Planning and design criteria for a successful waterpark

Water is not only an indispensable resource for all living beings on Earth to survive, but also has been a determinant of culture and lifestyle for humans throughout history. In time, water is used for recreational purposes in children playgrounds and amusement parks. The waterparks that emerged in the second half of the twentieth century as an active recreation area within this transformation of water use, have been taking place as a growing and developing sector in amusement parks by changing the size through the developing technology and the shifting game technologies in recent years. As the number of visitors increases every year, waterparks are considered as a lucrative investment, and as a commercial element, the numbers are increasing rapidly in the world, regardless of climate. The aim of this study is to determine the basic planning and design criteria for a successful waterpark by examining the waterpark concept and existing waterparks in terms of qualitative and quantitative aspects. In this direction, the examined waterparks were interpreted by creating an evaluation matrix. In line with the findings, the necessary criteria for a successful waterpark were determined and strategies and design suggestions were developed.