Bali getting high on grass

Plain old bamboo has never been regarded as the most glamorous of building materials. But all that seems to be changing in Bali. Incredible structures are showcasing the new sophistication of the largest member of the grass family.

Buildings that have risen in the south of Ubud, amid lush lowland forests that border the River Ayung, have revolutionised perceptions of this plant.

Bamboo is fast-growing and incredibly durable, making it a popular scaffolding material across Asia.

Fully-grown after just seven years, it has also a become sustainable building material on Bali.

Among the many stunning examples on the island, two small communities stand out for using bamboo to weave a new harmonious lifestyle with nature.

 

The Green Village

An amazing and magical place, this sustainably built village in Sibang has done more than any other site to redefine the potential of bamboo.

It was designed by the Ibuku team – a highly skilled group of artisans who have produced masterpieces curving into the forest.

Each house is designed according to the wishes of the client, leaving a range of different shapes and sizes dotted mystically through the rice terraces.

The incredible detail that goes into each home is the mesmerising thing about this place. Your eyes are constantly drawn to the carefully wrought details – from a nest-shaped office space to a “basket bathroom” to a tranquil bower with a built-in seat that melts into the surrounding trees.

“Green Village has redefined the potential of sustainable materials. It is a place where people connect with nature,” says Ibuku team leader Elora Hardy.

“We built ‘light’ on the land. With very few resources or attention, a bamboo shoot can become a structural column within three years, and houses can stand strong for a lifetime. The care we put into designing the homes and the skill of the local craftsmen is a statement of the potential for human innovation and ingenuity for the future,” she adds.

You can visit the village on your own or as part of a tour that takes you to the local Green School and Ibuku’s bamboo workshop.

Come during harvest season and you can see the building process taking place – from cutting the bamboo, to creating the building material and furniture in the workshop.

 

Fivelements Puri Ahmisa

To sample the healing properties of bamboo, head to  Fivelements, further up the river just outside the small market town of Mambal.

Hidden in a village, this unique hotel uses its bamboo structures to nurture the soul.

You can digest the atmosphere at the Sakti Dining Room, whose gently undulating roof mirrors a banana leaf, the traditional “plate” in Indonesia.

Bamboo is used throughout: in the sumptuous rooms with outdoor bathtubs that back onto the river, in the nearby spa and in the yoga and meditation studios. These “mandalas” are constructed as bamboo spirals to keep the air moving and let the heat in or out depending on the weather. The result is beautiful buildings that seem to breathe with you as you immerse yourself within them.

A smaller bamboo pagoda-like structure is used for traditional Balinese ceremonies overseen by a local priest. Complete with a traditional altar, it is helping to redefine the form of Balinese  religious structures.