Experiential Nature Tourism Architecture
2025
Matijs Babris

Defending
12.12.2025. 14:00, Ķīpsalas ielā 6, 435 auditorijā.

Supervisor
Uģis Bratuškins

Reviewers
Alisa Koroļova, Una Īle, Gintaras Stauskis

The Thesis examines a new approach to nature tourism architecture with the potential to reduce the burden on ecologically sensitive areas. It analyses 1,000 nature tourism destinations, identifying how spatial design, materiality, and experience shape visitor behaviour. A multi-criteria database has been created that summarizes spatial, material and experiential criteria and allows for the comparison of different approaches to the interaction of nature and architecture. The Thesis outlines eight levels of nature–architecture symbiosis, reflecting the degree of integration of buildings and landscape, demonstrating how purpose-built experiential destinations can meaningfully guide visitor flows, enhance engagement, and support sustainable development, offering practical tools for planners and architects.


Keywords
Experiential tourism; Overtourism mitigation; Spatial design; Sustainable destinations; Tourism decentralisation; Built environment.
DOI
10.7250/9789934372407

Babris, Matijs. Experiential Nature Tourism Architecture. PhD Thesis. Rīga: [RTU], 2025. 103 p.

Publication language
English (en)
The Scientific Library of the Riga Technical University.
E-mail: uzzinas@rtu.lv; Phone: +371 28399196