The project team presented the Tiger Track Ecolodge, an example of wildlife observation-focused tourism and a demonstration of contemporary architecture using earth in Bardiya, Nepal. This development is located in the Khata Corridor, situated between Bardiya National Park and the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in India.
The project was conceived to address two interconnected challenges: the growing conflict between humans and wildlife, and the deterioration of traditional regional construction techniques. The revenue generated by tourism supports the Single Mothers Victims of Wildlife Fund and the Community Anti-Poaching Unit (CBAPU), whose Rapid Response Team operates within the hotel.
From an architectural perspective, the project modernizes elements of indigenous Tharu constructions, such as low rammed-earth walls and simple gable roofs. It also questions the notion that earth is an ephemeral, fragile, or inadequate material for modern progress.
The site, a narrow strip oriented along the north-south axis from the main road, already had a rammed-earth lodge near the center. For the new development, four buildings were installed to organize the transition from public to private space. The block designated for offices and reception extends east-west, delimiting the parking area from the dining hall and creating a courtyard around an existing mango tree.
The volumes are arranged in steps to form a diagonal passage, allowing subtle glimpses of the quieter areas of the site without revealing them entirely. The hexagonal chalets intended for guests are organized in pairs, surrounding shared hydraulic walls, which consolidates the facilities and provides more secluded accommodations, away from the road.
The main construction method employed is rammed earth (taipa de pilão). The walls, with an approximate thickness of 40 centimeters, provide structural support, enclosure, acoustic insulation, and thermal inertia. This helps moderate temperatures, both during hot and humid summers and during colder, foggy winter months.
Passive design measures, such as restricted openings on the west side, extensive covered walkways, wide eaves, and movable louvers to promote cross-ventilation, allow the walls to act as part of a broader climatic system, rather than just as an isolated material element.
A significant obstacle arose after the roofing of the dining hall and reception, which used traditional straw. In April 2025, flames from a neighboring property's stove reached the building, resulting in the destruction of the wooden and straw roof structure. Thanks to its non-combustible nature, the earth walls remained intact.
However, the roof needed to be rebuilt using a metal structure and terracotta tiles recovered from demolished local farms, chosen for their greater fire resistance. A thin layer of clay and straw was added under the tiles to ensure thermal insulation.
Organic and earthy materials remain present on a smaller scale in the interior areas. A rammed-earth counter serves as the base for the dining hall, while Tharu fishing nets and custom-made bamboo lamps produced by Nepal Knotcraft incorporate local artisanal traditions into the lighting environment.
Collectively, the spatial arrangement of the hotel, its material system, and its social component establish tourism as a mechanism for community strengthening, and earth architecture as a viable model for the future development of Bardiya. After several years of phased construction, the complex, which covers about 395 square meters, now receives visitors and public events, sparking interest among local hotel owners, domestic lodging providers, and builders who were unaware of this contemporary approach to earth construction.