PREFERENCE FOR VISUAL CHARACTER OF RESTAURANTS & CAFES IN NORTH OF BANDUNG AND ITS NEIGHBOURING AREAS

• Main Author: Astoeti, Sri
• Format: Dissertations
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/64224
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

during the last two decades, different types of restaurants and cafes have been flourishing in Bandung and its neighbouring areas, in line with development of tourism activities in general and culinary tourism activities in particular. On one hand, the existence of restaurants and cafes offers wide opportunity and convenience for the customers to choose according to their preferences, but on the other hand its creates tight business competition, restaurants and cafes strive to pesent buildings with unique and attractive architectural characters, which have distinct characteristic and identity, to attract attention and interest of their prospective customers. The purposes of this research study are to investigate the affect of visual elements of restaurant and cafe on customer's preference, and examine correlasions between building visual character and customer's motivation. The objectives of research study can be explained as follows : (1) To map out the quality o architectural visual character of restaurants and cafes and its dominan achitectural attributes; (2) To measure customer's level of preference for architectural visual character of restaurants and cafes; (3) To analize correlations between architectural visual character of restaurants and cafes with customer's motivation. Mixed methods are applied in this research. Qualitative method is utilized in the description of visual character of restaurants and cafes, while quantitative method is utilized in measurement of respondent's aesthetic response to the visual charactes of restaurants and cafes. Research framework is developed in reference to Probabilistic Model of Aesthetic Respon from Jack L. Nasar. Comparative analysis is carried out to asses quality of visual character based on empirical reality, in contrast with respondent's aesthetic response level. To measure the level of respondent's aesthetic response, a research instrument comprising questionaire and photo elicitation is employed. The research findings showed that : (1) There is significant difference between result of measurement of quality of visual character based on empirical reality, with result of measurement of respondent's aesthetic level based on questionaire and photo elicitation. In general, the ranks of visual quality of restaurants and cafes based on empirical observation have no parallel with the ranks of respondent's preference; (2) There is no significant correlation between visual character of restaurants and cafes with customers' motivation to visit restaurants an cafes, since almost all of case studies are able to cater all spectrum of customers' motivation; (3) Respondents tend to apply preference-for-prototype model in facing familiar and typical building, and apply preference-for-difference model in facing building which offers novelty. Preference study for visual character of building and environment is recommended to be incorporated as an integrated component of post-occupancy evaluation, with the intention to formulate an inclusive evaluation covering the functional, technical and aesthetical aspects.