inspiration
Watching a katydid sit, almost completely camouflaged, on a leaf on the edge of the deck at Lebombo, I’m struck again by nature’s limitless ability to inspire; its power to teach, provide, and sustain; its capacity to adapt, evolve, and endure. Reverence for what nature gives us, without asking for anything in return, is woven throughout Lebombo. The lodge is and always has been open to the elements – with no divisions between inside and out, its surroundings merge into each of its spaces. These spaces are built around and in harmony with the landscape. Rainbow skinks sun themselves on the wooden walkways that
wind through the trees, birds and antelope come comfortably close to the structures, wide windows frame the wild both above and below. It is part of the landscape, and like the landscape, it must evolve. Lebombo has moved into a new season. One that mirrors nature’s own rhythm. As time goes on, things change out of necessity, but also, in pursuit of improvement. Lebombo’s latest incarnation is just that, a nod to the need to adapt. Its updated spaces integrate nature even more fully and elevate it to its rightful stature – at the centre. The Conservation Lounge and Gallery of Treasures form the physical and symbolic heart of the lodge. In this space, precious items and artefacts
Previous spread Warm tones of earth, bark and bush dissolve walls and invite nature in. Left Embraced by glass and air, you become one with the surroundings.
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