Popo Danes commited to aesthetic Bali

Popo Danes commited to aesthetic Bali

Text by Susi Andrini, photos by Murdani Usman

DENPASAR, Bali (JP): In the eyes of architect Popo Danes,
Balinese people rarely appreciate their island's vast and
precious architectural heritage.

"Balinese architectural philosophy and designs are famous all
over the world," Popo said. Strangely, as shown in many coffee
table books, many buildings in Bali are designed, built and owned
by foreigners.

In Bali, he said, there are as many as 1,500 architects,
however, a large number of them work in alternative fields, such
as land brokerage, contract work and other professions. Only a
few, he added, are innovative and creative enough to design
houses and other buildings.

That fact dismays the 37-year-old architect. Aiming to raise
Balinese people's awareness of their own architectural assets,
Popo is exhibiting some of his architectural designs in the form
of sketches, models and photographs at the arts center in
Denpasar until Aug. 25.

He discovered that rapid economic development did not
correlate with intellectual growth among locals. The majority of
Balinese people are becoming more and more materialistic,
hedonistic and consumptive.

"Many of us don't have time to realize that understanding
aesthetic values of space and time is important to achieving a
better quality lifestyle," Popo said.

Popo believes that Bali's architectural potential has not yet
been optimized and that local architects still don't have the
courage to offer valuable contributions to create a harmonious
Bali.

"The results are so distressing. Bali's cities look so
chaotic. A lot of buildings were poorly designed, ignoring the
city's master plan and aesthetic values," Poop commented.

The development of rumah toko (shop houses), or locally known
as ruko, accommodate only business people and their business
interests.

"Bali is now transforming from the island of a thousand
temples into the island of a million shop houses," Popo lamented,
adding that it only required a few years to construct thousands
of shop houses.

In the process, several antique Balinese houses are hidden by
banners and even giant billboards.

Childhood

When he was a four-year-old child, Popo was already keen on
drawing. But unlike most children of his age, his drawings
depicted house designs, sketches of village houses, or something
that might have inspired him while accompanying his father to
various construction sites.

"I liked watching people erect a building, starting from
mixing sand and stones, arranging bricks ... it was so
beautiful," recalled Popo, whose first project -- a small house
in Banyuatis village in North Bali -- came when he was still at
high school.

Later on, he studied architecture at Udayana University in
Bali, receiving a special architectural award and appreciation
from the province's governor during his study. He then obtained a
scholarship from the Rotary Foundation enabling him to further
his studies in the Netherlands.

He also visited several European and Asian countries, as well
as the United States and Australia. The travel exposed him to a
variety of different architectural styles, enabling him to
effortlessly combine traditional and modern esthetics, or
smoothly blend Eastern and Western architectural elements without
losing his traditional Balinese architectural roots.

The island's tropical climate has influenced most of his
designs, both in terms of shape and line. When he designs a
house, for instance, his first commitment is to harmonize the
building with its landscape and the surrounding community.

He frequently receives orders to design commercial villas,
hotels and tourist facilities, the result of Bali's fast-growing
tourist industry.

As his design skills have matured, Popo has developed what he
often calls home accommodation style, in which he carefully
blends traditional nuances with modern comfort.

"When building a house, I now understand about cost, quality
design and its maintenance. I prefer simple yet striking
designs," he explained.

His designs often contain a bedroom with panoramic views and
colonial-style roofs, his design signature. He also likes
building open-air bathrooms resembling traditional Balinese bath
houses and bale-bale, a Balinese-style pavilion.

Popo tries not to make significant changes to the contour of
the land. Instead, he will adjust the structure to fit with the
landscape.

Some of the architect's accomplished projects include the
Gayatri villages near the Ayung river in Ubud and the Natura
boutique hotel.

Despite having a reputation as one of Bali's promising
architects, Popo is quite choosy when accepting projects.

In some cases he will immediately reject a proposed project
which is against his commitment to preserving the Balinese
culture and environment. He once refused a large-scale project
because it was to be located on a fertile rice field.

"I am not a good architect for everybody," said Popo, who owns
Popo Danes Arsitek architectural firm. With some friends, he has
also established a non-profit foundation, Yayasan Wisnu, which
supports various environmental issues.

Apart from his exhibition, Popo has also organized a drawing
contest called Rumahku (My House) for elementary school students,
as well as discussions, seminars and film screenings on
architecture.

"I have always dreamed that in the future Bali will become a
place where people enjoy its rich architectural heritage. A real
example of a beautiful island with beautifully designed buildings
and gorgeous natural landscape," he said.