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PROJECT

MOSI OA TUNYA, ZAMBIA

Mosi oa Tunya, belonging to the Radisson Blu group of hotels, is situated within the
Mosi oa Tunya National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Zambian side of
Victoria Falls. The hotel is adjacent to the Zambezi River, one of the largest in Africa.

Project Team
Client: Mosi oa Tunya Hotel, Radisson Blu
Landscape Architects: Landmark Studios
Landscape Contractor: Countryline (South Africa)
in a joint venture with Emerald Green (Zambia)

The resort pool at sunset, overlooking the Zambezi River

andscape architect Glenn Wagner between them. They have open vistas to food source for the possible introduction of
explains that the design intent of the the Zambezi River, with low grasses in the other game.” The grasses are cut to various
Lproject was to incorporate the hotel foreground to ensure that views to it are not heights in swathes, adding interest to the
into a sustainable, natural landscape. “This obscured. landscape, and outer peripheral areas
was imperative due to the site’s unique Minimal ornamental planting was are cut and managed to create pathways
setting on the fringe of a UNESCO World incorporated into the landscape, so as through the bush.
Heritage Site for Victoria Falls,” he says. not to distract from the natural beauty of
The architecture of the main hotel the environment. Wagner explains: “The Planting strategy
building set the tone for a clean, intent of the landscape is to maintain and This follows a general principle of retaining
contemporary landscape alongside celebrate the natural bush with its seasonal indigenous planting, and material was
the pool deck (river frontage) and main texture and colour changes. Natural grasses carefully chosen and vetted to ensure
reception arrival point. Stand-alone villas were chosen to allow for the introduction that it was indigenous to Southern Africa
were designed to nestle within the natural of limited browser wildlife such as antelope as a whole. No invasive species were
bush and tall grasses provide privacy and zebra, which will serve as an ongoing incorporated into the landscape.

4 Landscape SA • Issue 129 2023