Balinese Architecture

Balinese architecture is a vernacular architecture tradition of Balinese people that inhabits the volcanic island of Bali, Indonesia. Balinese architecture is a centuries-old architectural tradition influenced by Balinese culture developed from Hindu influences through ancient Javanese intermediary, as well as pre-Hindu elements of native Balinese architecture.

Today, the contemporary Balinese style is known as one of the most popular Asian tropical architecture, due largely to the growth of the tourism industry in Bali that has created a demand for Balinese-style houses, cottages, villas, and hotels. Contemporary Balinese architecture combines traditional aesthetic principles, the island's abundance of natural materials, the famous artistry and craftsmanship of its people, as well as international architectural influences, new techniques, and trends.

Materials

Traditional Balinese buildings seek to be in harmony with the environment. Traditional Balinese houses are built almost entirely of organic materials. They use natural materials such as thatch roofing, bamboo poles, woven bamboo, coconut wood, teak wood, brick, and stone. The thatched roof usually uses ''ijuk'' (black '' aren'' fibers), dried coconut or '' rumbia'' leaves, or ''sirap'' (hardwood shingles arranged like tiles) roof. Stones and red bricks are usually used as foundations and walls, while sandstone and andesite stone are usually carved as ornamentation.

Balinese people are known for their artistry. They have developed a sophisticated sculpting tradition that manifests in architecture rich with ornamentation and interior decoration. Balinese temples and palaces are exquisitely decorated with rich ornamentations, both wooden and stone sculpting, which usually depict floral patterns. Balinese sculpture often served as gate guardians as twin dvarapalas flanking entrances. The gates themselves are richly decorated with kala's head, floral ornaments, and vajra or ratna pinnacles. Other sculptures often serve as ornamentation, such as goddess or dragon waterspouts in bathing places.

Philosophy

Balinese architecture is developed from Balinese ways of life, their spatial organization, their communal-based social relationships, as well as philosophy and spirituality influenced its design; much owed to Balinese Hinduism. The common theme that often occurs in Balinese design is the tripartite divisions.

Traditional Balinese architecture, adheres to strict and sacred building laws, allowing much open space and consisting of a spacious courtyard with many small pavilions, ringed by walls to keep out evil spirits and decorated with guardian statues. The philosophical and conceptual basis underlining the development of Balinese traditional architecture includes several concepts such as:

* Tri Hita Karana: the concept of harmony and balance consists of three elements; ''atma'' (human), ''angga'' (nature), and ''khaya'' (gods). Tri Hita Karana prescribes three ways that a human being must strive to nurture a harmonious relationship with; fellow human beings, nature, and God.
* Tri Mandala: space division and zoning rules. Tri Mandala is a spatial concept describing three parts of realms, from ''Nista Mandala'' — the outer and lower mundane less-sacred realm, ''Madya Mandala'' — the intermediate middle realm, to ''Utama Mandala'' — the inner and higher most important sacred realm.
* Sanga Mandala: also space division a. The Sanga Mandala is the spatial concept concerning directions that divide an area into nine parts according to eight main cardinal directions and central (zenith). These nine cardinal directions are connected to the Hindu concept of Guardians of the directions, ''Dewata Nawa Sanga,'' or nine guardian gods of directions that appear in the Majapahit emblem Surya Majapahit. They are; Center: Shiva, East: Isvara, West: Mahadeva, North: Vishnu, South: Brahma, Northeast: Sambhu, Northwest: Sangkara, Southeast: Mahesora, and Southwest: Rudra.
* Tri Angga: the conception of hierarchy from a microcosm, middle realm, and macrocosm. It is also connected to the next concept ''tri loka''.
* Tri Loka: also the conception of hierarchy between three realms ''bhur'' (Sanskrit:''bhurloka'') lower realm of animals and demons, ''bhuwah'' (Sanskrit:''bhuvarloka'') middle realm of humans, and ''swah'' (Sanskrit:''svarloka'') upper realm of gods and deities.
* Asta Kosala Kosali: the eight guidelines for architectural designs, which include the shapes of ''niyasa'' (symbols) in ''pelinggih'' (shrine), ''pepalih'' (stages), its measurement units, shapes, and size, also dictate appropriate decorations.
* Arga Segara or Kaja Kelod: the sacred axis between. ''arga'' or ''kaja'' (mountain) and ''segara'' or ''kelod'' (sea). Mountain regions are considered ''parahyangan'', the abode of '' hyang'' or gods, the middle plain in between are the realm of humans, and the sea is the realm of sea monsters and demons.

Other than artistic and technical mastery, all Balinese architects (Balinese:''Undagi'') are required to master these Balinese philosophical concepts concerning form, architecture, and spatial organization.

Religious architecture

Balinese temples or ''pura'' (Sanskrit for: "walled city") are designed as open-air places of worship within enclosed walls, connected with a series of intricately decorated gates between their compounds. This walled compound contains several shrines, ''meru'' (towers), and ''bale'' (pavilions). The design, plan, and layout of the pura follow the ''Tri Mandala'' concept of Balinese space allocation. The three mandala zones are ''Nista Mandala (jaba pisan)'': the outer zone, ''Madya Mandala (jaba tengah)'': the middle zone, and ''Utama Mandala (jero)'': the holiest and the most sacred zone.

Balinese temple usually contains a '' padmasana'', the towering lotus throne of the highest god, Acintya ( Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa in modern Balinese), the ''pelinggih meru'', (a multiple-roofed tower similar in design to the Nepali or Japanese pagoda), and various pavilions, including ''bale pawedan'' (vedic chanting pavilion), ''bale piyasan'', ''bale pepelik'' (offering pavilion), ''bale panggungan'', ''bale murda'', and ''gedong penyimpenan'' (storehouse of the temple's relics).

