hospitalitystyle.com

(May 2008) posted on Wed Jul 09, 2008 EDT

Singita’s upgraded lodges and tented camps take the “rough” out of roughing it, but stay true to their natural roots.

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By I.J. Schecter

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The natural beauty of the Serengeti's western corridor in Tanzania and South Africa's game reserves is timeless. But man-made additions are not, no matter how elegantly appointed and no matter how aesthetically true to their surroundings. For the luxurious lodges of Singita Kruger National Park, as well as Singita Faru Faru Lodge and Sabora Tented Camp in Tanzania's Grumeti Reserve, the time had come for a fresh look and expanded amenities to keep them tracking at the leading edge of five-star adventure travel.

Singita Games Reserves entrusted the lodges' upgrading to the original designer: Cape Town-based Cécile & Boyd's. The brief called for an ambience that would enhance the African experience of these singular properties while preserving the integrity of this pristine environment and the attraction of escapist romance.

The practical difficulties of carrying out a design project in the middle of 350,000 acres of wilderness had not changed much since the first property, Ebony Lodge, opened 13 years ago. "The closest town is a two-day drive," says Boyd Ferguson, principal at Cécile & Boyd's, "so we had to be very thoughtful in our planning."

Africa's harsh environment and vast distances require more advance planning and tighter on-site coordination, adds Singita Game Reserves director Mark Witney. "Boyd and his team made sure all the right expertise was on hand to deal with the conditions unique to each property," says Witney. That translated into Ferguson assembling a diverse group that included not only his design team but also numerous skilled laborers - from upholsterers to painters to wallpaper experts - and bringing them on-site to ensure the projects wouldn't stall.

Coordination was especially crucial for the Sabi Sand lodges. Singita tasked Cécile & Boyd's with the creation of new family suites that would allow parents to have their kids under the same roof but still enjoy some privacy. Designers met this challenge by adding dual wings and carving out individual spaces with elegant sliding screen doors.

Wooden decks, protected by overhangs, expand the living space. To make more private spaces for couples or families, designers took advantage of the indoor/outdoor fusion to tuck seating areas into protected exterior corners. They created outdoor living rooms with clear sight lines to the reserve and the buffalo, elephants, leopards, lions and antelope who call it home. Furniture is about elegant comfort, even outdoors - whether it's a curving chaise lounge or an updated take on a supportive tub chair.

Faru Faru, which Witney describes as being built in the style of "a '40's European botanical safari - sexy, dreamy, casual," was given a complete facelift. Elevated viewing decks and ample windows enable guests to view the reserve's wildlife without leaving the lodge. Designers brought the natural world inside with a blend of light and dark woods and the subtle colors of the Serengeti. Simple, straight-edged case goods follow the quiet geometry of the architecture. Seating is strictly about comfort, from a plush little sofa to the soft sling of a camp chair.

Art accents, such as rustic-chic ceramics and vases, help to marry the natural theme with the individual identity of each property. For example, the design team outfitted Sabora Tented Camp with opulent design features such as bold Masai blankets, Swarovski telescopes and canvas cocoons. The result is a dazzling blend of colonial styles and local influences, evocative of the posh temporary camps where wealthy Europeans played in the 1920s. Only the soft canvas of the tent itself separates the interiors from the natural world beyond. 

Singita and the design team wanted more than just another pretty space - sustainability was also a priority. "The lodges are high-end, but more significantly, they also had to be low-impact," says Ferguson. "We challenged ourselves to use materials and designs that leave little lasting impact on the site and can be removed with minor rehabilitation if necessary."

To achieve this, notes Witney, the designers and engineers used local materials, such as rock and slate from local sites, wherever possible (from walls to vanities) and kept their structures light. "We were guided by the mantra, To touch the ground lightly-meaning no aspect of the construction should impose on the site now, nor should it 20 years from now," he says.