As we have just ventured out into the world of casino
interior design we thought we would share our findings on what makes a casino
not only great but profitable and a successful business. It seems there is more
than meets the eye to the world of gambling finishes.
Here are our top 5 design considerations.
1. What Time Is It Mr. Wolf?
There is always a distinct lack of clocks….and
windows. So you have no clue what time it is, whether it’s day or night
outside, what the weather is like or if there is something more interesting
happening outside. It is a cocoon in which the concept of time becomes
irrelevant. At hotels & casinos like The Venetian and Paris in Las Vegas
they take things a stage further by manipulating the lighting to represent
different times of day. At The Venetian they literally reversed the
time of day i.e. in the mornings the indoor painted sky and
street lights had an evening feel whilst in the evenings it looked like mid
morning. It’s amazing how strong an effect it has, and clients really do
lose the sense of time.
2. Show Me The Way To Go Home
Signage is purposefully poor. Access to most
areas of a casino involves walking through the gambling areas.
They just don’t want you to retire or have a rest in an area that doesn’t
involve spending money. With this in mind most casinos are completely
devoid of casual seating for just relaxing. There are plenty of comfy
seats at slot machines, games tables, bars and restaurants…..but hardly any
‘free seating’. There is literally no rest for the wicked!
3. The Sweet Smell Of Success
Research shows that people spend 50% more time playing slot
machines when a casino is perfumed with a floral aroma than if it just smells
like a regular casino. And the stronger the scent, the longer people
gamble. Floral aromas are calming and people should feel relaxed and what
to stay in the environment even if they are not on a winning streak.
4. Totally Floored
The layouts used in casinos are rarely ‘open’. Firstly
this helps to disguise if the casino isn’t very busy as this sends negative messages
to potential gamblers. Also if you could see the whole casino from the
entrances then you wouldn’t feel the same need to explore what the casino has
to offer…you’d be able to see everything without stepping foot on the
swirly-whirly carpets. Smaller, more intimate clusters of gambling areas
probably make people feel safer and less ‘on show’ and no doubt this sense of
privacy encourages gamblers to take bigger risks or gamble for longer.
Plus if a casino was open plan with an obvious walkway right through the middle
then basic psychology predicts that people wouldn’t step off the
designation path to casually explore the gambling areas. This technique is also
used in department stores.. see for yourself next time you are in John Lewis or
Selfridges.
Flooring plays an integral role in the management of traffic
and behavior in casinos. Studies show that the carpets are purposely
designed to be very ‘busy’ and a strain to the eyes and brain in order to force
you to look up towards the slots machines and games tables, which is where they
really want your attention to be focused! Some research claims that
curvaceous/rounded designs are more relaxing for gamblers than angular
geometrics and there are even claims that carpets with rainbows in the design
make gamblers feel lucky!
5. Music To My Ears
Casinos are noisy places, the slot machines are
constantly making their electronic plinky-plonk sounds effects, gamblers cheer
with delight and groan with disappointment, casino chips are stacked and swept
away and music drifts through all areas. The noisiness serves several
purposes…it keeps gamblers stimulated and alert which combats tiredness. The
cheery noises from the slot machines suggest that someone somewhere is winning
and by inference that you could win big too! The atmospheric music
that is piped everywhere is often on a loop and after a while it becomes
reassuringly familiar.
So it seems when it comes to the design of a casino there is
not just the ascetics to be considered but the psychological desires of wanting
to stay, play and be in a place of enjoyment. We can't wait to show you our
designs.. so watch this space!
