Balinese architecture

Balinese architecture is a vernacular architecture tradition of Balinese people that inhabits volcanic island of Bali, Indonesia. The 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, 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 demand for Balinese-style houses, cottages, villas and hotels. Contemporary Balinese architecture combines traditional aesthetic principles, island's abundance of natural materials, famous artistry and craftmanship of its people, as well as international architecture 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'' (hard wood shingles arranged like tiles) roof. Stones and red bricks are usually used as foundation 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 itself are richly decorated with kala's head, floral ornaments, and vajra or ratna pinnacles. Other types of sculpture are often served 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 often occur in Balinese design is the tripartite divisions.

Traditional Balinese architecture, adheres to strict and sacred laws of building, allowing much open space and consisting of a spacious courtyard with many small pavilions, ringed by wall to keep out evil spirits and decorated with guardian statues. The philosophical and conceptual basis underlining 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 prescribe three ways that a human beings must strive to nurture harmonious relationship with; fellow human beings, nature, and God.
* Tri Mandala: the rules of space division and zoning. Tri Mandala is 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 the rules of space division and zoning. The Sanga Mandala is the spatial concept concerning with directions that divide an area into nine parts according to eight main cardinal directions and central (zenith). These nine cardinal directions is connected to Hindu concept of Guardians of the directions, ''Dewata Nawa Sanga'' or nine guardian gods of directions that appear in 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 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 human, and ''swah'' (Sanskrit:''svarloka'') upper realms of gods and deities.
* Asta Kosala Kosali: the eight guidelines for architectural designs, which includes 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 region are considered as ''parahyangan'', the abode of '' hyang'' or gods, middle plain in between are the realm of human, and the sea as the realm of sea monster and demons.

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

Religious architecture

Balinese temple or ''pura'' (Sanskrit for:"walled city") are designed as an open air place of worship within enclosed walls, connected with a series of intricately decorated gates between its compounds. This walled compounds contains several shrines, ''meru'' (towers), and ''bale'' (pavilions). The design, plan and layout of the pura follows 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 enclosure each with a special functions; such as front open pavilion to receive guests, main bedroom, other bedrooms, ''pelinggihan'' or ''pemrajan'' is a small family shrine, living areas and kitchen. Kitchen and living areas that hold everyday mundane activities are usually separated from 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 are connected with series of gates. Balinese architecture recognize two types of gates, the ''candi bentar'' split gate, and ''paduraksa'' or ''kori'' roofed gates.

In Balinese palace architecture, its size are bigger, the ornamentation is richer and more elaborately decorated than common Balinese houses. 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 small pavilion where the ''kulkul'' (Balinese slit drum) is placed. The ''kulkul'' would be sounded as the alarm during 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 garden. ''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. The examples of ''petirtaan'' is bathing structure 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 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 as portal guardian and decoration that also contain 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:Ceiling Decoration on Pura Penataran Agung in Besakih, 1572.jpg, Meticulously carved column, beam and ceiling as the decoration.
File:Balinese winged creature.jpg, Winged lion as a decoration of the roof interior.
File:Pura Jagathnata4.JPG, ''Bale gong'', a gamelan pavilion in 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 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, an integral part of a temple.
File:Pura Tirta Empul, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.JPG, Tirta Empul sacred bathing place.
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