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0:04
This is the case of
Capella Ubud Hotel,
designed by architect Bill
Bensley and his team.
The award winning
resort is made up of
22 luxurious tents
hidden in a jungle.
Now, Bensley used the concept of
minimal intervention in
the sitting of the tents,
where the priority was to
keep every tree standing
during the construction
which means a clear
understanding
of the exact position
of each tent,
offering the best
views of the jungle,
but without necessarily
being seen.
There's a nice theory
backing-up this concept,
which is the
Prospect-Refuge theory
developed by Jay
Appleton in 1975.
The theory explains
our preferences for
certain landscape,
arguing that we derive
feelings of safety and
pleasure from
inhabiting environments
that offer both a view,
but also a sense of enclosure.
Now, each tent offers
those spectacular views of
the jungle and each room is
designed according to a theme.
Much of the key elements
such as floorings and
doors are the product
of local craftsmanship.
1:10
Interesting here is
that the idea is to
explain the story of
early European settlers
shipwrecked in Bali
which means that
salvaging material would be
a key component of the design,
just like shipwrecked
settlers would do.
The rooms are full of
surprises that are
aimed to engage the guest
into the experience.
On the right hand side,
you have hula skirt that wraps
the palm trees since
those trees are found
across the resorts
going through rooms and
public spaces allowing
for the tree to continue
its growth and movement
although being
a principal feature of
the built environment.
The concept has a
strong approach
to sustainability in its DNA.
But where does the
circularity and
upcycling story kicks
in, you may ask?