Slated for a 2020 opening on Benguerra Island, Mozambique, Kisawa Sanctuary seeks to blend wilderness and service together to create a unique luxury resort.

A combination of twelve one-, two- and three-bedroom bungalows, plus the “Kisawa Residence”, are positioned within a 750-acre stretch of forest, beach and sand dunes at Kisawa Sanctuary. Each bungalow is individually housed within its own one-acre plot, offering maximum privacy, minimum disturbance and optimum appreciation for the natural environment.

Each uniquely furnished bungalow has its own beachfront, private swimming pool, shaded day area with an outdoor kitchen, a massage hut and a pantry stocked to guest preferences. Other facilities include multiple dining venues across the Sanctuary, two beach clubs, a lagoon-style swimming pool, Baracca beach bar, a library, and a lounge at the main terrace. A stand-alone spa specialising in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic offerings takes its architectural inspiration from the island’s thatched houses and community buildings.

Kisawa seeks to redefine luxury, resulting in a handmade island resort that takes a conscious design approach and employs local artisans and materials to preserve the environment and local culture. Furthermore, Kisawa has created more than 1,000 jobs for the surrounding communities. The architecture of the resort blends tradition with innovation through its construction which incorporates revolutionary and patented 3D sand-printing technology, commissioned specifically for this project. This building material is used throughout construction and is merged with Mozambican weaving, thatching, carpentry and textile skills, involving artisans from Benguerra and neighbouring islands. In addition to the construction of the sacturary, a 3D printer will also be deployed on the other end of the island for printing sand coral reefs and marine habitats for Kisawa’s non-profit sister organisation, the Bazaruto Centre for Scientific Studies.

Throughout Kisawa’s introduction to Benguerra Island, the team’s core responsibility has been to respect the natural existence of the location. Kisawa’s founder Nina Flohr is responsible for the creative direction of the property, assembling an in-house team alongside global experts to execute this long-term vision.

“My mission for Kisawa is to create a level of hospitality and design that – to my knowledge – does not exist today, a place that inspires feelings of freedom and luxury born from nature, space and true privacy,” says Flohr. “We have used design as a tool, not as a style, to ensure Kisawa is integrated both culturally and environmentally into Mozambique.”

Renders: © The Boundary

www.kisawasanctuary.com