Introduce yourself
The outdoor areas of hotels are no longer a mere afterthought, but are now a central part of the guest experience. These sophisticated extensions of a hotel brand need to be efficient, beautiful, and sustainable. It is important to combine landscape architecture with intelligent technology in order to create resilient and memorable environments. It involves designing living systems that can adapt to seasonal changes, guest flow, and environmental conditions. Shiji Insights talked to landscape architect Victoria Cobeña. Her work is a blend of natural beauty and hidden tech. It reveals how hotels can transform outdoor assets to powerful drivers for value.
Takeaway
Engage landscape architects as early as possible. Early collaboration can prevent costly mistakes and unlock your property’s outdoor potential.
Use technology to enhance authenticity and not replace it. Smart tools are a great way to communicate a unique, rooted design vision.
Think of sustainability in terms of a system. Use clever plant selections with innovative designs to manage soil and water.
Smart microclimate design increases the season of use. This directly impacts guest comfort and increases valuable F&B revenue.
Hide the infrastructure to create magic. Concealing technology like lighting and audio enhances the natural experience of guests.
How does the early integration landscape architecture improve the cohesion in between indoor and outside spaces? Your collaboration with architects is of particular interest to me.
Landscape design has traditionally been an afterthought. Plants were used to decorate predefined areas. This mindset is outdated and leads to “greenwashing”, which misses out on the real potential of outdoor spaces. We can “go beyond greening” when we get involved early by designing landscapes as living, beautiful infrastructure. It is important to collaborate early in order to avoid costly, irreversible mistakes. In other words, without the expert’s input, architects could design features that are not compatible with a topography site or mature trees needs, resulting in a loss of natural assets. Our role is to create environments that encourage life, a system that is beneficial for the hotel, guests, and environment.
We bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in the areas of living systems, soil, water and sunlight that complements what the architect is doing with inert materials. This collaborative effort creates habitats – not just rooms – which resonate with guests who are environmentally aware and help to achieve sustainability goals. This early involvement has many tangible benefits. It can be used to shape the plot in order to optimize microclimates or to adjust building levels in order to reduce construction cost and carbon footprints. This expert-led approach will ensure that the green spaces of the hotel are not only beautiful and cohesive, but also easy to maintain in long-term.
What role can technology play in visualizing the seasonal changes that affect hotel outdoor areas and their impact? Can you give an example of a time when 3D modeling and simulations influenced project decisions?
The use of technology is crucial to creating an exceptional guest experience. It is our goal to create memorable outdoor spaces. These spaces change with the seasons. Each time they visit, guests get a different experience. They are more likely to return. We use simulations and 3D modeling. It clarifies our vision of hotel management. This adds value to the decision-making process. These tools are not meant to replace our hands-on experience, but rather, they complement it. Analog methods are the foundation of authenticity. This involves sketching the site and observing its unique light. The technology then converts these feelings into a building design.
Designing for seasonality is a key application. Each project is fully customized. Climate data, plant colors and behavior are linked. These data are connected to 2D and 3-D models. We design complex planting mixes using specialized software. We receive live feedback throughout the year on how they are performing. It ensures that no season feels overlooked or weak. These simulations bring to light the complexity of our project. They show a well-planned and curated process. This goes beyond random greenery.
Technology also plays a key role in aligning the expectations. It supports financial decisions that are well-informed. 3D modeling and data are combined. Visually, this shows the impact of investment. The initial plant size has a direct impact on both the cost and the appearance. It is shown at the time of opening versus several year later. It is only applicable to the work with living organisms. It allows the hotel staff to make informed decisions. The hotel team can then balance their immediate visual impact and budget. Also, they balance their budget with their vision for the future.
How can smart irrigation and water monitoring systems reduce hotel operational costs while supporting sustainability goals? Using moisture and humidity sensors, how do these contribute to long-term landscape health and maintenance?
Smart irrigation technology alone has a limited impact on operational costs and sustainability. Its effect is truly multiplied when combined with landscape design principles that improve soil health over time. The first and most important step is selecting plants that “naturalize” to the local climate, as these species require very little water once established. Just as crucial is designing what lies beneath the surface, the unseen layers of soil that dictate how water is stored, drained, and used.
We create a resilient foundation by engineering the soil itself. This involves specifying appropriate soil depth and incorporating hidden layers that act as water reservoirs, such as modular retention cells or structured gravel layers. These store excess water from rain or irrigation and release it slowly as the ground dries. We then add a layer of mulch on the surface, which significantly slows evaporation. Over time, this stratification creates healthier soil that retains moisture far more effectively on its own.
Only when this smart soil system is in place do we amplify its efficiency with technology. Moisture sensors monitor real-time conditions, activating irrigation with precision only when necessary. This data also allows us to track the performance of different planting mixes, refining our schemes over time to be even more resilient. This transforms maintenance into a responsive, intelligent process. Drastically reducing water costs, minimizing plant replacement, and taking sustainability to a regenerative level by improving the site’s original conditions.
Hotels can utilize water recycling and greywater processing to promote sustainability and comply with local regulations. How can they take advantage of these systems?
We treat rainwater and purified grey or blackwater as one of our most valuable resources, not as waste. This approach enables hotels to meet their sustainability goals and emerging regulations while creating beautiful, climate-resilient spaces. Our innovation lies in collaborating with engineers to reverse the traditional practice of hiding and discarding water. Instead, we bring this water to the surface, using it to create landscapes full of life and turning a liability into a central feature of a circular, resilient system.
