, Sunrise Waterpark, which was built in accordance with the master and executive plans that Amusement Logic provided to its developers, opened to the public in Nigeria’s capital city last month. The company realised the master and executive plans, and hence their design, according to four key criteria, namely: efficiency in land occupation; clarity in the distribution of activities; soft, yet attractive theming with efficient use of resources; and options for development of the park over time, as it meets market assumptions. The result is there for all to see, Nigerians and people around the world, in the outskirts of Abuja. But let’s look at what Amusement Logic’s design work consisted of.

Efficient land use design

The water park site, with a surface area of nearly 9 ha, sloped steeply to the east and north-east. In these conditions, Amusement Logic’s design team considered that its natural access should be to the southwest, in I other words. in an elevated but intermediate position. The car park, the waterpark’s welcome plaza and the entrance and reception buildings were therefore located at this level. The configuration of this main building on different levels allowed for an optimised use of the space (which houses shops, changing rooms, ticket offices, restaurants, etc.).

From this entry point in the south-west, the design had to concentrate solely on the use of the slope for the benefit of the project. The design team therefore proposed to install the attractions on several terraces, but with height differences between them as low as possible. In this way, the design minimised the investment in earthworks, while breaking up the spaces into an optical illusion that encouraged visitors to adventure and exploration.

Design with a clear distribution of activities

Wide paths run through the interior of the water park and lead visitors without hesitation to the main activity areas, where they often stop off to leave their belongings and meet up with friends and family afterwards. These activity areas are distributed over two large terraces, alternately above and below the central reception area: the lower terrace houses the children’s area, the lazy river, the wave pool and the adult pools, while the group of waterslides, the main attraction of any water park, is located on the upper terrace, physically distant from the quieter bathing areas on the lower terraces.

The height of these water slides, which adds to the maximum height of the plot, makes them a visual landmark, both within the park and in the urban surroundings. On the other hand, the children’s area, one of the most powerful reasons for visitors and families to visit the park, has a distinctly prominent position. It is the first thing visitors see as they cross the central terrace, where the reception and welcome buildings are located. The lazy river and restaurants revolve around this children’s area. After all, families prefer to relax without losing sight of the children’s playground.

Theming design for efficient use of resources

The theming makes the water park a unique place, as if it were dressed in a tailor-made, out-of-the-ordinary costume. In this way, it becomes a conspicuous element that attracts both the index fingers and the eyes and is, therefore, one of the main keys to its success. In this sense, the proposal of the Amusement Logic design team differentiated and identified Sunrise Waterpark, through a conscious use of economic resources, for its presentation and, above all, its permanence in society. Therefore, the well-defined lines of the spaces and paths, of the walls and terraces, of the attractions, are dressed with a festive character and ethnic motifs drawn from local art. Landscaping, design and bright colours come together in the theming of Sunrise Waterpark.

Waterpark design with an eye to the future.

Finally, through a series of calculations and studies of the project’s key figures, Amusement Logic’s design team resolved that its first phase should occupy about 3.3 ha of the total plot. The remainder of the site would be used partly for parking and other facilities, and partly for future extensions. However, the forward-looking design of Sunrise Waterpark guaranteed the following advantages for the developers:

–Minimal capital risk, with scope to analyse performance over time and, in general, make informed decisions (such as, for example, to encourage the most profitable activities).

-The potential for future renovation of the water park, which provides the opportunity to recreate the visitor experience with new attractions, thereby encouraging repeat visits. At the same time, such renovation serves advertising objectives very well.