Kateka Lodge, Limpopo South Africa
PROJECT OVERVIEW
5-star Safari Experience
The Kateka Safari and Wellness Experience is a 5-star resort nestled in the wilderness of the Klaserie Private National Park in South Africa’s Limpopo Province. The Klasserie park spans an extensive 60 000 hectares and boarders both the Kruger National Park and the Timbavati Game Reserves. Following a change in ownership, the lodge underwent a transformative journey as the new owner opted to redesign it entirely, dismantling almost all existing infrastructure and crafting a beautiful bush sanctuary from scratch.
PROJECT DETAILS
- Project Name: Kateka Lodge
- Project Type: Decking, screening, wall cladding and pergola structures for private decks, communal pool decks, exterior wall cladding and pergola beams in the wine cellar area.
- Description: Screens & Pergolas
- Product used: Eva-Last Apex Plus decking in Himalayan Cedar, Apex VistaClad in Himalayan Cedar and Lifespan beams in Savanna
- Date of Installation: November 2023
- Project Location: Kateka Safari and Wellness Resort, Limpopo, South Africa
- Architect: Orbic Architects
- General Contractor: New Design
‘BUSHVELD MODERN’
The style of the new lodge can be described as “Bushveld Modern”. It combines ultra-modern design with ancient elements, and the result is both wonderfully contemporary and almost stone-age in its appeal. The lodge comprises a central reception area, dining room, a wellness centre, and a total of six, ultra-exclusive accommodation.There are three Classic Suites, two Deluxe Suites which sleeps two people, and a Villa designed to sleep up to six people. All of the suites, including the Villa enjoy their own private plunge pool with a surrounding Eva-Last Apex Plus deck in Himalayan Cedar, complimented by Lifespan privacy screening for ultimate relaxation. In some suites, a roof top deck can be enjoyed with a view of the waterhole. The main reception and dining area overlooks a large swimming pool surrounded by various decked areas. What’s more, the lodge also boasts a cosy wine cellar located in the main building featuring striking VistaClad composite cladding feature wall.
THE SAFARI AND WELLNESS EXPERIENCE
The all new Kateka lodge has positioned itself as “The Safari and Wellness Experience.” Featuring a stand-alone wellness centre, which offers spa and body treatments, a gymnasium and an indoor swimming pool. Along with morning and evening game drives, guided bush walks, and rooftop yoga classes, Kateka offers no shortage of activity for all interests.
EVA-LAST BAMBOO COMPOSITE
With a true bushveld atmosphere being an integral component in making this lodge a fully immersive Safari wellness experience, it is not surprising that in reimagining the design and look and feel of the lodge, the owners, in conjunction with the architects, Orbic Architectural, chose to replace all the original timber decking and walkways with an environmentally conscious and top-quality Eva-Last bamboo composite product, ensuring the wood look decking and walkways would remain pristine for years to come.Eva-Last’s highly rated Apex Plus was selected for its exceptionally natural woodlook aesthetic quality. The expansive deck areas, totalling an estimated 700 square meters, made use of over 650 Apex Plus glass fiber-reinforced boards in Himalayan Cedar colour, blending in seamlessly with the natural surrounds.
EVA-LAST CLADDING & SCREENING
For visual coherence, Kateka chose to integrate Apex VistaClad wall cladding in Himalayan Cedar, complemented by over 580 lengths of Lifespan architectural beams in the Savanna colour. The combination of various cladded feature walls, privacy screens and pergolas not only achieves an exceptionally durable application but also creates a visually striking appearance throughout the lodge, contributing to the lodge’s wilderness charm.
KEY INFLUENCER QUOTE
“Timber being a natural product, is one of the materials that we wanted to use to enhance the bushveld experience as it emulates natural warmth, and, in this case, also added value to the contemporary architectural feel required by the client. However, traditional timber decking has a high maintenance cost factor that cannot be denied. In this study, the pergolas and vertical screens required substantial sub-structure support for spacing of fixing which could easily detract from the simplistic lines and interfere with the viewing position. Eva-Last was the ideal alternative, providing the aesthetic quality we desired whilst minimizing the maintenance requirement of traditional timber with peace of mind to the client.” – Orbic Architects
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