The Jim Corbett National Park is a highly sought after destination for wildlife enthusiasts, and as a result, many resorts and hotels have been built in the area. However, over the past decade, these properties have also attracted destination weddings and events, which has caused some concern among those who visit the sanctuary for its biodiversity. To address this issue, the location was chosen carefully. Further away from the countryside where myriads of hotels were mushrooming, Surrounded by a pristine valley where Himalayan temperate forests merge into tropical deciduous.

Upon arrival, visitors are welcomed by a mural celebrating recycled metal sheets, and the built environs are revealed gradually as they make their way through the narrow and winding paths, which are designed to create facets of surprise. The reception is a prefabricated cube that obstructs the connection further, and all the buildings are primarily kept on the edges of the property to open the central garden to the forest.

Land area being a constraint, and to minimize the building footprint, all the rooms are tucked in a notch towards the northern part of the property, and the upper level of both blocks connects with a bridge to create ease of service circulation. Despite sharing a common wall, each room has a separate entrance door and balcony, creating a sense of individuality and allowing for passive ventilation. The service shafts in the middle of each room play a primary role in the facade aesthetics and make maintenance easier, while the aperture between the wooden panels helps warm air escape and lower inlets amass cooler wind.

The property promotes sustainability and eco-friendliness by recycling every drop of grey and black water separately. There is no piped water supply coming into the property. All the water is collected from surface runoff and roofs. All the organic waste is composted and used as manure in the garden.

To promote passive cooling, the roofs were kept white. The insulation is provided with recycled bamboo. Further, this insulation is held from below using locally woven mats. These mats are annexed with traditional Gharwali baskets used as lights throughout the property.  To insulate specifically the sound from the earthen conference hall, traditional thatching is used along with bamboo frames. The spa tucked over the pool overlooking the forest is completely built with scrap metal and leftover construction waste. All the built blocks have been carefully sited to create the wind tunnels in between. The movement of the wind is also another reason for multiplicity in form of buildings and roofs. Slight rotation in every course of brick jails outside the lounge area divert wind in spiraling motion while providing shade from the south.

Ultimately, this approach to hospitality in the Jim Corbett National Park strikes a balance between tourism and conservation, allowing visitors to appreciate the area's biodiversity while supporting sustainable practices.

Fact File: 

Principal Architect: Saubhagya 'Daksh'

Gross Built Area (m2/ ft2): 22500 ft2

Project Location: Kyari Bandobasti, Pargana Bhawar Chilkiya, Jim Corbett National Park, Ramnagar, Uttarakhand 263140

Building Function: Boutique Resort