Nestled in the lush jungle of Bali, this newly built residence by German-born, Bali-based architect Alexis Dornier breaks free from the boxy architecture of conventional housing, embracing instead a spiral form that offers continuous fluid movement and ever-changing vantage points. Driven in his practice by structural and formal exploration, Dornier is no stranger to defying conventions, so when the clients approached him with a “simple yet profound”, paradigm-shifting brief – “We have lived in boxes our entire life – we now seek the opposite” – he was more than happy to accept the challenge. And a challenge it was; aptly named “The Loop”, the house adopts a figure 8 floorplan, made all the more complex by the split-level configuration of spiralling floor levels, a bold proposal that required innovative structural solutions. Working closely with skilled artisans, Dornier pushed the boundaries of architectural possibilities, creating a gravity-defying sculptural residence intertwined with its verdant surroundings that redefines living in the tropics.
Taking advantage of the property’s steep slope, the building’s two interlocking, low-slung volumes appear as if floating above the ground, gently engulfed by the tropical vegetation. Thoughtful landscaping by Adhiputra Landscape blurs the boundaries between the building and nature, “transforming the structure”, as Dornier remarks, “into a living entity that symbolizes unity with the surrounding environment”.