BWANARI LODGE

A public/private partnership that aims to reverse the long history of tribal dispossession by giving ownership to members of an impoverished village.

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By partnering a public conservation agency, a specialist private sector operator under the umbrella of a well-resourced development support programme, the flow of benefits to the local Lekgophung community can be optimised without compromising the commercial viability of the lodge.

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The design of the lodge is a dignified response made in deference to the owners’ Tswana culture, achieved by integrating high quality game viewing and client services with community ownership.

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The site, a natural circular clearing in a wood of indigenous trees set on sloping ground against a rocky ridge, enjoys shelter from the south-westerly winds and has unobstructed views north over the bush. The geometry of the clearing generates the radial structure of the building, evoking the pan of the Tswana sebeso or fireplace. Given the natural shelter and orientation, vertical walls are minimised and the primary sheltering element is a curved thatched roof. The ‘plastic’ quality of the thatch is explored, creating a plan geometry that coincidentally resembles the horns of a buffalo, the Lekgophung community totem. A giant Motswiri or Leadwood Tree is retained to form the centerpiece of the bar and game viewing area. The image of this great tree is echoed in the roof construction, where the ridge is supported by vertical trunks along its length. The interior space becomes a microcosm of the experience of the park, contrasting the openness of the veld with the density of the bush.

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Individual guest units are accessed via a courtyard reminiscent of the traditional Tswana court situated to the rear of the main lodge building. Guests enjoy a private world experiencing the changing light of the veld and distant views of the Enselberg Mountains to the north.