the seedpod is a floating micro resort for travellers to escape the city post coronavirus

if you’re fed up with social distancing in the city and looking to reconnect with nature, nomadic resorts’ ‘seedpod‘ initiative could be a dream come true. with its low impact structure and soothing cocoon-like shape, this latest project from the hospitality design company offers travelers the opportunity to sleep in the great outdoors without compromising on comfort.

image © peter jackson

after years of research, the first working pod prototypes were installed at bel ombre nature reserve in mauritius in 2019. louis thompson, CEO of nomadic resorts explains: ‘our goal was to take inspiration from the humble seed, to create a floating hotel room that was both ephemeral and robust – comfortable but exciting to sleep in. the idea is that sleeping in the pod, is a transformative experience in its own right – a chance to spend a night in a human nest where you can see the movement of the wildlife around you and hear the sounds of the forest’.

image © peter jackson

the pop-up resort concept caters for a new form of travel, which focuses on more sustainable and authentic experiences. as COVID-19 has made many people re-evaluate their lifestyles, the seedpod presents a low impact, sustainable model to accommodate the rise of experiential travel, eco-tourism, wellness retreats and alternative lodging trends. at nomadic resorts, they want to create a hospitality revolution by designing a new generation of tented camps that can be quickly and cheaply set up in remote locations under their new operating brand nomadic escapes.

image © peter jackson

louis thompson adds ‘the recent crisis has changed the whole notion of hospitality. our team has been striving to find a symbiotic, harmonious relationship between the sites we develop and the comfort of our guests. to achieve that we needed to find a compromise between durability and sustainability, environmental integrity, personal hygiene and guest comfort – size was an important consideration, as we needed to create a concept that corresponds with the new low-touch economy and social distancing regulations – the seedpod is made from easily cleaned, hygienic materials and can be quickly and easily disinfected compared to a traditional hotel room’.

image © peter jackson

the pod can be either hung from trees or erected on its own tripod and equipped with lighting, a ceiling fan, a cool box and a charging station for devices, making it an ideal option for hiking trails, surf camps or silent safaris. the form of the structure was a critical consideration for the team – the natural shape of a seed is inherently aerodynamic: when their team of membrane engineers introduced the structure into their computer wind model it showed that using a small number of structural rings, combined with a new generation architectural fabric, the pod can resist windspeeds of 120kmh, so guests are safe even if a big storm hits.

the other critical consideration was installation – the team wanted to be able to quickly and quietly install the pods in remote locations without using heavy machinery or power tools, therefore reducing costs. having worked in remote wilderness camps throughout africa, nomadic resort COO neil hendrikz explains: ‘our idea was to create a structural system that could be installed using manpower only on virtually any terrain, anywhere on the planet within a day that could last at least for a decade’.

image © nomadic resorts

‘seeds, by their very nature, are full of potential’ claims creative director olav bruin ‘so we created a multifunctional interior that can easily be converted from a seating arrangement during the day into a sleeping arrangement during the night. this way we are utilizing the full potential of the relatively compact space. the seedpods can be accompanied by a fully equipped pop-up bathroom with shower, toilet, washbasin and wardrobe to complete the ultimate back to nature camping experience in style. over the coming years we hope to see our seedpod family adapt, expand and evolve.’ you can find out more information and purchase the pods directly from nomadic resorts’ website here.

image by priscilla du preez

image © nomadic resorts

image © nomadic resorts

image by banter snaps

project info:

project name: the seedpod

developed by: nomadic resorts