Cultural Identity: Defining Philippine Architecture in Boracay's Resorts

There is a vital link between architecture and culture, especially as more people and places become linked and connected through travels. Design methods and practices in the hotel industry have become practical and repetitive, displacing a true uniqueness that defines a location and a people. This tendency to conform and assimilate changes the dynamic of what can be truly a cultural learning experience. Culture provides a sense of identity, and architecture is one way to communicate and exhibit this. The Philippines has a great opportunity to showcase its rich history and culture. The Island of Boracay features a developed hotel industry, but further analysis reveals missed opportunities and possibilities for improvement in terms of architectural design and identity associated with the local Philippine environment and culture. This research examines the relationship between resort architecture and cultural identity. It presents the historical influences and cultural dynamics in the Philippines and how it plays a role in the architectural design elements of the hotel industry. It addresses the influence of culture in architecture and how it manifests itself through architectural design. It describes how a location’s culture and identity can be incorporated into the development and design of hotels and resorts, and factor into the tourism industry. It discusses the topics of design elements and addresses the issue that architecture in the hotel industry can be and should be an extension of culture and character of the locality or country. In this case, the island of Boracay, Philippines.There is a vital link between architecture and culture, especially as more people and places become linked and connected through travels. Design methods and practices in the hotel industry have become practical and repetitive, displacing a true uniqueness that defines a location and a people. This tendency to conform and assimilate changes the dynamic of what can be truly a cultural learning experience. Culture provides a sense of identity, and architecture is one way to communicate and exhibit this. The Philippines has a great opportunity to showcase its rich history and culture. The Island of Boracay features a developed hotel industry, but further analysis reveals missed opportunities and possibilities for improvement in terms of architectural design and identity associated with the local Philippine environment and culture. This research examines the relationship between resort architecture and cultural identity. It presents the historical influences and cultural dynamics in the Philippines and how it plays a role in the architectural design elements of the hotel industry. It addresses the influence of culture in architecture and how it manifests itself through architectural design. It describes how a location’s culture and identity can be incorporated into the development and design of hotels and resorts, and factor into the tourism industry. It discusses the topics of design elements and addresses the issue that architecture in the hotel industry can be and should be an extension of culture and character of the locality or country. In this case, the island of Boracay, Philippines.There is a vital link between architecture and culture, especially as more people and places become linked and connected through travels. Design methods and practices in the hotel industry have become practical and repetitive, displacing a true uniqueness that defines a location and a people. This tendency to conform and assimilate changes the dynamic of what can be truly a cultural learning experience. Culture provides a sense of identity, and architecture is one way to communicate and exhibit this. The Philippines has a great opportunity to showcase its rich history and culture. The Island of Boracay features a developed hotel industry, but further analysis reveals missed opportunities and possibilities for improvement in terms of architectural design and identity associated with the local Philippine environment and culture. This research examines the relationship between resort architecture and cultural identity. It presents the historical influences and cultural dynamics in the Philippines and how it plays a role in the architectural design elements of the hotel industry. It addresses the influence of culture in architecture and how it manifests itself through architectural design. It describes how a location’s culture and identity can be incorporated into the development and design of hotels and resorts, and factor into the tourism industry. It discusses the topics of design elements and addresses the issue that architecture in the hotel industry can be and should be an extension of culture and character of the locality or country. In this case, the island of Boracay, Philippines.There is a vital link between architecture and culture, especially as more people and places become linked and connected through travels. Design methods and practices in the hotel industry have become practical and repetitive, displacing a true uniqueness that defines a location and a people. This tendency to conform and assimilate changes the dynamic of what can be truly a cultural learning experience. Culture provides a sense of identity, and architecture is one way to communicate and exhibit this. The Philippines has a great opportunity to showcase its rich history and culture. The Island of Boracay features a developed hotel industry, but further analysis reveals missed opportunities and possibilities for improvement in terms of architectural design and identity associated with the local Philippine environment and culture. This research examines the relationship between resort architecture and cultural identity. It presents the historical influences and cultural dynamics in the Philippines and how it plays a role in the architectural design elements of the hotel industry. It addresses the influence of culture in architecture and how it manifests itself through architectural design. It describes how a location’s culture and identity can be incorporated into the development and design of hotels and resorts, and factor into the tourism industry. It discusses the topics of design elements and addresses the issue that architecture in the hotel industry can be and should be an extension of culture and character of the locality or country. In this case, the island of Boracay, Philippines.There is a vital link between architecture and culture, especially as more people and places become linked and connected through travels. Design methods and practices in the hotel industry have become practical and repetitive, displacing a true uniqueness that defines a location and a people. This tendency to conform and assimilate changes the dynamic of what can be truly a cultural learning experience. Culture provides a sense of identity, and architecture is one way to communicate and exhibit this. The Philippines has a great opportunity to showcase its rich history and culture. The Island of Boracay features a developed hotel industry, but further analysis reveals missed opportunities and possibilities for improvement in terms of architectural design and identity associated with the local Philippine environment and culture. This research examines the relationship between resort architecture and cultural identity. It presents the historical influences and cultural dynamics in the Philippines and how it plays a role in the architectural design elements of the hotel industry. It addresses the influence of culture in architecture and how it manifests itself through architectural design. It describes how a location’s culture and identity can be incorporated into the development and design of hotels and resorts, and factor into the tourism industry. It discusses the topics of design elements and addresses the issue that architecture in the hotel industry can be and should be an extension of culture and character of the locality or country. In this case, the island of Boracay, Philippines.There is a vital link between architecture and culture, especially as more people and places become linked and connected through travels. Design methods and practices in the hotel industry have become practical and repetitive, displacing a true uniqueness that defines a location and a people. This tendency to conform and assimilate changes the dynamic of what can be truly a cultural learning experience. Culture provides a sense of identity, and architecture is one way to communicate and exhibit this. The Philippines has a great opportunity to showcase its rich history and culture. The Island of Boracay features a developed hotel industry, but further analysis reveals missed opportunities and possibilities for improvement in terms of architectural design and identity associated with the local Philippine environment and culture. This research examines the relationship between resort architecture and cultural identity. It presents the historical influences and cultural dynamics in the Philippines and how it plays a role in the architectural design elements of the hotel industry. It addresses the influence of culture in architecture and how it manifests itself through architectural design. It describes how a location’s culture and identity can be incorporated into the development and design of hotels and resorts, and factor into the tourism industry. It discusses the topics of design elements and addresses the issue that architecture in the hotel industry can be and should be an extension of culture and character of the locality or country. In this case, the island of Boracay, Philippines.There is a vital link between architecture and culture, especially as more people and places become linked and connected through travels. Design methods and practices in the hotel industry have become practical and repetitive, displacing a true uniqueness that defines a location and a people. This tendency to conform and assimilate changes the dynamic of what can be truly a cultural learning experience. Culture provides a sense of identity, and architecture is one way to communicate and exhibit this. The Philippines has a great opportunity to showcase its rich history and culture. The Island of Boracay features a developed hotel industry, but further analysis reveals missed opportunities and possibilities for improvement in terms of architectural design and identity associated with the local Philippine environment and culture. This research examines the relationship between resort architecture and cultural identity. It presents the historical influences and cultural dynamics in the Philippines and how it plays a role in the architectural design elements of the hotel industry. It addresses the influence of culture in architecture and how it manifests itself through architectural design. It describes how a location’s culture and identity can be incorporated into the development and design of hotels and resorts, and factor into the tourism industry. It discusses the topics of design elements and addresses the issue that architecture in the hotel industry can be and should be an extension of culture and character of the locality or country. In this case, the island of Boracay, Philippines.There is a vital link between architecture and culture, especially as more people and places become linked and connected through travels. Design methods and practices in the hotel industry have become practical and repetitive, displacing a true uniqueness that defines a location and a people. This tendency to conform and assimilate changes the dynamic of what can be truly a cultural learning experience. Culture provides a sense of identity, and architecture is one way to communicate and exhibit this. The