Over the last decade, Bali-based studio Ibuku, headed up by designer Elora Hardy, has become a leading expert in bamboo architecture, its output encompassing everything from a traditional Sumbanese house and a yoga and meditation space to playful treehouses and a riverside café at an eco-friendly jungle retreat in Ubud. In 2021, the studio completed The Arc sports hall at the Green School in Bali (founded by Elora’s father, designer John Hardy). Made from a series of arches spanning an impressive 19m, it was a pioneering feat of bamboo engineering.
Perhaps Ibuku’s most famous project is the Sharma Springs residence, which featured in an episode of the Apple TV series Home. Built around a central tower, its various levels pan out like the petals of a lotus flower. In addition to its structure, everything from the cabinets to the coat hangers was custom-made out of bamboo.
