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Lumi Shala is a meeting, yoga and meditation space at the Alchemy Yoga Center in Bali. Designed by Ibuku Studio, the result is a building with a main structure of bamboo and using a combination of natural materials such as limestone, copper and clay. It won the International Award, namely the main winner in the Health and Wellbeing Project of the Year category at the 2023 Dezeen Award.
Surrounded by earthen walls that provide ideal support for yoga practice, the place has a comfortable, enclosed feel. Bamboo arches rise high and land on mounded foundations, a balance that reflects the human form, which is simultaneously grounded and elongated.
The roof consists of five petals made from bamboo structures that are tied together using an anticlastic grid shells structural system. On the exterior, the roof has a glossy appearance coated with cooper, creating a unique visual while still blending in with the surrounding green environment. Between the overlapping roofs, there are gaps that allow natural light to enter and sweep through each interior. This also creates an atmosphere that keeps you still while practicing yoga.
The roof structure seems to be supported by a number of foundations that surround several points in a circular space area of 227 square meters. The foundations were melted using craftsmanship techniques from Balinese and Indian culture by building mounds and walls made from a mud-lime mixture. This also supports the balance of the roof structure on the ground as well as representing the figure of the human body which is always grounded to the earth while reaching upwards during yoga practice.
Thanks to the combination of natural materials in Lumi Shala, it provides a space that seems airy and spacious for activities. Ibuku Studio is a design agency that uses bamboo as the main basic material for each of their design ideas to build architecture while combining it with modern techniques. Enjoy!
source: ibuku
