SYMBOLIC BIOPHILIC DESIGN AND RESTORATIVE EXPERIENCE IN NIGERIAN RESORT ARCHITECTURE: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF BEING AWAY

Purpose: Research on restorative environments has predominantly emphasized direct nature exposure through vegetation, daylight, and water features, while underexploring the role of symbolic biophilic design in built environments. This study advances restorative environment theory by examining how symbolic biophilic design influences restorative experience and the mediating role of "Being Away" within Nigerian resort contexts. Design/methodology/approach: Grounded in Attention Restoration Theory (ART), the study employed a quantitative cross-sectional explanatory survey design. Data were collected from 259 resort users and analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, multiple linear regression, and Hayes' PROCESS macro (Model 4) for mediation analysis with 5,000 bootstrap resamples. Findings: Reliability and validity tests indicated acceptable construct robustness. Findings reveal that symbolic biophilic design has a stronger effect on restorative experience (β = 0.39, p < 0.001) than direct nature exposure (β = 0.26, p < 0.001), explaining 36.6% of the variance (R² = 0.366). Mediation results indicate that "Being Away" partially mediates this relationship (indirect effect = 0.249, 95% CI [0.155, 0.350]), demonstrating that symbolic environmental cues significantly enhance psychological detachment and restoration. Research limitations/implications: The cross-sectional design restricts the establishment of absolute causal relationships among the variables. Additionally, the sample reflects a specific socio-economic profile (predominantly highly educated respondents) within urban Nigerian hospitality contexts, limiting broader generalizability. Finally, treating symbolic biophilia as an aggregated construct prevents the isolation of individual architectural features. Future research should disaggregate these variables to determine which specific cues most strongly correlate with psychological restoration. Practical implications: The study recommends that hospitality architects integrate vernacular materials, biomorphic forms, and nature-inspired textures as core architectural elements rather than relying solely on landscape interventions. Furthermore, designers should create spatial sequences and transition zones that strengthen occupants' sense of "Being Away" from everyday routines, and improve perceived "Extent" through enhanced spatial continuity and visual connectivity. Originality/value: This study provides empirical support for the role of cognitively mediated environmental meaning within Attention Restoration Theory. It demonstrates that representational, nature-inspired architecture provides significant psychological value and restorative benefits beyond direct nature exposure, offering critical evidence for culturally responsive resort architecture in developing-country contexts.