I recently spent time at Jimbaran Hijau, where Natadesa is beginning to take shape. Some parts have already come to life, while others still leave room for the imagination. It’s always exciting to witness a place in transition, where the outlines of a future neighborhood start to emerge, and you can begin to feel the energy of what the space will become.
I’d been invited to learn more about Natadesa, the latest development from Jimbaran Hijau, and its exciting collaboration with the Indonesian Institute of Architects (IAI). Together, they’re launching the Natadesa Apartment Architectural Design Competition, a call to action for architects across Indonesia to help shape the next chapter of Bali’s built landscape, one that honours the island’s cultural roots while embracing innovation and sustainability.
As someone who’s spent the last decade documenting and celebrating the evolution of design across this island, I know all too well the tension between tradition and trend. And if I’m honest, I’ve seen plenty of projects lean too hard into aesthetics, forgetting the deeper role architecture plays: to hold space, nurture community, and reflect the land it stands on.
That’s what makes Natadesa feel different.
This competition isn’t just about designing a beautiful building. It’s about asking the right questions:
How do we build with Bali, not just on it?
How can new housing be modern, yet remain deeply connected to place?
And what does “authentic” even look like in today’s world?
The answers are in the brief, and they’re powerful. The competition encourages entries that are rooted in local wisdom, with designs that prioritise sustainability, energy efficiency, and community integration. And the jury? A mix of experts from IAI, academia, green building, and progressive design. It’s inclusive, multi-generational, and set up to encourage real conversations.
For photographers like me, who are often brought in after the ribbon is cut, it’s energising to see this level of care go into the foundation of a project. As I walked past the site of the future apartments, still open, still quiet, I could already imagine the spaces we’ll one day step into. Materiality that respects the land beneath it.
Jimbaran Hijau has long been a champion of thoughtful development in Bali, and with this initiative, they’re extending that ethos even further. Through their Natadesa competition, they’re building a movement, one that calls for a new kind of architect: not someone who builds fast, but someone who builds with heart.
If you’re a designer, thinker, dreamer, this is your chance! As for me, I’ll be watching closely. And hopefully, I’ll be back here with my team to capture what it looks like when design meets meaning.
Submissions are open now until May 12, 2025, with a total prize pool of IDR 205,000,000. Learn more at: jimbaranhijau.com/iaicomp
