The art of small detail in a vast landscape

Sossusvlei Desert Lodge in Namibia has a bold new look, and Emma Love declares it a design triumph

It probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Namib Desert is out-ofthis-world extraordinary. Before arriving I already know the basic facts: formed around 55 to 80million years ago, it’s thought to be our oldest desert, the second driest on the planet, and has the highest dunes anywhere.

Yet in reality, when faced with the buttermilk yellow sand and gravel plains, dry river beds marked with wild greenhair trees, jagged granite and grey limestone hills, and rippled dunes that seem to shift from rich terracotta to salmon pink in the constantly changing light (one minute reminiscent of a Hockney painting, the next a Farrow & Ball colour chart), the drama of this vast landscape is still hard to compute. And it doesn’t get any less mind-bending during the few days I spend at the revamped &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge, which is leading the way on a slew of new openings in the south of the country.

The 20-year-old property, which is set on a private 15-hectare concession, has been completely refreshed by up-and-coming Johannesburg-based architect Jack Alexander and longestablished design agency Fox Browne Creative. From the front, the extended low-level main space has floor-toceiling glass on three sides and deliberately rusted geometric steel shades perched atop the flat roof with a laser-cut pattern that mirrors the stars; from the back, curving stone walls conjure up the notion of Roman ruins. “It is very much a building of two sides; beautiful rocks juxtaposed with a modernist glass box,” explains Alexander on the phone after my stay. “The overriding idea is to connect guests to the environment and give them the experience of being immersed in the desert.”

Inside, the open plan living and dining areas are the epitome of relaxed, unpretentious elegance, all natural linen sofas and cushions with accents of hand embroidered welwitschia plants, tree-trunk tables with raffia-backed chairs, oversized ceramic urns and a straw floor light based on the nests of sociable weaver birds. There’s also a telescope for a close-up look at the springbok, oryx, ostrich and zebra that drink from the waterhole each day. In the middle, a faceted timber-clad bar with a marble counter is a natural meeting point; upstairs, there’s a newly added spa treatment room and gym. “The inspiration for the interiors was the desert,” says Chris Brown, co-founder of Fox Browne Creative – “that moonscape, the geometric rocks, the dunes… It couldn’t be anything else.”

The 10 sleek, stand-alone suites and new two-bedroom Star Dune suite (ideal for families) – all designed to be entirely solar-powered – work on the same architectural principle. Each one has a glass wall with sliding doors that open on to a pool terrace, while above the bed the skylight can be left open for middle-of -the-night stargazing.

Aside from the clever design details – the steel and rope chair that’s perfectly angled for an afternoon snooze, the geometric bathroom vanity, the globe bedside lights that reflect the moon – it’s the extra touches that stand out: the practical, labelled light switches; the wooden hatch where a wake-up call cappuccino is discreetly delivered; the handcrafted Namibian gin and homemade chocolate ice cream in the all-inclusive mini bar; and the paint set and desktop easel that encourage guests to channel their inner artist and pick up a brush to capture the other-worldly view.

To try and get more of a handle on what’s in front of me, I take a helicopter ride west over the NamibNaukluft National Park (much like a traditional safari, all activities take place early morning and late afternoon when it’s coolest). As we fly over the Sossusvlei salt and clay pan and the towering dunes that surround it, sharp sculptural ridges whipped into shape by the winds peak and curve, stretching far into the distance. Directly below, oryx footprints plot a temporary trail across the pristine sand. Other thrilling options include e-biking on gravel paths to caves where the faint markings of animal

There’s a telescope for a close-up look at springbok, oryx and zebra