In traditional Balinese homes, residents wake in the cool of the morning in their private bedrooms, walk through a rustling tropical garden to the kitchen to prepare their breakfast, then enjoy it together in an open-sided pavilion as the sun rises in the sky, the air warms around them and the day begins.
The homes draw on local wisdom and knowledge of the surroundings to regulate temperature, provide access to greenery, and promote both privacy and communal living. The homes’ design supports residents’ physical comfort and mental health. It is a blueprint for the next generation of green design globally.
Traditionally, homes on the Indonesian island of Bali are part of a compound shared by several families with a kinship relationship. The compound includes separate pavilions for private rooms, living areas and ceremonial activities, plus a kitchen, a barn, and a family shrine where residents can worship ancestors. Green spaces lie between the various structures.
