Kizikula resort, Zanzibar

Located on the SW coast of Zanzibar this 5 acre property is an eco-resort with 12 guesthouses set within a lush tropical landscape, comprising predominantly native plant species. This is a unique project, the result of collaboration between Mumbai based architects Case Design, local permaculture experts Franko Green & Bernadette Kirsch, with our studio working remotely. It is 5 years in the making and still ongoing. The brief to establish a verdant garden full of edible plants and fruit trees was met with the challenge of a site containing almost zero topsoil, only solid coral rock. The practices of permaculture became key to the success of the project, composting the vegetative growth emerging each rainy season (twice yearly) over 4 years to create a 30cm depth layer of soil across the site. Native species would be collected as seed or cuttings following each rainy season and grown on in the site nursery. The buildings impose no geometric order onto the site, each positioned and orientated to enjoy a glimpse of the ocean. A single stone loop paths connects the site with a network of meandering sand paths through planting. A communal area including the pool, decks and restaurant overlook the water at the western edge of the property with extensive vegetable gardens and productive nursery at the eastern end.