yinjispace

SUPPORT
SAOTA
Studio Jencquel
Bada Studio
Kalpa Taru
Blanco Studio
PHOTOGRAPHY
Paris Brummer
WORDS
Eva Liu
EDITOR
Gina
Collection

Indonesia, the "Spice Islands" that Dutch merchant ships sailed into in the 1680s carrying utopian dreams and colonial ambitions, the Promised Land discovered by contemporary spiritual nomads! Bali, the jungle of freedom! The seven-day journey is like tracing the river of time and space. Let's switch to a different frequency and encounter those souls that inherit complex bloodlines and reshape their identity in the cracks of history between mountains and seas. Their story is another form of the island, revealing how cultural genes that have endured across generations have tenaciously coexisted on this land, ultimately pointing to the same core: the supreme respect for life and the eternal consensus of dancing with nature.

In the 17th century, the compass of the Dutch pointed eastward. In 1597, Cornelis de Houtman's fleet arrived at Bali for the first time, and the prelude to plundering began. In the 1680s, the influence of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) deepened, eyeing the spices, labor force and strategic location here. It was not until 1908, after the brutal suicide resistance of the "Puputan", that the Balinese kingdoms were finally completely colonized. This period of history is far from a romantic "discovery", but rather a violent collision of power, resources and culture. Western rationalism, Christian ethics, and the desire to conquer nature have encountered the deeply rooted Hindu philosophy (" Tri Hita Karana ": harmony between man and god, man and man, and man and nature), animistic beliefs, and sophisticated community rituals in Bali.

The integration of the West has brought modernity, infrastructure and a global perspective, but it has also torn apart the traditional social structure, implanted the hierarchical system and commercialized the "exotic style". This sense of division, in the context of mixed-race descendants and contemporary hermits seeking integration, transforms into an eternal identity inquiry and creative source. The charm of Bali may lie in how its powerful cultural matrix, like vines entwining around volcanic rocks, slowly digests and transforms the external impacts, and eventually grows unique new branches - a kind of resilience that still stubbornly guards its spiritual homeland in the tide of globalization.

Maximilian, the founder of Studio Jencquel, adheres to the design philosophy of "natural comfort from the inside out", redefining the elegance of Bali. While the morning mist of Ubud was still swirling around the bamboo tips, Maximilian's workbench had already begun to debate with the morning light. The triangular set in Germany leans against the old photo frame where his grandmother recorded the iron curtain - this still life metaphorically represents the core of his design: how to stitch together memories on the historical disconnection line and enable the genes of different civilizations from different times and Spaces to achieve an elegant symbiosis in architecture? This is the evolution of a flesh-and-blood life. The unyielding soul hears the call of the rainforest, returns to its dwelling place, and radiates the power of life.

The classical rhythm that was once refined in the Liaigre studio, After meeting Bali, new growth rings began to grow. He retains the rigorous skeleton of European architecture. But it implants the breath of the rainforest into the texture. The volcanic rock wall invites moss to splash ink. The teak beams and columns retain the warmth of hand-planing. Those design sketches crumpled by the monsoon. Ultimately, they all grew into buildings that could dance. Rumah Purnama(the Full Moon House) is still in the infancy of modernism. Rumah Senja(Dusk House) has stretched out into an organism that breathes with the rainforest.

Lost is not an isolated coordinate from the world, but a prism that reveals the true self - the so-called paradise is merely a fleeting moment of resonance among all things. On the black sand beach, the tides repeatedly wipe away the traces of history and also bring new gifts. In this fleeting era, Maximilian has spent fifteen years proving that true eternity is not a "perfect specimen" of a frozen age, but rather creating a space that can breathe and grow together with nature. The highest level of cultural hybridization is when the genes of conflict, under the catalysis of time, give birth to brand-new life forms.

Half an hour's drive north from Ubud saw the GPS signal disappear in the rainforest behind Ubud. At the end of the volcanic stone path entwined with vines, Sebastian and Ayu's "Kubu Taru Villa" emerged in the light spots. Sebastian, a descendant of Dutch colonists, has the genes of nomadism and the longing for peace flowing in his veins. Ten years have passed, steeped in the SAP of indigo leaves. They do not create eternal objects; they only cultivate fleeting philosophical thoughts. Home is the peace deeply rooted in the land when one looks back. It was an active end to the fate of the colonists' "rootless drifting". On the land of our ancestors, learn the practice of humble dwelling.

Conchita Blanco, born in 1992, is in itself a miniature scroll of history. Grandfather Don Antonio Blanco, the romantic painter who came to Bali from Spain, captured the soul of the island with his brush. Grandmother Ni Rondji, a traditional Balinese dancer, whose body is a sacred ritual. Conchita's childhood was bathed in this unique cultural blend, and later she went to Australia for further studies (Bachelor of Environmental Science and Master of Architecture). Ten years of living in a foreign land failed to quell the call deep in my blood. In 2015, she returned to Bali and joined the top architectural firm Andramatin. Her designs are no longer merely about handling space; they are more like sorting out her own complex cultural gene map. The art installation participating in the Venice Biennale is her declaration to present a Balinese perspective to the world: a contemporarity that is both rooted in local wisdom (Tri Hita Karana) and dares to embrace a global vocabulary. She represents the awakening of a new generation of colonial descendants: acknowledging the weight of history but not being defined by it; Embrace diverse bloodlines and find unique and confident expressions within them. Her return and creation are the most positive echoes of colonial narrative in contemporary times - from "being written about" to "self-writing".