Philippines has a great opportunity to showcase its rich history and culture. The Island of Boracay features a developed hotel industry, but further analysis reveals missed opportunities and possibilities for improvement in terms of architectural design and identity associated with the local Philippine environment and culture. This research examines the relationship between resort architecture and cultural identity. It presents the historical influences and cultural dynamics in the Philippines and how it plays a role in the architectural design elements of the hotel industry. It addresses the influence of culture in architecture and how it manifests itself through architectural design. It describes how a location’s culture and identity can be incorporated into the development and design of hotels and resorts, and factor into the tourism industry. It discusses the topics of design elements and addresses the issue that architecture in the hotel industry can be and should be an extension of culture and character of the locality or country. In this case, the island of Boracay, Philippines.There is a vital link between architecture and culture, especially as more people and places become linked and connected through travels. Design methods and practices in the hotel industry have become practical and repetitive, displacing a true uniqueness that defines a location and a people. This tendency to conform and assimilate changes the dynamic of what can be truly a cultural learning experience. Culture provides a sense of identity, and architecture is one way to communicate and exhibit this. The Philippines has a great opportunity to showcase its rich history and culture. The Island of Boracay features a developed hotel industry, but further analysis reveals missed opportunities and possibilities for improvement in terms of architectural design and identity associated with the local Philippine environment and culture. This research examines the relationship between resort architecture and cultural identity. It presents the historical influences and cultural dynamics in the Philippines and how it plays a role in the architectural design elements of the hotel industry. It addresses the influence of culture in architecture and how it manifests itself through architectural design. It describes how a location’s culture and identity can be incorporated into the development and design of hotels and resorts, and factor into the tourism industry. It discusses the topics of design elements and addresses the issue that architecture in the hotel industry can be and should be an extension of culture and character of the locality or country. In this case, the island of Boracay, Philippines.There is a vital link between architecture and culture, especially as more people and places become linked and connected through travels. Design methods and practices in the hotel industry have become practical and repetitive, displacing a true uniqueness that defines a location and a people. This tendency to conform and assimilate changes the dynamic of what can be truly a cultural learning experience. Culture provides a sense of identity, and architecture is one way to communicate and exhibit this. The Philippines has a great opportunity to showcase its rich history and culture. The Island of Boracay features a developed hotel industry, but further analysis reveals missed opportunities and possibilities for improvement in terms of architectural design and identity associated with the local Philippine environment and culture. This research examines the relationship between resort architecture and cultural identity. It presents the historical influences and cultural dynamics in the Philippines and how it plays a role in the architectural design elements of the hotel industry. It addresses the influence of culture in architecture and how it manifests itself through architectural design. It describes how a location’s culture and identity can be incorporated into the development and design of hotels and resorts, and factor into the tourism industry. It discusses the topics of design elements and addresses the issue that architecture in the hotel industry can be and should be an extension of culture and character of the locality or country. In this case, the island of Boracay, Philippines.There is a vital link between architecture and culture, especially as more people and places become linked and connected through travels. Design methods and practices in the hotel industry have become practical and repetitive, displacing a true uniqueness that defines a location and a people. This tendency to conform and assimilate changes the dynamic of what can be truly a cultural learning experience. Culture provides a sense of identity, and architecture is one way to communicate and exhibit this. The Philippines has a great opportunity to showcase its rich history and culture. The Island of Boracay features a developed hotel industry, but further analysis reveals missed opportunities and possibilities for improvement in terms of architectural design and identity associated with the local Philippine environment and culture. This research examines the relationship between resort architecture and cultural identity. It presents the historical influences and cultural dynamics in the Philippines and how it plays a role in the architectural design elements of the hotel industry. It addresses the influence of culture in architecture and how it manifests itself through architectural design. It describes how a location’s culture and identity can be incorporated into the development and design of hotels and resorts, and factor into the tourism industry. It discusses the topics of design elements and addresses the issue that architecture in the hotel industry can be and should be an extension of culture and character of the locality or country. In this case, the island of Boracay, Philippines

