Cowema Studio
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projects
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The Hollow – Tropical Air Circulation And Local Material
The Hollow
Layout
Scope
Architecture + Interior Design
Type
Single Dwellings, Villa Estate
Location
Canggu, Bali
Area Size
250 sqm
Building Size
323 sqm
Design Style
Tropical
Status
Completed
Year
2023
Interior
Cowema Studio
Contractor
Pak Kiki
Photographer
Balirep_
Team
Welly Retyo Kusumo
Principle Architect
Kevin Lantino
Previous Architect
Stevanie Chu
previous Interior Designer
Inda Nurjamilah
Senior TEChnical
Air Circulation, Lighting, and Support for Local Business Are the Main Considerations When We Build This House
Without any natural seasons in terms of temperature and moisture changes, air circulation and lighting become critical elements to consider in the design process. While taking advantage of the surrounding environment, we also implemented green architecture to minimize the negative environmental impact. One of those includes a passive cooling system by eliminating walls separating communal spaces and the usage of pivoting shutters on the villa’s façade. The bedrooms and other private areas are separated in closeable volumes.
As a result, The Hollow, like its name, mainly comprises open spaces that blur the boundaries between the interior and the exterior. Our usage of pivoting shutters allows flexibility in multiple ways. The pivots provide a sense of privacy while creating a visual continuity of the surrounding paddy fields. Additionally, the openness from using shutters and the lack of buildings present around the area cause a wind tunnel effect throughout the villa’s interior.
Besides passive cooling, another green system considered for this project is the materials for the property. Commonly used in traditional Balinese architecture, most materials are sustainable, such as natural stones and wood. Each material is chosen from consideration of its usage and its accommodating properties to the climate, as seen in the lounge. Typically in tropical houses, designers avoid having space under the roof due to potential overheating. What we did to prevent that in the lounge was by adding aluminum to the layers of the roofing. Not only are they eco-friendly and corrosion-resistant, but they also cool down faster.
In addition, the materials are sourced and hand-made by local artisans. Not only could local suppliers and products be supported by this initiative, but it also reduces the villa’s carbon footprint. From the variety of woods native to Indonesia, one of them is Merbau wood. Usually, Bamboo is weaved as latticework but instead, we used Merbau wood for its sturdier quality. They’re found on the shutters and railings, and aside from that, Merbau wood is also used as doors.
Another type of wood we chose is Ulin wood, they are as sturdy as Merbau wood but are darker in color. Ulin wood can be found lined up into decks. Despite not using Bamboo for the shutters and railings, they are incorporated into the ceilings of the villa. Due to their flexible characteristic, they’re the ideal material to be weaved together using the wicker technique. Other types of materials that are present are natural stones and they are chosen for the overall aesthetic of the interior. Andesite on the interior walls adds texture and they are long-lasting. Other natural stones we chose are Limestones which are local to Bali. They can be found on the exterior walls of the pool area and they can withstand tropical weather.