Deep in the green lungs of the Pezhen Hills, The architect of Bada Studio and a Dutch couple, A residential art with the jungle as its Gallery is quietly presented, Architects and homeowners have already become the closest curatorial subjects, Jointly present a never-ending "Rumah Haruku"(House of the Heart) deep in the jungle. Every year's expansion is a more affectionate declaration to the land.

From the late 19th century to the early 20th century, a large number of Chinese workers flooded into the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia). They endured hardships and sought vitality within the colonial economic system. Some families accumulated wealth and became "old money" (for more than three generations). After Indonesia's independence, the anti-Chinese wave brought new trauma. This period of history has profoundly shaped the identity and survival strategies of Chinese Indonesians, and is also reflected in their expression of their residences.

The homeowner, an Indonesian-Chinese oil merchant whose ancestral home is in Wuhan, Hubei Province, exudes an air as serene as that of a warrior from an ancient pool. The space displays art treasures. As far as the eye can see, there are only the original color of the building and the verdant greenery of the trees. This is the ultimate interpretation of the Eastern philosophy of "leaving blank space", "restraint" and "harmony between man and nature". The precisely calculated proportional lines, in symbiosis with wild mountains, rocks and trees, represent an almost exacting pursuit of balance. It seems to be a spiritual counterattack against the turmoil of history. In the ultimate order and reverence for nature, it builds an inner fortress, echoing the wisdom of "remaining unchanged in the face of all changes" in the ancestral culture.

This cliffside structure, designed by SAOTA, stands majestic on Uluwatu (the "Rock of the End of the Land") in Bali. The name "rugged" indicates its imposing momentum facing the Indian Ocean. "Ulu" means "the end of the land" and "watum" means "rock", appropriately presenting the rugged beauty of this desolate and arid peninsula. Uluwatu is also renowned for having one of the world's top surfing beaches, with its steep rocky cliffs offering breathtaking sea views. The owner of the house, an Indonesian of Chinese origin from Meizhou, Guangdong Province, commissioned the South African design team SAOTA to complete the design ten years ago. Today, the latter can be regarded as a synonym for the world's top modern luury and powerful aesthetics.

The resort-like parallel layout, the boundless swimming pool and the unobstructed sea view all demonstrate the power of capital, the global perspective and the recognition of the achievements of "Western modernity". The materials used include local stone and wood-grain concrete, which is a tribute to the local character. However, its spiritual core lies in the courage to conquer the perilous terrain and embrace the vast sea and sky. It is more like a declaration monument facing the world (especially Australia across the sea), announcing the identity of successful Chinese people integrating into the global elite class. This is another kind of survival wisdom: embrace the dominant culture and occupy the high ground in the globalized system.

SAOTA completed the design of this residence ten years ago. It is located on a large east-west site with the east side facing the sea. The scale of the site enables it to accommodate a resort-style layout. Independent suites and living Spaces are interwoven in a fragmented layout, ingeniously integrating indoor and outdoor Spaces. A series of courtyards, gardens and other green plant terraces are ingeniously integrated into the building, blending structured plants with natural ones in a harmonious way to create a sense of unity between the landscape and the architecture. In fact, the inspiration for this design partly stems from the scene where rock remains are gradually reshaped by the landscape over time and eventually blend into it. The materials of the villa are local stone. The concrete for the walls and roof is nailed with wood to create textures. After drying, the wood textures are imprinted on the concrete. Leave an eternal trace. The walls of the courtyard are made of local stone, and the wind marks left by the sea breeze are carved by artisans.

In 1989, the first Aman was completed in Bali. It was born nearly half a century after the end of the colonial era, precisely capturing the world's new rich's yearning for a "pure land not eroded by modernity". Aman's philosophy - the ultimate understated luxury, the reverence for local culture (using local materials and integrating into the community), and the creation of secluded sanctuaries - is in itself a reverse response to the predatory development and high-profile show-off during the colonial period. It has shaped a new "pilgrimage" model: purchasing tranquility, uniqueness and seemingly "authentic" cultural experiences with huge amounts of capital.

At the end of this trip, we checked into the Aman Villa area in Nusa Dua. This peninsula, dotted with top-notch hotels, is a microcosm of modern tourism in Bali. Aman lies down the mountain, where traditional Balinese elements blend seamlessly with modern luxury. It offers impeccable tranquility and service, serving as a gentle haven for weary souls. However, being in it, one can also sense a carefully crafted "cultural showcase" effect. It reminds us that contemporary "utopias" are often built on capital and carefully maintained cultural imagination.

The seven-day journey came to an end, as if shuttling through the time tunnel of this equatorial island. From the swaying of the rainforest beach to the hermit's bamboo house, from the two-colored prisms of the Chinese-American old money to the whispers of Aman, the traces of history's layers are everywhere. However, every morning, no matter where your ancestors came from, the small Canang Sari(a flower basket of offerings woven from palm leaves) on the street corner would appear punctually, filled with flowers, grains of rice and piety. This small yet constant ritual is the true spiritual anchor of Bali. It silently proclaims: No matter how history erodes and no matter how stories flow, on this land favored by the gods, the reverence for life and respect for nature have always been the universal language that transcends all differences, the eternal heartbeat of the island.

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