September 2021

GLAMPSITES
CROWN & CANOPY
CROWN & CANOPY
Sustainable
Design
for Tourism
Accommodation
Key learnings from the National Forest’s new
design guide for sustainable tourist accommodation
Learnings from
the National Forest
SUSTAINABILITY IS made up of a
complex and diverse set of issues,
but the National Forest Company, in
consultation with architects Arboreal and
glamping consultants Crown & Canopy,
has identified seven design principles to
help create exemplar sustainable tourist
accommodation.
The design guide is a call to action to
landowners, developers, operators and
investors to join the National Forest – 200
square miles of newly planted woodlands,
farmland and ancient forests across
central England – in creating a new wave of
sustainable tourism accommodation.
Here we outline the main learnings from
the guide, which can be applied to the wider
glamping industry to create developments
that sit harmoniously with their landscape,
community and guests, as well as
contributing to countering the climate crisis.
The design guide advises readers to see
these ideas as a ‘menu of options’ to be
used according to the needs of a project
and in line with ambition and budget.
The principles are scalable and have been
developed to complement other technical
sustainability standards including BREEAM
and the Living Building Challenge.
Download the guide at www.
nationalforest.org for comprehensive
explanations and examples of each of the
principles. Below is a summary and food for
thought.
1 Develop in harmony with the
forest character
› Design to enhance forest character
› Site buildings sensitively
› Engage with local history and
vernacular design
› Bring nature into interior designs
2 Design for Health and Wellbeing
› Encourage active lifestyles
› Support mental wellbeing
› Encourage a connection with others
› Strengthen connections with the forest
› Ensure comfort for everyone
› Make the forest accessible
3 Support the forest community and
economy
› Create connections with your neighbours
› Become part of a tourism network
› Tell the National Forest story
› Inspire guests through sustainable design
› Host forest activity groups
48 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM