The client who is a seasoned hotelier and developer wishes to create a legacy project in Ubud that expresses his optimism for the hospitality business in Bali, and to celebrate the beauty of the island and its culture. Our vision was based on his brief to design a new generation eco resort that relooks at the paradigms of leisure and the typical imagery of Balinese culture; to create an immersive resort experience that delights, educates, and regenerates the guests. We asked questions of deep culture, looking back hundreds of years into the mythologies of the island, and its creation stories to unearth new references. We also researched and found living examples of the water-based and community-focused ‘subak’ cooperative rice farming systems that still shape the Balinese landscape today. These investigations have resulted in a design scheme that brings together nature and man, with an optimism for healthy living as an integral part of the ecosystem. We hope that the resort when completed will transform the guests’ understanding from that of a passive visitor to that of an active participant in the rituals and joys of living closer with the land.
