Bamboo dwellings: The priceless jewels<\/p>\n
DENPASAR (JP): Charming dwellings hide within a tranquil
\nvalley in Nyuh Kuning, south of Ubud. The estate's owner has
\nelegantly decorated the simple structures, transforming them into
\npriceless jewels.<\/p>\n
The owner is interior designer Linda Garland. She has lived in
\nBali for almost 20 years. Working closely with Indonesian,
\nparticularly Balinese, artists and craftpersons, she has created
\na 10-hectare masterpiece. Garland sees her estate as a
\n\"monumental land sculpture\" created with the help of some of the
\nworld's most talented sculptors.<\/p>\n
\"The art is in the placement of the houses in the landscape,\"
\nclaims Garland.<\/p>\n
A three-tiered structure, called the bale gede sits in the
\nmiddle of her estate. The structure was initially built for her
\ntwo sons, and she had planned to place her own house in front of
\nit. However, once built, she couldn't bring herself to construct
\nanother house near it. The site \"seemed so beautiful, like female
\nbreasts in Henry Moore's sculptures,\" she explains.<\/p>\n
Garland uses Indonesian arts and crafts for her international
\nprojects. In her own house, she blends Asian and European motifs
\nwith Indonesian decorative elements. Giant bamboo, which she uses
\nfor her well-known gigantic bamboo sofas, is used for the
\ninternal stairs. It is a functional sculpture which leads to her
\nbedroom.<\/p>\n
The other buildings have all utilized the talents of the local
\ncraftspeople from the farming village of Nyuh Kuning. They
\nprepared the terraces, dug the decorative ponds, erected the
\nbamboo pavilions and prepared the paths and connecting bridges.<\/p>\n
To the north of the bale gede, are special huts for cooking,
\ndining, bathing and sleeping. At present there is one large
\nchamber which functions as a master bedroom, with three
\nadditional smaller rooms. The sleeping chambers, constructed out
\nof bamboo of course, are adapted from traditional Balinese forms.<\/p>\n
\"This type of structure is easy to make here, as locals are
\nversed in its construction. People have made them for centuries,\"
\nGarland says. Each hut is carefully placed to capture the breeze
\ncoming off the valley and the river that runs alongside the
\nestate. They also have views of the rising and setting sun.<\/p>\n
Volcanic mounds, discovered when the southern part of the site
\nwas cleared, have been carved with jungle scenes by Balinese
\nstone carvers. The decorations clearly originate from the reliefs
\nat Goa Gajah and Yeh Pulu, near Ubud. The carving of volcanic
\nrock is an old Balinese tradition.<\/p>\n
In the west, just above the river, is a large structure called
\nthe school house because it was once used as an informal
\nclassroom. Although in front of the bale gede, this house is
\nhidden on a lower terrace. Nearby, Garland has placed a West
\nSumatran rice barn. It stands elegantly in the midst of yellow
\ncoconut trees, as a metaphor of the estate in the yellow coconut
\ngrove of Nyuh Kuning.<\/p>\n
-- Amir Sidharta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bamboo-dwellings-the-priceless-jewels-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }