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"\n\nThere&#039;s something meditative about wilderness. A walk in the wide, open woodlands helps calm the senses, and is therapeutic for the mind, body and soul. Kaav Safari Lodge, designed by the firm Stapati, is one such boutique offering, set in the serene Nagarhole Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka. For someone looking for a quiet sojourn, this tastefully designed lodge offers accommodation in the form of four guest rooms and two luxury tents. Located right at the edge of the forest, it offers a tranquil atmosphere, filled with the delightful sounds pervading the national park.\n\n   \n\n[#gallery: /galleries/600843441b516d492c3aae12]||| |||\n\n  \n\n##The Entrance\n\n \n\nRather than an ostentatiously grand entrance, a subtle path leads up to a semi-covered passage of a two-storied structure. It offers a peek of the distant pool area under the canopy of a banyan tree. Reveals senior architect Sujith GS, “The entry sequence sets the tone for the spatial experience. It is a porous perimeter that defines this boutique property and forms the design context the safari lodge tries to address.”\n\n   \n\n[#gallery: /galleries/60084344d0435267a8df9388]||| |||\n\n  \n\n##Design Journey\n\n \n\nThere was a nondescript structure on the property, raised on stilts which formed the template from which the design evolved. “A conscious decision was taken to alter and modify this structure to make it fit for a totally new spatial typology and functionality—an exercise in adaptive reuse. This naturally directed the planning strategy to address the design concern of leaving as minimal a footprint as possible on the terrain, resulting in a very compact organisation of spaces,” says Sujith.\n\n   \n\n[#gallery: /galleries/60084344c97b1bbecb2025ab]||| |||\n\n  \n\n##Dining Area\n\n \n\nA simple, relaxed space on the ground level doubles up as the dining area and also the main space for social engagement. A roof plane above, intermittent columns on one side and a rubble wall on the other define the enclosure. There&#039;s also an open kitchen and island seating inside where guests can partake in the culinary process, creating an interactive dining experience.\n\n   \n\n[#gallery: /galleries/60084344c622834c8bd697e6]||| |||\n\n  \n\n##Vocal for Local\n\n \n\nLocally available materials have been used in the construction. The pavilion at Kaav is made of bamboo with wild grass as roofing. The innovative hanging light above the open pantry incorporates red rings of Channapatna toys, a regional handicraft, that finds its way into the built vocabulary. Bamboo crafts from nearby areas are also used in the decor. The partition walls are made in porotherm blocks with local rubble in certain areas.\n\n   \n\n[#gallery: /galleries/60084344a8f83977417046c3]||| |||\n\n  \n\n##Guest Rooms\n\n \n\nRich textures provide vibrancy to the minimalistic interiors of the rooms. Materials like saw-cut timber, polished cement concrete flooring, wired glass doors and white walls create a rugged yet refined ambience. The ceilings of the rooms are made of painted bison board with exposed steel rafters. Carefully designed mirrors and light fixtures, and the use of local elements with an elegant colour palette impart an air of sophistication to the space.\n\n   \n\n[#gallery: /galleries/6008434408ae763b9ae856b0]||| |||\n\n  \n\n##Luxury Tents\n\n \n\nThe two tents open to their own private decks, and offer an intimately luxurious stay. From the bathtub to the study desk and charging points to mood lighting, these tents leave no stone unturned to make you feel comfortable yet experience living in a national park. The wooden flooring brings in the required warmth and the trees near the open deck hum the forest song as they sway in the wind.\n\n   \n\n[#gallery: /galleries/60084344c97b1bbecb2025ac]||| |||\n\n  \n\n##Swimming Pool\n\n \n\nThe open-to-sky swimming pool is surrounded by a banyan tree with its hanging root formations creating a unique ambience on the rustic granite deck. Loungers are placed strategically under the tree&#039;s shade. “We finished the insides of the pool in cement which causes the water to catch the varied hues of the sky, creating pristine azure tones in the daylight, which in combination with the context of the surrounding forest and the grand banyan creates a soothing ambience to relax,” adds Sujith.\n\n   \n\n[#gallery: /galleries/60084344b3d78db39997d7b1]||| |||\n\n  \n\n##Staying Sustainable\n\n \n\nAt Kaav, the architectural interventions are deliberately restrained to create spaces which act as a setting to enjoy the jungle. The firm retained all the existing trees on the property. Rainwater harvesting, recharging land through a small waterbody, processing waste and converting it into fuel and the usage of solar power ensure that the lodge remains inherently sustainable.\n\n \n\n\n\n  \n\n##ALSO READ: \n\n[#article: /articles/60083a47274aca243711c172]||||||\n\n \n\n"
<https://www.architecturaldigest.in/content/karnataka-this-safari-lodges-subtle-design-juxtaposes-against-the-wild-surroundings/>