Bahari Ngome

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Due to a tourism expansion of almost 18% year on year on the island of Zanzibar, Tanzania, developments have increased over the last five years. Being an island with a finite stretch of beachfront and a history of low-density developments, the developable beachfront is becoming increasingly harder to acquire. For these reasons, the client wanted to experiment with the concept of a high-density development that would not only serve international tourists but also address the need for accessible retail for the local people. The development also still had to have the authentic Zanzibar feel, without trying to cram in as much density for density’s sake.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Vitruvius Consulting Engineers and Fourie | Architecture + Urban Design was approached to develop a Master Plan that would allow for all the above requirements. The design focused on local building materials and methods. It also respects the many Arabic architectural influences found on the island’s architecture while integrating these in simple modern ways. An Urban Design responding to the topography and location of the site and sight-lines from all round was developed. It focussed on creating low-rise courtyard buildings for apartments also called “Haciendas”. This would allow maximum sea views from communal spaces. Higher density apartments were placed on the back of the site to allow for apartment sea views over the entire development. The hotel was placed on the central beach since it would accommodate amenities for the entire resort. On the Main Road, the Urban Design focusses on creating great retail lined Mixed-Use street complete with open markets and facilities that cater not only to the resort but also to the surrounding areas. The design also includes various green features like:
Solar harvesting
Alternative Sewer Treatment in the form of Package Plants
Parks and Ecological Reserves