Domestic architecture

Unlike European architecture, Balinese houses and ''puri'' (palaces) are not created as a single huge building, but rather a collection of numerous structures within walled enclosures each with a special function; such as a front open pavilion to receive guests, main bedroom, other bedrooms, ''pelinggihan'' or ''pemrajan'' is a small family shrine, living areas, and kitchen. The kitchen and living areas that hold everyday mundane activities are usually separated from a family shrine. Most of these pavilions are created in Balinese ''balé'' architecture, a thatched roof structure with or without walls similar to Javanese '' pendopo''. The walled enclosure is connected by a series of gates. Balinese architecture recognizes two types of gates, the ''candi bentar'' split gate, and ''paduraksa'' or ''kori'' roofed gates.

Compared to common Balinese houses, Balinese palace architecture features larger structures, richer ornamentation, and more elaborate decoration. The ''balé gede'' is a pavilion of 12 columns, where the oldest male of the family sleeps, while '' wantilan'' is a rectangular wall-less public building, where people convene or hold cockfighting. The '' bale kulkul'' is an elevated towering structure, topped with a small pavilion where the ''kulkul'' (Balinese slit drum) is placed. The ''kulkul'' would be sounded as an alarm during a village, city, or palace emergency, or a sign to congregate villagers. In Balinese villages, there is a ''bale banjar'', a communal public building where the villagers congregate.

Landscape architecture

Balinese gardens are usually created in a natural tropical style filled with tropical decorative plants in harmony with the environment. The garden is usually designed according to natural topography and hardly altered from its natural state. Some water gardens however are laid out in a formal design, with ponds and fountains, such as Taman Ayun and Tirta Gangga water gardens. ''Bale kambang'', which literary means "floating pavilion", is a pavilion surrounded with ponds usually filled with water lilies. ''Petirtaan'' is a bathing place, consisting of a series of ponds and fountains used for recreation as well as for ritual purification bathing. Examples of ''petirtaan'' are the bathing structures in Goa Gajah and Tirta Empul.

Elements of Balinese architecture

File:Indonesia Museum Balinese Split Gate.jpg, '' Candi Bentar'' split gate as the entrance from the outer realm.
File:Drum Tower, Pura Taman Ayun 1495.jpg, '' Bale kulkul'', a slit drum tower.
File:Balinese statues with flowers.jpg, Guardian statues held symbolic meanings also part of decoration in Balinese architecture.
File:Kori Agung, TMII Bali Pavilion.jpg, Roofed '' kori agung'' gate at the Bali Pavilion of Taman Mini Indonesia Indah.
File:Bali stone face.jpg, Kala's face is a portal guardian and decoration that also contains symbolic meanings.
File:PrayerAtBesakih.jpg, The pagoda-like multi-tiered roof Meru towers, a typical aspect in Pura.
File:Deer-God Shrine in Pura Penataran Agung, Besakih 1586.jpg, ''Pelinggih'' shrines dedicated to certain gods.
File:Pura Ulandanu Temple, Batur, Bali, Indonesia 02.JPG, ''Stana'' shrines dedicated to Hindu god Ganesha.
File:Balinese Traditional House Shrines 1452.jpg, '' Sanggah kemulan'', ''pemrajan'' or ''merajan'', small familial house shrines to honor the households' ancestor.
File:Pura Jagathnata2.JPG, '' Padmasana'', the towering throne of Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa as the focus of worship.
File:Batuan - Pura Puseh Batuan 04.jpg, A temple building with multi-tiered roof, Batuan
File:Bali, Pura Besakih 10.jpg, A gold-colored roof pinnacle and thatched roof made of black ''ijuk'' fibers.
File:ID-bali-klungkung-bale-kampang-decke-1.jpg, Meticulously painted ceiling in Klungkung Palace.
File:Balinese winged creature.jpg, A winged lion as a decoration of the roof interior.
File:Pura Jagathnata4.JPG, ''Bale gong'', a gamelan pavilion in the Balinese temple compound.
File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Waterspuwers op de badplaats bij de Pura Goa Gajah of Olifantsgrot TMnr 20027326.jpg, Fountain waterspout statues in Goa Gajah sacred bathing pool.
File:Pura Taman Saraswati (6337601456).jpg, Lotus pond as part of Balinese landscape architecture.
File:Bale Kambang in Taman Gili, Bali 1531.jpg, ''Bale kambang'', floating pavilion in a Balinese garden.
File:Pura Taman Ayun.JPG, ''Bale bengong'', garden contemplating pavilion.
File:Cockfighting Pavilion, Pura Taman Ayun 1490.jpg, '' Bale wantilan'', a cock-fighting pavilion, is an integral part of a temple.
File:Pura Tirta Empul, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.JPG, Tirta Empul sacred bathing place.
File:Pura Aditya Jaya 1.jpg, ''Pura Aditya Jaya'' in Jakarta.
File:Museum Indonesia Main Building.jpg, Indonesia Museum in TMII built in Balinese architecture

Modern Balinese architecture

The prominence of Bali as a popular island resort with cultural significance has stimulated demand for modern Balinese architecture applied to tourism-related buildings. Hotels, villas, cottages, restaurants, shops, museums, and airports have incorporated Balinese themes, style, and design in their architecture.

See also

* Bali Aga architecture
* Pura Besakih
* Candi

Notes

References

* Julian Davison, Nengah Enu, Luca Invernizzi Tettoni, Bruce Granquist, ''Introduction to Balinese Architecture'', Periplus Asian Architecture Series, 2003,

{{Indonesian architecture

Balinese culture
architecture
Architecture in Indonesia