Abstract:
The Indonesian island of Bali has established its position as one of the top tourist destinations
in the world. For over a century, the tourism sector has influenced the island’s social
and built environment: Tourism has replaced agriculture as the main contributor in the
local’s population’s livelihood, where it accounts to 80% of the island’s economy. And as
the tourist numbers grow over the years, Bali has seen a rapid increase in the numbers of
hotels and resorts scattered across the island.
Bali’s popularity as a tourist destination was started back in the 1920s, during a period
where Indonesia was colonised by The Dutch. The success of the Dutch Colony’s tourism
strategy for Bali has subsequently shaped its physical domain. There is no precursor for
hotels as a building type in Balinese tradition and yet, driven by the economics of modern
tourism, hotel buildings are reshaping the face of the island. They have not been designed
to mimic but rather to convey or facilitate a consciously artificial reading of a place. One
goes to a hotel to be deliberately treated to a simulacrum – a partial simulation of the real.
The island’s current touristic culture has overshadowed the authenticity of Balinese
traditions and values. Surely, the image of bona fide Bali is far from yogis doing yoga with
a mountain or seashore setting. To understand Bali as it would be perceived through the
locals’ lenses, a thorough study on the fundamental traditional philosophies has been
undertaken for this thesis. These philosophies have been applied to all aspects of the
Balinese’s daily life for centuries, from architecture to their day-to-day life activities and
rituals. The most foundational traditional philosophy is the concept of Tri Angga, which
divides everything in the natural world into three parts. This tripartite division is organised
based on the degree of sacredness. The Balinese believe every element in the universe has
its correct place, and proper positioning in relation to the rest of the world is important
for maintaining harmonious relationships. Another traditional philosophy that has a vital
influence on the local’s livelihood is Tri Hita Karana which translates to the “three causes of
well-being/prosperity.” The philosophy fosters harmony between people through collective
cooperation; between humans and God, embodied in numerous rituals and offerings
to appease deities; and harmony between humans and their environment, which strives to
conserve nature and promote the sustainability and balance of the environment.