WestminsterResearch http://www.westminster.ac.uk/research/westminsterresearch The role of cultural flagships in the perception and experience of urban areas for tourism and culture. Case study: The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. Adrian Francisco Guachalla Gutierrez School of Architecture and the Built Environment This is an electronic version of a PhD thesis awarded by the University of Westminster. © The Author, 2011. This is an exact reproduction of the paper copy held by the University of Westminster library. The WestminsterResearch online digital archive at the University of Westminster aims to make the research output of the University available to a wider audience. Copyright and Moral Rights remain with the authors and/or copyright owners. Users are permitted to download and/or print one copy for non-commercial private study or research. Further distribution and any use of material from within this archive for profit-making enterprises or for commercial gain is strictly forbidden. Whilst further distribution of specific materials from within this archive is forbidden, you may freely distribute the URL of WestminsterResearch: (http://westminsterresearch.wmin.ac.uk/). In case of abuse or copyright appearing without permission e-mail [email protected] THE ROLE OF CULTURAL FLAGSHIPS IN THE PERCEPTION AND EXPERIENCE OF URBAN AREAS FOR TOURISM AND CULTURE. CASE STUDY: THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE IN COVENT GARDEN. ADRIAN FRANCISCO GUACHALLA GUTIERREZ PhD 2011 THE ROLE OF CULTURAL FLAGSHIPS IN THE PERCEPTION AND EXPERIENCE OF URBAN AREAS FOR TOURISM AND CULTURE. CASE STUDY: THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE IN COVENT GARDEN. ADRIAN FRANCISCO GUACHALLA GUTIERREZ A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Westminster for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy March 2011 Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of contents 1 Abstract 7 Acknowledgements 9 List of abbreviations 10 List of tables and figures 11 1. INTRODUCTION 12 1.1. Research area and rationale 13 1.2. Outline of chapters 16 2. CULTURAL TOURISM, CULTURAL TOURISTS AND THE 18 TOURIST’S EXPERIENCE 2.1. Introduction 18 2.2. Cultural tourism 18 2.3. The cultural tourist 23 2.4. The tourist experience 30 2.4.1. Sensorial experience of place 36 2.4.2. The tourist’s performance 40 2.4.3. Co tourism 43 2.4.4. Cultural distance and depth of experience 45 2.5. Conclusions 51 3. URBAN AREAS FOR TOURISM AND CULTURE 53 3.1. Introduction 53 3.2. Urban precincts for tourism 53 3.3. The physical perspective 56 3.4. The clientele perspective 59 3.5. The business perspective - entertainment 62 3.6. The business perspective – culture 63 3.7. The output perspective – creativity 68 1 Table of Contents 3.8. Summary of perspectives on urban areas for tourism and culture 69 3.9. Conclusions 73 4. CULTURAL FLAGSHIPS 75 4.1. Introduction 75 4.2. Flagship developments 76 4.3. Cultural flagships 78 4.4. Cultural flagships as monuments 79 4.5. Cultural flagships as icons 81 4.6. Museums as cultural flagships 83 4.7. Cultural flagships for the performing arts 86 4.7.1. Arts consumption in cultural flagships for the performing arts 91 4.8. Conclusions 95 5. COVENT GARDEN AND THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE: 97 HISTORY, FACES, CHALLENGES AND PHASES 5.1. Introduction 97 5.2. The birth and evolution of the urban precinct 97 5.3. A place for theatres, performance and an opera house 98 5.4. A place of many faces 102 5.5. Proposed redevelopment of the area 105 5.6. Perspectives on Covent Garden 107 5.6.1. Covent Garden as an urban village 107 5.6.2. Covent Garden as a cultural quarter/cluster/creative milieu 108 5.6.3. Covent Garden as an entertainment district 110 5.7. Redevelopment of the Royal Opera House 112 5.8. Conclusions 118 6. METHODOLOGY, METHOD AND DATA ANALYSIS 120 6.1. Introduction 120 6.2. Methodological approach 120 6.2.1. The social constructivist paradigm 121 2 Table of Contents 6.2.2. Social constructivism from the ontological and epistemological perspectives 122 6.2.3. The facets and dilemmas of social constructivism 123 6.2.4. Constructivism and social actors 124 6.2.5. The anti foundational position of social constructivism 126 6.2.6. Social constructivism in tourism research 128 6.3. Method: Semi-structured interviews 129 6.3.1. The challenges of semi-structured interviews 132 6.4. Interview design 135 6.5. Fieldwork design 139 6.5.1. Selection of interviewees 139 6.5.2. Time of interview 141 6.5.3. Interviewing locations 141 6.5.4. Pilot test 144 6.6. Language considerations: Cross cultural qualitative research 145 6.7. Data analysis 152 6.7.1. Approach to data analysis 156 6.7.2. Coding as an essential task 159 6.7.3. Field notes as complementary sources of data 162 6.7.4. Computer assisted qualitative data analysis 164 6.7.4.1. Praxis 165 6.8. Conclusions 170 7. EVIDENCE ANALYSIS 172 7.1. Introduction 172 7.2. Visitor characteristics 174 7.2.1. Nationality. 