Luxury Frontiers' Camp Sarika at Amangiri
The remotest areas of the world remain on the bucket list of many. Amangiri, which is located at the heart of North America’s Colorado Plateau, is such a place. It blends into countless square miles of red rock country, and this ‘mountain of peace’ is cradled by the greatest concentration of national parks in the United States, including the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park, and Monument Valley Tribal Park.
The area is so protected that it required an Act of Congress to be passed to clear development. Today, the tented pavilions of Camp Sarika by Amangiri offer an inspiring welcome to one of the world’s most dramatically secluded settings, along with the nearby modernist suites of Amangiri.
Camp Sarika is North America’s first all-weather, year-around camp. The 31-hectares site houses ten custom built luxury tents nestled at the foot of Utah’s mighty mesas. Luxury Frontiers, the Johannesburg and San Francisco-based firm specializing in the design and development of upmarket experiential concepts, was camp owner Canyon Equity’s company of choice to conceive and design the camp. The designs were required to include eco-friendly, environmentally conscious building operations, with no luxury being spared considering the exclusivity of Amangiri and the location.
Enfolding Architecture into the Landscape
“Camp Sarika by Amangiri embodies our key principles of contextual design by providing an architectural platform which complements and exalts the natural fabric of this majestic landscape,” said Graeme Labe, the Johannesburg-based Principal and Managing Director of Luxury Frontiers.
At Camp Sarika, which means ‘open space’ and ‘sky’ in Sanskrit, the tented pavilions are thoughtfully positioned. Bowing toward monumental sandstone formations, the tents provide guests with unobstructed views of the eastern mesas and allow for an unforgettable experience with nature.
In keeping with the natural setting of the project, Luxury Frontiers designed the tents to withstand the harsh environmental elements of the area, including temperatures ranging from -6 to 40 degrees Celsius.
Bespoke Design in Every Way
The ten custom designed tents are evenly divided between one- and two- bedroom units. Each is equipped with a living area, dining area, and wet and dry bars, as well as a private bathroom that includes a bathtub, indoor and outdoor showers. While the one-bedroom tents are approximately 176 square meters, two-bedroom tents offer over 260 square meters of canvas-covered bliss. In keeping with the design ethos of Amangiri, all tents are comfortably spacious and feature clean lines and natural colour schemes.
To personalize the interiors, design elements were inspired by the natural terrain. Etched timber headboards on king and twin beds reference the carved surrounding landscape and are finished with soft cushions suspended from leather straps. Custom designed camp-style walnut desks are slung with leather side pouches to keep magazines and information packs.
Luxury Indoor-Outdoor Living
As much thought was given to the outdoor areas of the tented units. Guests are invited to relax in a private heated plunge pool, stretch out on a deck arrayed with comfortable loungers, or gather around a campfire complete with fireside furniture. The deck is thoughtfully shaded from the harsh Utah sun by the roof's extended canvas overhang allowing for a seamless integration between the indoor and outdoor spaces.
“Our mandate to Luxury Frontiers was to design an ultra-luxury prototype tent, the likes of which have never before been designed anywhere in the world. Put simply—they delivered! We are now on our way to developing the finest and most luxurious tented village in the Western Hemisphere; thanks to the great designers at Luxury Frontiers”, said Homi Vazifdar, CEO of Canyon Equity.
About Luxury Frontiers
Luxury Frontiers contextually designs and develops upmarket tented camps, treetop suites, and light-on-earth building concepts, constantly pushing the envelope of the hospitality frontier without sacrificing comfort, style, or a sense of place. The pioneering firm specializes in developing all-encompassing turnkey solutions, including architecture, interior design, and procurement and project management, always with the guest experience at the center of each project and experiential programming as the focal point. Architectural design, adherence to the strictest environmental standards, and operational requirements are masterfully fused with a meticulously scripted guest journey that seamlessly connects high-end hospitality and the adventure travel market. Luxury Frontiers is working with global leaders and visionaries in the hospitality and real estate industries, including Four Seasons, Aman, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Belmond, Abercrombie & Kent, and Wilderness Safaris. For more information, please visit www.luxury-frontiers.com.