In practice, we purposefully design gardens and patios to direct this recycled water through open channels into designated basins. These can become aesthetic features like artificial wetlands that boost biodiversity and cool the air, or temporary ponds that allow for slow soil infiltration and storage. This strategy is becoming essential. Evolving regulations, such as the EU Water Reuse Regulation, which is now in effect, and severe droughts in tourist areas of Spain and Greece, make on-site water circularity a vital asset for environmental and operational resilience.
The benefits of this approach are comprehensive. Environmentally, it reduces pressure on freshwater sources, mitigates the impacts of both floods and droughts, and promotes soil health. For the business, it enhances ESG performance, facilitates the attainment of green certifications, and attracts eco-conscious guests and investors. Ultimately, it enhances the guest experience by utilizing water to cool outdoor spaces, adding sensory appeal, and making the hotel’s commitment to environmental stewardship visually apparent.
You’ve mentioned designing for microclimates. How can this concept extend the usable season for hotel outdoor venues or F&B spaces?
My experience in extreme climates, from the cold of Norway to the heat of the Greek islands, has taught me the importance of designing for microclimates. By applying a few key climatic principles, we can make hotel outdoor spaces usable for much longer periods of the year, significantly increasing the value of F&B venues and lounges. Disregarding these basics can lead to discomfort regardless of the season, but a thoughtful design can manipulate the environment to extend guest comfort and the operational calendar.
The techniques are practical and targeted. In colder climates, we create warmth by placing sitting areas next to dark, south-facing walls that absorb and radiate heat, and by using vegetation as windbreaks. Conversely, in hotter climates, we create a sense of coolness. Deciduous trees and pergolas with climbers provide shade in summer but allow welcome sunlight in winter. Furthermore, strategically placed water features can cool the air through evaporation, an effect that is amplified by aligning them with prevailing breezes.
How do your projects use smart lighting with sensors to enhance the hotel experience for guests while minimizing light pollution and protecting wildlife?
When lighting outdoor areas, our philosophy is “Less is More,” as planning for shadows is just as important as planning for light. We aim for a careful balance that enhances the natural night sky, rather than creating overwhelming light pollution that discomforts both guests and wildlife. To achieve this, we work with curated “layers of light,” establishing hierarchies to create specific ambiences. We also avoid disruptive uplights, preferring nature-based effects like a subtle “full moon” glow that minimizes sky pollution and creates a more atmospheric feel.
Sensors are key, but we use them in a way that protects wildlife from sudden changes. Instead of a space being completely dark until activated, we establish a very subtle “basic layer” of light to create a calm, constant ambience. Sensors then activate a second, functional layer of light only when needed, such as along a pathway. For periods of high traffic, we recommend adjusting the constant light level slightly rather than relying on frequent, disruptive sensor activations.
Dimmers are just as crucial as sensors and are incredibly powerful when used in combination. Not all nights are equally dark, and a dimmer-sensor combo allows us to adapt the lighting intensity to the ambient moonlight, whether it’s a bright full moon or a cloudy night. This technology provides ultimate control and flexibility, enabling the lighting scheme to be perfectly tailored for different atmospheres, from intimate dinners to special hotel events.
What new technologies will change how hotels manage their outdoor spaces? Are there exciting innovations in AI, climate tech, or sensors?
My creative process is a blend of the analog and digital worlds. I believe that authentic, special projects are always sparked by irreplaceable “analog methods”, my personal impressions from visiting a site, mapping its unique atmosphere, and conversations with the people there. For me, technology is not the source of the idea, but the essential tool I use to translate these feelings and observations to my design table. It allows me to design for the senses and create connections with nature in a more sustainable and respectful way.
Looking forward, I am excited by two key technological frontiers. One is the potential for simulations to go beyond the visual, perhaps using VR to replicate scents and sounds to test the feelings a design will evoke. Even more exciting, however, is the future of accessible monitoring. Imagine affordable apps that use real data to prove the positive impact of our work, quantifying increases in biodiversity, water saved, or temperature reductions. If we can easily demonstrate this value, I am hopeful that sustainable, thoughtful design will become the norm in hospitality, not the exception.
Final Words
Victoria emphasizes a critical shift in hospitality design. Outdoor spaces are no longer static backdrops. They are dynamic, intelligent environments. They contribute actively to the guest experience, operational bottom line, and environmental health. The thoughtful integration of hidden technology is the catalyst for this transformation. It enables the creation of landscapes that are responsive, resilient, and deeply connected to their surroundings. As hotels continue to seek differentiation, the intelligent design of their outdoor spaces offers a powerful and authentic path forward. It is a path where visible impact is born from technology that is seamlessly woven into the fabric of the natural world.
Video presentation of Victoria’s current project, Castillo de Viñuelas (In Spanish):
About Shiji Group
Shiji is a global technology company dedicated to providing innovative solutions for the hospitality industry, ensuring seamless operations for hoteliers day and night. Built on the Shiji Platform—the only truly global hotel technology platform—Shiji’s cloud-based solutions include property management system, point-of-sale, guest engagement, distribution, payments, and data intelligence for over 91,000 hotels worldwide, including the largest hotel chains. With more than 5,000 employees across the world, Shiji is a trusted partner for the world’s leading hoteliers, delivering technology that works as continuously as the industry itself. That’s why the best hotels run on Shiji—day and night. While its primary focus is on hospitality, Shiji also serves select customers in food service, retail, and entertainment in certain regions. For more information, visit shijigroup.com.
