Tswalu’s Poetic Embrace of the Kalahari Emerges with the Loapi Tented Camp by GAPP Architects and Urban Designers
With a name fittingly meaning ‘the space below the clouds’, Loapi comprises six tented safari homes spread out across the foothills of the Korannaberg mountains, each carefully positioned to admire the mesmerising views of the reserve’s arid Savannah. Embracing the principles of low-impact architecture, GAPP Architects and Urban Designers produced a perfect fit for the unique surroundings, reflecting and celebrating both the spirit and magnificence of the place and offering a heightened experience of being immersed in the African bush.
Light and shadow
Consisting of a suspended, steel-framed structure, the tented camp introduces materials like glass panels, canvas, cork, and sustainably sourced, modified timber. Slatted screens are sporadically spread out, casting shadows across the façade and creating a shimmer similar to the soft swaying grasses of the landscape. The effect of light and shadows moving across the canvas envelope dissolves the surfaces, allowing the structures to amalgamate naturally.
Integrated interplay
These modular homes, largely manufactured off-site, minimise environmental impact and protect native flora like the iconic shepherd’s trees. With the ability to be entirely dismantled and relocated, the structures leave the land as they found it, as if untouched.
Loapi Tented Camp is a prime example of Tswalu’s commitment to environmental conservation. The structures are designed to be light on the land, featuring insulated walls, double roofs, and cross ventilation to regulate temperatures with ease. Energy-saving air conditioners, solar-powered pool pumps, and the absence of baths promote low water and energy consumption, ensuring that the camp operates with minimal environmental footprint.
In continued celebration of the natural world on which the tented camp stands, the design emphasises the relationship between interior and exterior spaces. Covered versus exposed areas, horizontal versus vertical lines, and the interplay of finished and natural surfaces create a fluid transition between the indoors and outside.
Heart of the home
Each element of the interior design curates a habitat richly imbued with warmth and depth. Interior Designer Gregory Mellor shared that the team ‘took inspiration from the palette of the landscape, so the eye follows through without being interrupted’. Small, superfluous objets were intentionally avoided so as to highlight the expanse of space. ‘Shapes were drawn from the boulders on the ridge — big, bold, and with exaggerated organic edges. We used the ancient petroglyphs found on the property as inspiration and subtly repeated this motif throughout,’ says Mellor, whose attention to detail and choice of locally crafted products make the interiors a tasteful extension of the Kalahari.
Underscored by a deep respect for the Kalahari, every element of Loapi Tented Camp invites visitors to admire the land. In the heart of each tented safari home, GAPP have successfully converged comfort and conservation to create a harmonious blend that celebrates the essence of the African bush — untouched, untamed, and unforgettable.
This article is an extract from our 2024/25 Coffee Table Edition. Click here to read the full issue.
