The Calyx Bali villa is a four complex estate located on the cliff-tops of southwest Bali. It takes its name from the part of a plant that supports the flower. It is intended to portray the caring attitude of the Japanese owner. “Just as a calyx, or to use the Japanese word, the utena, supports its flower, we support the guests in the resort,” says the management. A large part of that support structure comes from the richness of the resort’s chosen location, the architecture and the clean-lined interiors.
The commissioned architects were Gfab, a firm that tries to introduce energy efficiency and sensitivity to the environment into each and every project. “As with all projects, ” says Gary Fell of the firm, “the design of the Calyx was dictated by the site.” In order to preserve uninterrupted views of Dreamlands beach below and the volcanoes behind, Gfab “buried” all the buildings so that you enter at a high level and drop into the living spaces. The soft sandstone that was cut from the site during excavation work was then resized and used to clad the walls, giving the villas a creamy cool look. Pitched roofs were minimized; indeed, many are flat and covered with either plantings or water. This has the dual purpose of further blending the buildings into the landscape as well as adding to their thermal capacity.
Fell explains: “With plantings, the soil acts as insulation and the water roofs reflect the sun’s rays off the spaces below, so all rooms are naturally cool without air conditioning despite being in the tropics. The effects are aesthetic, yet the principals behind are practical and vital.” Gfab believes that in the present economic and cultural situation intelligent designers should be concerned about their carbon imprint and all of Gfab’s work explores ways of minimizing impacts.
In keeping with Gfab’s usual modus operandi, the company oversaw the Calyx’s interiors, lighting and landscaping as well. A huge Seiki Torige glass sculpture forms the centerpiece of the resort, which retains the site’s indigenous gum trees. The Bali villas were built so as to make the most of open-air living with floor-to-ceiling glass fronts, private infinity-edge pools with whirlpools and plantings instead of walls between each Bali villa. White limestone combines with wood, suede and white cotton furnishings. Floors are cool underfoot in polished and roughly-finished terrazzo. The overall feeling of these villas in Bali is sequestered, tranquil, refreshing- with a hefty dose of modernism.
Each two-bedroom Bali villa has been named after the elements water, fire, earth, and air. We’re not too sure about the fiery aspect (though perhaps that comes from being able to see both sunrise and sunset from one vista), but water, earth, and air are all supremely present the resort’s water bodies, cool breezes, and characteristic local paras stone see to that.