Right across the water from Bali, lies its sister island of Lombok. This smaller, less crowded and more untouched piece of paradise is the kind of destination to find peace and relief from the pressure of everyday city life.
There has been plenty of places in Indonesia during the years where one could find this kind of experience. However the economic expansion has been affecting even the notorious island of Bali, leading to a new opportunity for developing the island of Lombok that still holds these values with respect and awareness to local traditions and landscape in general.
The kind of tourism now present in this area focus on outdoor activities - hiking, yoga and surf - which attracts young people traveling cross the world to experience the kind of easy-going lifestyle that this place can provide.
Digital nomads are also part of the equation as there are no other places in the world capable of attracting a class of young, open minded remote workers, like the area of Bali, thus putting Lombok on the radar for these visitors who are looking for authenticity and freedom. Eco-tourism is on the rise.
More and more businesses are shifting towards a sustainable consciousness attitude, especially in the tourism sector, which often provides a combination of blunt places to sleep with high consume doses resulting in vapid memories. Young travellers nowadays aim for a simpler but more meaningful experience by decluttering their journey and search for places that can offer no more than the essential needs, and natural beauty.
Therefore, the Architecture of this upgrowth tourism has to consider the different expectations of a new generation of globetrotters. In essence, the experience has to be authentic and in balance with the local tradition but up to date with the minimum comfort of the 21st Century life. As such, imagine a building, that could gather the best of these two worlds: the local hut with the scale and infrastructure needed for contemporary expectations.
The project aim to reverse the modern way of building. The redundant concrete boxes present in Bali do not contribute to the authenticity of the area, creating sometimes alienation from the place and therefore a shock in the landscape and experience. A hozirontal wooden structure “borrows” its reference from local huts built in the past, re-imagined into the future by scaling it up.
Two linear volumes cross connected by a platform define the architecture. Inside a common area with all the necessary services - a common kitchen, living area, play room, toilets, co-working areas, yoga room, breakfast area, sunset cocktail bar and a swimming pool by the beach - are the key answers that attract young visitors and digital nomads.
The arrival through the rice paddies is done on a loop with a stop on a low bridge extended from the building and leading to the reception for an informal welcome. From there guests can cross the lounge and continue to the pool bar for an amazing look at the sea, have a massage in the spa, join a Yoga class or simply go to the beach. The structure is also conceived to be adapted for different types of budgets such as single rooms, suites, studios or common rooms, all with sea views and some even with a private pool facing the beach.
Much like the arrival, the circulation of the building is also done in a loop to avoid unnecessary interior corridors, making the circulation with open air and alongside landscape. The structure is conceived to be a simple and modular construction, built in timber on concrete foundations. The micro-cement floor gives a comfortable walking experience whilst the roof, in local straws, extends itself on two sides almost reaching the ground, with pontual openings where the views are even more stunning!
