PEMBI Nature Conservation Area

PEMBI CONSERVATION AREA MOZAMBIQUE Lightly touching nature living in the African bush The Angónian Highlands is nestled in the far north west of Mozambique and is host to some of Africa’s most unique and secluded eco-systems hardly touched by humans. Pembi is the largest PPP (Private Public Participation) wildlife conservancy covering almost 400,000 hectares (±900,000 acres) and is devoid of human settlements. To the south of this area, perennial rivers flow through tropical and sub-tropical savannah grasslands and riverine forests steadily rising to the mountain ranges in the north, supporting an astounding diversity of birdlife, aquatic- and game species. The surrounding villages historically struggled to make a living in a land that can be as harsh, as it is beautiful. PEMBI offers them a sustainable alternative to poaching and daily wars against animal encroachment on their crops and livestock, with an entire social engagement offering schools, commercial farming initiatives, job opportunities in the hospitality industry, medical facilities and proper controlled use of wildlife as resource. The black Rhino amongst others will be re-settled in PEMBI as it has become extinct in Mozambique due to poaching. Teams of surveyors, environmental consultants, veterinarians and engineers have been appointed to compile a sustainable conservation development plan to attract international funders. Every funder will be allocated a certain area of their choice where an accommodation structure will be erected. The world has lost 53 million acres of natural habitat to cultivation for commercial farming since 2009 and this is a crucial project to conserve a part of the African natural heritage in its truest form. The remoteness of the sites posed a particular challenge and the design principle should combine the expectation of a formal dwelling at a certain luxury standard, with elements of indigenous structures that can be constructed by local labor. Each structure must be self-sustainable with regards to electrical supply (solar panels), groundwater supply, gray water treatment and septic tank sewage treatment systems. Apart from air strips and access roads, no services reticulation would be provided to these sites. The structures should touch the ground lightly with access walkways and main structures floating on the natural topography and can be disassembled and removed from site at any point, leaving possibly only the interred foundations. The structures are pre-manufactured at an off-site location from 6 meter and 12 meter shipping containers, transported to, and assembled on site. The traditional wooden pole structures are constructed on site as screens and patio coverings, using local palm tree branches for the roof. The top part of which houses the (almost concealed) solar panels, overhanging the main structure, creating a service space enclosed with louvre panels for ventilation and allowing accessibility. Rugged indigenous architecture meets precision contemporary architecture with minimum intervention in the environment almost echoing the concept that drives the PEMBI conservation initiative. Walling that is not cladded with wood externally and well-insulated against the hot and mostly humid climate, will consist of large, openable glass panels to dispel the boundary between internal spaces and the vast African surroundings, also allowing for maximum airflow. To protect against tropical downpours as well as the harsh African sun, proper overhangs are provided with stackable wooden louvre screens, subtlety cladded inside with an insect repellent screen, doubling up as a security barrier. Two different layout configurations provide for varying accommodation requirements. Contrary to basic architectural design principles, the design must fit any topography from a flat savannah plains site, a rocky outcrop, a Miombo forest, a riverine setting or a mountain retreat. The surroundings are left untouched, providing each site with a unique indigenous landscape. The architecture must be subservient to the topography and respect nature but not be an unassertive architectural statement. Content credit: Igala Productions/Pembi Conservation Trust.