A combination of methods needed to assess the actual use of provisioning ecosystem services

Failure to recognize that potential provisioning ecosystem services are not necessarily collected and used by people may have important consequences for management of land and resources. Accounting for people's actual use of ecosystem services in decision making processes requires a robust methodological approach that goes beyond mapping the presence of ecosystem services. But no such universally accepted method exists, and there are several shortcomings of existing methods such as the application of land use/cover as a proxy for provisioning ecosystem service availability and surveys based on respondents' recall to assess people's collection of e.g. wild food. By combining four complementary methods and applying these to the shifting cultivation systems of Laos, we show how people’s actual use of ecosystem services from agricultural fields differs from ecosystem service availability. Our study is the first in Southeast Asia to combine plot monitoring, collection diaries, repeat interviews, and participant observation. By applying these multiple methods borrowed from anthropology and botany among other research domains, the study illustrates that no single method is sufficient on its own. It is of key importance for scientists to adopt methods that can account for both availability of various services and actual use of those services

Linking ecosystem services and circuit theory to identify ecological security patterns

The rapid process of urbanization, accompanied by the sharp increase of urban population and expansion of artificial surface, has resulted in the loss of natural ecosystems and the degradation of ecosystem services. Identifying and protecting key places that have high importance for ecological sustainability are great challenges. Ecological security patterns are such an integrated approach to protecting regional ecological sustainability. In this study, taking Yunnan Province, China as a case study area, ecological sources were identified through ecosystem services, and circuit theory was used to model ecosystem processes in heterogeneous landscapes via calculating the ‘resistance’ or ‘current’, and thus to identify ecological corridors and key ecological nodes. The results showed that, ecological security patterns included 66 ecological sources, 186 ecological corridors, 24 pinch-points and 10 barriers. In details, the ecological sources were mainly distributed in the southwest and northwest of Yunnan Province, with the ecological corridors locating along the high mountains, and both ecological sources and corridors were mostly covered with forest land. Pinch-points covered by forest land and cultivated land, were distributed in the middle of Yunnan Province along the rivers. Approximately 75.9% nature reserves were located in the identified ecological sources, and the remainings were mainly distributed in eastern Yunnan Province with small area, showing the effectiveness in identifying ecological security patterns. Among 81 projects of low–slope hill development carried out in Yunnan Province, 46.9% showed potential human stress on regional ecological security. Based on ecosystem services and circuit theory, this study provides a new approach to identifying the spatial range of ecological corridors and the specific location of key nodes for effective ecological conservation and restoration

3D Remote Sensing Applications in Forest Ecology: Composition, Structure and Function

Dear Colleagues, The composition, structure and function of forest ecosystems are the key features characterizing their ecological properties, and can thus be crucially shaped and changed by various biotic and abiotic factors on multiple spatial scales. The magnitude and extent of these changes in recent decades calls for enhanced mitigation and adaption measures. Remote sensing data and methods are the main complementary sources of up-to-date synoptic and objective information of forest ecology. Due to the inherent 3D nature of forest ecosystems, the analysis of 3D sources of remote sensing data is considered to be most appropriate for recreating the forest’s compositional, structural and functional dynamics. In this Special Issue of Forests, we published a set of state-of-the-art scientific works including experimental studies, methodological developments and model validations, all dealing with the general topic of 3D remote sensing-assisted applications in forest ecology. We showed applications in forest ecology from a broad collection of method and sensor combinations, including fusion schemes. All in all, the studies and their focuses are as broad as a forest’s ecology or the field of remote sensing and, thus, reflect the very diverse usages and directions toward which future research and practice will be directed

Influences of soil properties on archaeal diversity and distribution in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

The Antarctic Dry Valleys are characterized by extremely low temperatures, arid conditions, high salinity and virtual absence of plants. Therefore, food webs of these microbially dominated soils are among the simplest on earth making these mineral soils a perfect model to study microbial biogeography. This study aims to characterize the distribution and diversity of Archaea within the Dry Valleys as part of the New Zealand Terrestrial Antarctic Biocomplexity Survey (NZTABS). An international multidisciplinary organization focusing on biotic organisms, community structure and their functional linkage to determine what environmental factors drive biocomplexity. Archaea are so far the least known members of the microbial community with only a few successful attempts at detection indicating a patchy distribution and low diversity. A wide range of soil samples, collected from various sites within the Dry Valleys were analyzed using a suite of genetic approaches. DNA fingerprinting techniques (RFLP, T- RFLP) were applied to examine distribution and diversity of archaeal species living in soils of Miers Valley, Marshall Valley, Garwood Valley and Shangri- La. Detailed analysis of physicochemical differences between mineral soils was undertaken in hope to unveil environmental factors driving distribution and biodiversity of archaeal communities present in these soils. Multivariate statistical analysis and ordination of T- RFLP results and physicochemical data revealed a widespread distribution of Archaea across all three valleys, including Shangri- La. Overall, archaeal diversity was relatively low and most of the archaeal communities were composed in majority of one species affiliated with Crenarchaeota Marine Group 1.1b. Archaeal communities that sustain a relatively high diversity appear to be restricted to high elevation ridge areas and coastal moraines. This variation in diversity may be best explained by differences in moisture availability and availability of carbon and nitrogen in mineral soils that harbour these communities. Conversely, soils that harbour high bacterial diversity and primary producers revealed extremely low abundance of Archaea, possibly even total absence of Archaea in these organic rich soils

