Nile Safari Lodge Creating An Eco Lodge And Changing Hospitality

Nile Safari Lodge is a luxury eco lodge on the Nile’s southern bank, overlooking Murchison Falls National Park. Nile Safari Lodge, once one of Uganda’s most well-known lodges, was showing signs of its age, and Localworks was commissioned to lead a complete rebuild and upgrade of the facility to bring it in line with changing hospitality industry requirements.

The Main Building’s Architectural Concept

The main building’s architectural concept was to avoid a’real building,’ instead creating a series of grass thatched roofs that ‘float’ above the landscape to provide the lodge’s clients with an exciting ‘bush experience’ through a more direct connection to the surrounding wilderness. The open design maximises airflow through the structure in what is typically a hot and humid climate, while also providing guests with a series of unexpected views of the river and park as they move through it.

The roof geometry was created in response to the large number of existing trees on the site, the general steep topography, and the framing of views into the surrounding landscape. The terraced floor level arrangement creates multiple private indoor and outdoor spaces with unique views of the surrounding nature. One of these terraces is distinguished by a large infinity pool that connects the lodge and the river. The massage house is a small open pavilion located in a particularly spectacular location with long views of both sunrise and sunset.

Protecting The Interior Spaces From The Equatorial Sun

Guest accommodation is provided in eight spacious cottages (‘bandas’), each with its own private balcony overlooking the river. A large central bed overlooks the river across a cantilevered wooden deck within the bandas, while a widely glazed bathroom with bathtub and indoor/outdoor shower resolves the contradiction between a luxury environment and the experience of living in nature. One of the eight bandas is specifically designed for honeymooners, with its own private plunge pool and outdoor’star bed.’ A family banda sleeps up to eight people in two large bedrooms, each with a mezzanine, and comes with its own private living room, swimming pool, and terrace.

To match the prevailing wind direction and protect the interior spaces from the intense equatorial sun, all primary volumes are oriented north-south. The bandas are raised on stilts to accommodate the steep slopes and to improve indoor comfort by allowing air to flow beneath the buildings, which are mostly made of natural materials such as wood, grass, and stone. The primary structure is made of eucalyptus poles in a largely ‘wall-less’ arrangement, with the main building featuring an ornamental ‘diamond grid’ that efficiently stiffens the roof in a non-hierarchical structural system.

Written By Ankit Lad | Subscribe To Our Telegram Channel To Get Latest Updates And Don’t Forget To Follow Our Social Media Handles Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter. To Get the Latest Updates From Arco Unico