In Between · 8 November 2026
Start with the retreat programme
A retreat space planning checklist should reflect the programme it supports. Establish whether guests stay overnight, how shared activities are organised and what happens between them. The intervals matter: guests may need to find the next space, leave belongings or choose somewhere to wait. Keep unknown operating arrangements visible rather than filling them with design assumptions.
Map the first journey
Trace arrival, welcome, orientation and settling in. What information does a first-time visitor need at each point? Does it remain understandable along the route? A scenario built from plans should be labelled as such. If the venue is operating, record the context of any observation separately from intended routines or user accounts.
Discuss participation and withdrawal together
Consider how guests enter shared activities and how they can move towards personal space. Ask whether a quiet area also functions as a necessary through-route, and how the boundaries of personal space are communicated. These are prompts for discussion, not assumptions that all guests want the same level of contact. Where possible, include relevant user input.
Use questions that remain open to evidence
Arrival: how is the next step understood? Transition: what lies between the shared programme and personal space? Choice: what options exist outside the organised activity? Privacy: which visual and sound-related questions need separate review? Change over time: what needs reconsidering in different conditions? Record who can provide the missing information and what decision depends on it.
At In Between, the work follows five steps: 01 Initial meeting, 02 Reading the space, 03 Assessment (application and the 1,175-criterion In Between Checklist), 04 Decision-support report and 05 Optional support. The questions in this article can help prepare for the initial meeting and for reading the space; they do not replace the 1,175-criterion Checklist. More on the approach; report frameworks.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a health assessment?
No; the focus is spatial experience, without therapeutic claims.
Is the checklist a certification system?
No; it is an editorial preparation tool.
Can it be used during design?
Yes, provided proposed scenarios are kept distinct from actual use.
Next step
Share the retreat's stage, programme and current plans with In Between through the contact page. A scope conversation can identify which transitions and experience questions are relevant to the project, without assuming one solution will suit every retreat. Service scope for retreats and resorts: Retreat consultancy.