Exploring Bali Architecture: Traditional Bali Houses and Temples

Principles and philosophy

Akin to many areas of Balinese life, Balinese architecture is based on a series of seven recognised principles that are philosophical in nature.

Tri Hita Karana

Translating to the “three causes of wellbeing” or “three causes of prosperity and happiness”, the Tri Hita Karana is a key philosophy woven into the fabric of everyday life in Bali. This fundamental principle encourages individuals to strive for harmony and balance with the divine, other people or neighbours and with nature and the environment. It is in this way that traditional Balinese buildings are built to harmonise with their surroundings, encouraged through the use of natural materials like bamboo, coconut wood and thatch.

Tri Mandala

Related to the design of temples, villages and homes, Tri Mandala concerns spatial organisation, which divides the world into three realms. Utama Mandala is the inner realm, a sacred space that represents the gods. Madya Mandala is the middle realm, representing humans and Nista Mandala is the outer realm, representing the lower and less sacred. This feeds through into the traditional Balinese houses, temple or palace, where you will find hierarchies of space and structures built to carry out specific activities of daily life, sacred rituals or ceremonies.

Sanga Mandala

Sanga Mandala is a fundamental principle furthering the spatial concept. This philosophy incorporates directions, which divide spaces into nine sections. These directions follow the nine cardinal directions or nine Guardian gods; Centre: Shiva, East, Isvara, West: Mahadeva, North: Vishnu, South: Brahma, Northeast: Sambhu, Northwest: Sangkara, Southeast: Mahesora and Southwest: Rudra.

Tri Angga

This concept in Bali architecture ensures balance in the cosmos, between human life (microcosm) and the natural environment (macrocosm).

Tri Loka

Closely linked with Tri Angga, this principle represents the vertical hierarchy of spaces, or the ‘head’, ‘body’ and ‘the feet’. It personifies the home as a human body—the feet are the strong foundation, the head is the ceiling and the bones strengthen the foundations.

Asta Kosala Kosali

This concept sets out eight guidelines for Balinese architecture, including the shapes of symbols, shrines, stages, measurement units and size, as well as decorations. Some examples of this concept include Angkul-angkul, the entrance to the Bali traditional house, usually shaped as a large, gated roof, Sanggah, which is a sacred family shrine, Bale Gede, a traditional ceremony space and Aling-aling, a barrier at the entrance of the buildings for privacy.

Arga Segara or Kaja Kelod

Arga Segara encourages the arrangement of Balinese architecture in line with the wind. It is a building guideline that represents the sacred axis between mountain and sea, making the choice of direction and location of a building extremely important. Mountains are considered the place of the gods, while the sea is considered the world of sea monsters and demons. In this way, the sacred home acts as a guiding light, navigating and influencing the harmony of nature and energy.

Materials

The majority of Balinese houses and other structures use organic materials, including thatch roofing, bamboo poles, woven bamboo, coconut wood, teak, wood, brick and stone. Through the use of these materials, the architecture seeks to harmonise with its surroundings. 

Influenced by Hindu traditions, Balinese buildings usually lack internal or external walls, so as to harness natural ventilation. This is made all the more possible through a range of natural materials. In particular, Bali bamboo is a significantly strong material utilised for structural elements of the building, as well as decoration. Thatch is used for its cooling properties, ideal for Bali’s warm and oftentimes humid climate—it regulates temperature and improves ventilation.

The artistry of the Balinese people comes forth through the rich ornamentation and decor that adorns the external and internal areas of traditional Bali houses, palaces and other buildings. Wooden and stone sculpting features often depict intricate floral patterns, sculptures, pinnacles and ornamentation, including goddesses or dragon spouts.

Ornamentation

Balinese ornamentation closely adheres to the recognised motifs and patterns in Balinese culture—a true display of the ancestral heritage weaved throughout Bali architecture across the island.

Keketusan

Keketusan depicts individual or single patterns or motifs in a repetitive style, representing unity. This motif is the result of the stylisation of plants, animals and other natural objects and is created in chains, linking each motif to the next in a continuous frame decoration, yet, with each motif equally able to stand on its own. Some examples of this form of ornamentation include Kakul-kakulan, a snail pattern, Kuping Guling, pig’s ear and Batun Timun, cucumber seeds.

Pepatran

Offering the visual aesthetic of flora and fauna, Pepatran are ornamental motifs depicting a vines pattern. Patra Punggel is an original Balinese vines pattern, a combination of animal stylisation and plants that live and grow in Bali. The motif elements incorporated can include jackfruit, mango seed, tip fern, rooster’s crown and suckling pig’s ear. The stalk is wrapped around the flower or created completely straight like a lotus flower and is usually seen in the east pavilion in a Balinese traditional building used for ceremonies.

Kekarangan

Nature and animals are used as inspiration by artists to create ornamental motifs to carve figures that exist in the three worlds—the upper, middle and lower. Some examples include the Karang guak (crow) which depicts birds as the guardians of the upper world. They are usually placed at the top corners of both sacred buildings and a traditional Balinese house. Karang asti is an elephant ornament, often placed at the base of a building, featuring a trunk, tusks and large ears.

Wayang

Wayang ornamental motifs are anthropomorphic in nature, representing heavenly beings and gods. They can often be seen on the walls of Hindu temples and places of worship, with each area of Bali having its own unique Wayang motifs.

Gates

As already mentioned, the separation between different levels or realms of sanctity is of the utmost importance in relation to the structural properties of Balinese architecture. Seen as sacred in protecting against evil spirits and intruders, the gates are also regarded as a symbol of status, with the incorporation of a variety of intricate carvings and symbols.

Each section is connected by a series of gates, of which two types are recognised; the Candi bentar split gate, which is traditionally built as a formal entrance and Paduraska, which are roofed gates, serving as the entrance to a family compound.