Balinese Architecture

Balinese Architecture

Tradition can be defined as the general and collective practice or custom descending
from generation to generation in a community that covers all aspects of the
community’s life. Balinese traditional architecture can be described as
spatial arrangement of the Balinese apparatus that has developed from time to
time with all its rules and codes bequeathed from the ancient times, until it
evolved to the forms with distinguished physical designs of Rontal Asta Kosala-Kosali,
Asta Patali, etc, and the adjustment made by the undagi in accordance to the
said directions.

The Balinese traditional architecture we know possesses the fundamental concepts
that inspire the spatial setting. These principal concepts are as follows:

- The spatial hierarchy, Tri Loka or the so called Tri Angga.

- Cosmic-orientation concept, Nawa Sanga or Sanga Mandala

- Cosmic-balancing concept, Manik Ring Cucupu

- Proportion and human-scale concept

- Court, open air concept

- The concept of construction material balancing

Tri Angga is the fundamental concept which is closely related to the architectural
planning of which Tri Hita Kirana originated. Tri Angga divided everything into
three main components or zones:

- Nista (underneath, dirt, foot)

- Madya (center, neutral, body)

- Utama (above, pure, head)

There are three poles where building construction in Bali is based on, these
poles include:

- Hydrosphere, lithosphere and atmosphere (Bhur, Bhuwah and Swah)

- The rising and the falling of sun (kangin-kauh)

- Mountain and sea (nature)

From these poles, the people of Bali acknowledge the concept of cosmic orientation,
Nawa Sanga or Sanga Mandala. Physical transformation of this concept on the
architectural design is the guideline in the setting of typical Balinese houses.

House Construction

The houses of the Balinese people are arranged in accordance to the Tri Hita
Karana concept. Such orientation is based on the guidelines mentioned above.
The north-east angle is the sacred point and thus reserved as the place for
the house temple. In contrary, the west-south angle is the side of the lowest
value in house construction setting, this is the side for the house entrance.

A wall called aling-aling is built at the entrance door (angkul-angkul), this
doesn’t only function as a block for the inside (providing privacy), but
also used as a way to repel bad/devil influences. In this part is built the
Jineng (paddy warehouse) and the kitchen (paon). Then the following structures
are found bale tiang sangah, bale sikepat/semanggen and umah meten. The three
structures (bale tiang sanga, bale sikepat and bale sekenam) are open structure.

Natah (court garden) is built at the center part of the house. Umah meten is
the bedroom for the head of family, or the daughter. Umah meten is the structure
with four walls as it aimed to have higher security than other rooms (the places
for important and valuable goods). This kind of typical Balinese house usually
comes with a border in the form of fences around the construction/rooms as described
above.