high life on the edge
On an eastern cliffside in the Bukit Peninsula, the southernmost tip of Bali, a remarkable development is taking place. The first units of The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Bali have begun construction, part of a larger project involving the Mandarin Oriental’s first foray in Indonesia’s Island of the Gods.
In line with the trend of having luxury residences serviced by blue chip hotel marques, The Residences will consist of 91 standalone villas (1-5 bedrooms), with facilities and service associated with Mandarin Oriental, Bali. Denniston Architects’ Jean-Michel Gathy has used a traditional Balinese farming technique – terraced rice paddies – to influence the layout, creating layered tiers of structures that ensures even villas at the very back of the complex have unobstructed views of the ocean. Flat roofs planted with an array of exotic grasses ensure that the structures blend in with the surrounding green, while no structure will be higher than a coconut tree – 15 metres – an unofficial rule that influences the building code in Bali.
Interiors by Gathy and Indonesian interior design legend Jasin Tedjasukmana of Kiat Architects resist excess, creating what they call ‘simple elegance’ that nonetheless includes subtle influences of local elements and a seamless transition between interior and exterior spaces that recall the best of Geoffrey Bawa.
The residences (and the 88-room hotel) are expected to be completed by mid-2018. Amenities will include an 88m swimming pool running on the edge of the cliff, a private beach club, a 2km private beach, a cantilevered gourmet restaurant, state-of-the-art fitness centre and 1,725 sq.m spa. The Mandarin Oriental, Bali project is part of the larger Bukit Pandawa Resort & Golf masterplan by developer PT Bali Rajawisata and designed by Gathy that will eventually make up the 18-hole Bukit Pandawa Golf & Country Club and an eventual Waldorf Astoria. The first units of The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Bali is expected to be handed over in 1Q2019, with price tags beginning at US$615,000 (RM2.7 million)
