The
Botanic Country Resort encompasses the following (refer to the site layout).
Diagonally from south-west to north-east,
·
entertainment area with
main entrance
·
sports facilities and
childrens playgrounds
·
conference centre and
restaurant
·
100-bed lodge with
separate access
the
norht-western and south-eastern areas are reserved for a spice plantation
mixed with indigenous trees and shrubs. In the south-eastern corner the
utilities are situated.
STAGE DEVELOPMENT
ONE. SITE LAYOUT 1 : 2000.
The
project can be flexible and be developed in stages. The previous page with
site- layout shows ten chalets with twenty rooms (40 to 50 beds). This page
with site-layout below shows twenty-two chalets with fourty-four rooms (up
to 100 beds).
Construction and finishing for instance of the squase court including the
tennis courts and basket-ball court could be considered to be dealt with at
a later date as an option!!
STAGE DEVELOPMENT
TWO. SITE LAYOUT 1 : 2000.
The core of the entertainment
area consists of a large circular plaza, the so called Taarab-Square. This
plaza provides enough room for large parties such as (traditional) weddings.
The plaza is closed off to the surrounding forest and entered through a
gate. Beyond the gate is another open area, a public square as a
beer-garden, leading to a spice plantation.
Around the plaza the different
functions are arranged. These consist of the afore mentioned storeyed
gate-house with wc’s and a large water cistern on top. Clockwise a shopping
arcade with boutiques, galleries, hairdressers and a pharmacy follow. Next
to the arcade the fitness centre with squash court and exercise rooms built
around a second gate opposite the main entrance leading to the sports
grounds. Further clockwise the bar with an open air grill-type kitchen. The
closing piece of the circle is the large hall with a stage for music and
dance, theater and cinema performances.
There
are basically two types of buildings architecturally discernable. Both types
are conceived in local materials; mud/lime plastered coral stone, bush-poles
structures and thatched roofs. The entrance and storeyed buildings make a
“massive” impression with inverted concealed tin roofs behind parapets, the
other buildings have light-weight steep roofs, optimally ventilated and
resting on bush-poles “porticos”. For security and functional reasons the
cores of certain units, such as the shops, chalets and conference centre are
thought in conventional building techniques.
MUSIC HALL.
TAARAB SQUARE.
ARCADE.
CONFERENCE CENTRE
AND RESTAURANT.
On the
other end of the adventure trail along which the sports- and childrens
playgrounds are arranged the conference centre and restaurant are reached.
To enter the centre a bridge over the swimming pool has to be crossed. On
the north-eastern side of the centre the main entrance is situated, which
can be reached by car via a separate access road.
The
conference centre with assembly hall, offices, administration and bar as
well as the restaurant with kitchen and wc’s are arranged around a patio.
The
access road to the lodge and conference centre ends in a round-about with a
reception in the middle. The reception building with a lobby, desk, office
and a general stationary shop also serves as water tower and acts as a
land-mark and orientation point. From the reception the conference centre
cum restaurant and the lodge itself are directly reached.
THE LODGE.
The lodge consists of the
afore-mentioned reception, a breakfast room and 44 duplex chalets with a
maximum capacity of around 100 beds. The breakfast room is situated in an
open pavilion with a serving desk. Food comes from the main restaurant which
also caters for lunches and dinners.
The
logde is situated far away enough from the entertainment area and shopping
arcade to ensure maximum peace of mind.
CHALET
PLAN.
The duplex chalets are conceived as
two interwined spirals. This arrangement ensures optimal privacy yet secures
optimal cross-ventilation. The plan is built up (clockwise) of a
half-covered terrace which is lifted from the ground, a lofty lounge on the
same level, a bedroom on 4-steps higher level overlooking the lounge and
finally a bathroom 2-steps down again. The plan shown is the standard
arrangement, however the same can be easily converted into a luxury suite or
a three or even a four bed family unit.
THE UTILITIES
/ WORKSHOPS.
The
utilities lie in the workshops which include storage, an office, wash and
changing rooms for the staff, wc’s, generator room and also serves as a
garage.
