Dezeen Magazine

The Tiing hotel in Bali by Nic Brunsdon

Rough concrete walls frame jungle views at The Tiing hotel in Bali

Concrete was cast against bamboo to create the rugged walls of this boutique hotel in Bali, by Australian architect Nic Brunsdon.

The Tiing is a 14-room resort on the northern coast of Bali, away from the busy tourist spots in the south.

The Tiing Bali hotel by Nic Brunsdon

Designed by Perth-based Nic Brunsdon in collaboration with local studio Manguning, the hotel celebrates its location. Rooms are designed as funnels, directing views towards the impressive jungle backdrop in one direction, and the ocean in the other.

Brunsdon opted to keep the material palette simple. Bamboo was used as it is abundant in the region along with concrete, as it is the most common building material on the island.

The Tiing Bali hotel by Nic Brunsdon

Both materials are used alone, creating smooth rendered walls and textured wooden screens. But in many places the bamboo has been used as a formwork for cast concrete, giving it a ridged texture that blends with the natural surroundings.

"The materiality of this project aims to work within the local context, construction techniques, resources and climate – a rugged regionalism," explained Brunsdon.

The Tiing Bali hotel by Nic Brunsdon

"In a tropical climate, a clean finish would require much maintenance; here, the material will weather in, enhancing the character of the architecture and place," he continued.

"Importantly, this also became the finishing. Expressing the texture and form of the bamboo as a negative impression in the patina of the concrete becomes this project's motif."

Bamboo-formed concrete walls

The Tiing consists of seven two-storey blocks, separated by cobbled pathways.

Even more than the rooms, these pathways create tunnel-like views towards the trees, framed by the textured concrete walls.

Bathing pool

Each block contains two suites, one on the ground floor and another above. All rooms have their own private bathing pool, with some facing north and others facing south.

A bedroom and living space are located at opposite ends of each, each directed towards a different view, while the shower room is a round space at the centre of the plan.

Living space

Skylights bring daylight into these washrooms, even on the ground floor, thanks to a clever stagger in the plans.

"Protected, hidden, and central, this space becomes a welcome surprise, a place of refuge and delight," said Brunsdon. "This is a place for unwinding reconnecting to the self and to nature."

The hotel also features a red public bathing pool, designed to offer "an energising arrival moment".

Lounge space

Bali has seen a big rise in tourism in recent years, with the arrival of several new luxury resorts and attractions.

The OMA-designed Potato Head Studios recently opened, while other new additions include hotel Katamama and the Uluwatu Surf Villas.

Brunsdon hopes The Tiing can offer something in a slightly different spirit, thanks to its more remote location.

Bath tub

"The Tiing has been designed as a reward for the intrepid," he added. "It is embedded into its local and cultural context."

Photography is by Ben Hosking.

More images and plans

Site plan
Site plan
Site section
Site section
Elevation
Elevation
Villa ground floor plan
Villa ground floor plan
Villa first floor plan
Villa first floor plan
Villa section
Villa section
The Tiing hotel in Bali by Nic Brunsdon
The Tiing hotel in Bali by Nic Brunsdon
The Tiing hotel in Bali by Nic Brunsdon
The Tiing hotel in Bali by Nic Brunsdon
The Tiing hotel in Bali by Nic Brunsdon
Bamboo-formed concrete walls
Bamboo-formed concrete walls
Bamboo-formed concrete walls
Sea view
Bamboo
Bathing pool
L
Living space
Bedroom
Guest room
Terrace
Bathing pool
Entrance
Cobbled pathway
Ocean view
The Tiing hotel in Bali by Nic Brunsdon
The Tiing hotel in Bali by Nic Brunsdon