175 7.2.2. Gender 176 7.2.3. Age 177 7.2.4. Occupation 177 7.3. Findings related to the area 178 7.3.1. Preconceptions 181 3 Table of Contents 7.3.1.1. Covent Garden’s name as a literal implication 181 7.3.1.2. Media exposure 182 7.3.2. Motivation to visit 184 7.3.2.1. Central location 184 7.3.2.2. Shopping, eating and drinking 186 7.3.2.3. Performing arts and vibrancy 186 7.3.3. Experience of place 187 7.3.3.1. Roaming, exploring and discovering 187 7.3.3.2. Commercial experiences 188 7.3.3.3. Cultural experiences 189 7.3.3.4. Eating, drinking and social experiences throughout the day 189 7.3.3.5. Different experiences throughout different locations 191 7.3.4. Perception of the area 191 7.3.4.1. Urban environment based elements 193 7.3.4.1.1. Physical attributes 193 7.3.4.1.2. Streets shape and pattern 194 7.3.4.1.3. Contrast between locations 195 7.3.4.1.4. Gentrification 196 7.3.4.1.5. Outdoor settings 196 7.3.4.2. Human based elements 197 7.3.4.2.1. Visitors and co tourism 197 7.3.4.2.2. Place for relaxation and pedestrianistation 198 7.3.4.2.3. Diversity and cosmopolitanism 201 7.3.4.3. Activity based elements 202 7.3.4.3.1. Commerce and nature of shops 202 7.3.4.3.2. Street busking and quality of performance 203 7.3.5. Summary of relationships between place making elements in the area 205 7.4. Findings related to the flagship 208 7.4.1. Perception 211 7.4.1.1. Physical appearance 211 7.4.1.2. Contrast with other stand alone flagship buildings 212 7.4.2. The flagship as an institution 214 4 Table of Contents 7.4.2.1. Implications of the name, elitism and exclusivity 215 7.4.2.2. Access initiatives and the importance of experiencing the flagship from the inside 216 7.4.3. Reciprocity between the area and the flagship 219 7.4.3.1. Covent Garden without an Opera House 220 7.4.3.2. The flagship and the visitors it attracts 222 7.4.3.3. Cosmopolitanism and the importance of an opera house 223 7.5. Conclusions 225 8. DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS 227 8.1. Introduction 227 8.2. Visitors 227 8.2.1. Background - Age 227 8.2.2. Depth of experience 229 8.2.3. Background – Nationality and cultural distance 231 8.3. Environment 233 8.3.1. Sub-areas within the precinct 233 8.3.2. Relaxation and performance 235 8.3.3. People as place making elements 237 8.4. Flagship 240 8.4.1. Stereotypical views of Opera Houses 240 8.4.2. Significance 242 8.4.3. Cultural asset for the country 243 8.4.4. The flagship’s social input to the area 245 8.4.5. Access and audience development 245 8.5. Conclusions 248 9. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 250 9.1. What does the term ‘Covent Garden’ represent for the visitor? 250 9.1.1. Covent Garden as a concept 250 9.1.2. Covent Garden as a precinct 251 9.1.3. Covent Garden as a flagship. 252 5 Table of Contents 9.2. Motivation to visit, experience and perception of place 253 9.2.1. Performance 253 9.2.2. Consumption 255 9.2.3. Relaxation 257 9.2.4. Built environment 259 9.3. The Royal Opera House’s influence on the perception and experience of Covent Garden 261 9.4. Critical appraisal of methodology and limitations of the study 263 9.5. Scope for further research 266 9.6. Encore 268 10. SOURCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY 271 APPENDIX A: Informed Consent Form 290 APPENDIX B: Permission to conduct the study 291 APPENDIX C: Examples of field notes generated throughout the data collection stage 292 APPENDIX D: Data analysis and coding using QSR N*Vivo 293 APPENDIX E: Themes derived from the initial set of categories 297 APPENDIX F: Further evidence of Findings 299 6 Abstract ABSTRACT This research aims to explore how a cultural flagship influences the cultural tourist’s perception and experience of a well established urban area for tourism and culture, taking the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden as a case study. Covent Garden, as an important part of London’s tourist portfolio is a case study of interest because of its wide array of land use that makes it a popular area for tourism and cultural consumption, with distinctive architecture, heritage and a wide range of attractions and leisure opportunities.