The Protection, Designation and Management of Cultural Routes: A Case Study of the Tea & Horse Road in China

Cultural routes are a relatively new, and much discussed concept in heritage designation and management. The extent to which this concept provides an effective theoretical framework for management of diverse sites, monuments, and landscapes, encompassing multiple stakeholders and values, is under debate. The research explores the so-called Tea & Horse Road (THR), which stretched from southwestern China to the South Asian subcontinent. It is an intriguing example of a historic network of interactions, combining multidimensional issues of protection, designation, and management, within a challenging contemporary social and political context. Using literature reviews, case studies, semi-structured interviews, and field investigations, the thesis focuses on the THR within Yunnan Province in China. The selected case study was divided into three categories: productive regions, transfer regions and consuming regions, in order to both articulate the assorted THR heritage, and to explore relevant crucial issues: the nature of the physical remains; their integrity and authenticity; the potential and impacts of tourism; local, regional and state-based values; and the prospective management, protection and designation of these areas. The research concludes that introducing the concept of cultural routes enables these multifaceted sites and landscapes to be integrated within a wider systematic framework, which offers possible approaches to top-down preservation and management of the THR. However, the research also reveals the tensions between cultural route and cultural landscape approaches, with the latter far easier to implement at a local/regional level. More broadly, it also raises questions about the implementation of cultural routes as a nomination strategy when dealing with diverse heritage resources, landscapes and communities

Women as social entrepreneurs in the hospitality and tourism industry: Does empowerment play a role?

This paper which is a work in progress presents a qualitative study exploring the nature, motivations and extent to which female entrepreneurs use their H&T businesses as platforms for engagement in various forms of social entrepreneurship (SE) leading to value creation, economic and community development. Although SE is seen as a key contributor to the creation and diversification of entrepreneurial activity, women empowerment and local economic development, there is limited research on the role of female H&T entrepreneurs in emerging non -western destinations. We focus on the following research questions: a) Can female entrepreneurs in H&T be considered as social entrepreneurs? b) How does the structure and organization of society shape the nature of female participation in SE? c) What are the challenges involved in mobilizing female entrepreneurs to effectively engage in SE? d) How does SE maximise value creation and higher levels of satisfaction for all participants? Concepts from women-owned H&T enterprises, SE and women empowerment are drawn upon. We argue that women are embedded in male dominated traditions/customs, community associations and government bureaucracies that may either empowered or dis-empower them. Using the case of Cameroon, we examine how embeddedness enhances the capacity of women to engage in SE in the H&T industry, thereby contributing to local economic development. Empirically we adopt a mixed methods approach using multiple case studies: a survey questionnaire, five focus groups meetings (two women -only, one male-only, and two mix of male and female entrepreneurs) and twenty-five in-depth interviews with selected female entrepreneurs (18), (non)governmental organisations (03) and beneficiaries (04) of social enterprise ventures between May 2014 and February 2015. The findings clarify the role of women in SE in H&T and policy implications for maximising social value creation through the participation of women in SE

Our heritage is already broken: meditations on a regenerative conservation for cultural and natural heritage

This essay is about the interdependence of story and action with respect to cultural and natural heritage. It is also about the inexorability of change and its relationship to heritage conservation. In the following paragraphs I share several stories and excerpts, some heroic, others less so (I leave it to the reader to decide which is which), to make the case that the traditional, Western perspective on heritage does not hold up well under scrutiny—there is now an emerging paradigm for heritage conservation, one that both realizes its “empty” nature and guides us in developing a conservation approach that aligns with this recognition