- Interior
- Architecture & development
In 2017 Studio Jencquel started building Villa Rumah Fajar, which means 'The house of the dawn' in Bahasa Indonesia. The villa is a modern, architectural interpretation of the traditional Balinese 'longhouse bale agung'. The house is steeped in the local vernacular, thanks to its design and choice of materials. The house has a spectacular view, that of Bali's most sacred volcano 'Gunung Agung'.
Seamlessly nestled into a lush hillside overlooking the rising sun, the villa offers a luxurious retreat. You enter through the 'angkul-angkul', a small, unpretentious, Balinese door. On either side of the terracotta stone gate, you find two gatekeeper statues. These 'Men Brayut' bless all who pass through with strength, fertility, harmony, and prosperity. Beyond the threshold is a 'Candi', a shrine or temple, which here plays the role of 'aling-aling', an obstacle often seen at the entrance of Balinese houses and that is meant to distract and confuse unwanted guests or spirits. A winding bridge that floats above a large koi pond leads to the house. The villa blends into the wild, natural surroundings along the hill. This is thanks to the combination of only two dominant materials. Firstly, the team used Bata Tulikup, a Balinese terracotta brick from the village of Tulikup, and secondly, a charred ironwood in line with the Japanese techniques of Shou-Sugi-Ban.
The villa blends into the wild, natural surroundings along the hill.
The large main pavilion of the house is located on an elongated brick podium. This creates an exterior view dominated by ironwood, brick, and the sacred volcano. When making the main frame of the house, a steel structure was designed to saddle the wooden roof structure to the millimetre. H-beams are placed on the floor plan in the same way as the wooden pillars in the traditional Balinese longhouse. The overall design is intended to be open, with ample air flow through cross ventilation. The landscaping and gardens, designed by Maximilian Jencquel, complement the house with cooling shade and enough space to let in gentle breezes. 
Studio Jencquel was able to design this villa in a way that perfectly blends traditional with modern. Therefore, we look forward to further projects from the studio to see how they continue to develop this style. 
Want to get enchanted by more impressive projects and inspiring architecture? Be sure to follow us on Instagram on the account Imagicasa Architecture. On this page, we will share unique realisations, promising designs and innovative ideas daily.
Photography by Pempki