Most people think living sustainably means sacrificing luxury. However, Ulaman Eco-Retreat in Bali’s Kaba-Kaba village is a perfect example of how sustainability can be integrated into luxury. The eco-retreat, designed by Bali-based Inspiral Architects, is made mostly from bamboo found directly on the site and the immediate locality, resulting in a carbon-neutral resort.
The resort‘s ground-level walls are made with rammed earth, which is an excellent eco-friendly concrete alternative. Rammed earth is a solution more than needed, as the construction industry contributes to 30% of global greenhouse emissions, of which concrete is responsible for over 8%.
Rammed earth is traditionally made out of clay-rich soil, natural stabilizers like animal urine or blood, plant fibers, and water, which is firmly packed down.
The Inspiral team explained:
“Being very intensive to build, we were able to recruit the nearby village to work on what has become the most substantial rammed earth project in Indonesia.”
Bamboo is an excellent material to work with – it’s flexible, seismic-resistant, fire-resistant, cost-effective, and sustainable. Each guest villa has a curved bamboo roof that looks like art from any height or angle. Aside from looking incredible, it also brings a cultural element of happiness, prosperity, and good luck, making it more authentic.
The Balinese architects said:
“We need to be inspired by the spaces we live in, both the built environment, the natural, and their harmonious existence.”
The eco-friendly resort has many services, including massages, a bar, and a restaurant, but the two most distinguishing features are the elevated yoga studio and an infinity pool that turns into a waterfall. The yoga studio is raised in the trees at the cliff’s edge with a parabolic bamboo pavilion supported by a cantilevered structure. The nearby river powers the resort’s hydroelectric generator which provides enough electricity to sustain the luxury resort.
