River House
The river house is a five-bedroom residential home located in Pererenan, Bali. Private spaces are grouped into a cubistic volume that seemingly hovers above the living rooms and the garden of the premises. An expansive pool forms a strong vector into the adjacent rice field – a graphic juxtaposition to the first floor’s horizontal configuration.
Photography by © KIE
The continuation of Bali’s beautiful landscape into the Inside of the building is one of our key credos in architectural design-for the river house we embedded the existing topography and used it as the over-arching feature for a three-dimensional experience. Different passages, walkways, and spaces lead through the house. We used reclaimed timber and locally sourced sandstone to create surfaces and textures that evoke a sense of timelessness, firmness, and reference back to Bali’s vernacular building culture.
Photography by © KIE
A palm tree forest, banana- and bodhi trees surround the building and make it part of the silhouette consisting of rolling hills and lush rice fields. The side and front elevations of the volume are rendered by a wooden lattice. This changes the scale of the arrangement into a more abstract object, rather than a traditional home with windows. Bedrooms are carefully furnished and the natural stone finishes make each of those spaces for retreat and recreation.
The views of bedrooms way above ground capture sunsets above coconut trees. As one ascends the building, circulation leads through semi-outdoor spaces with unexpected perspectives and atmospheres. A vast roof garden crowns the volume, accessible through the central atrium that is covered by a large skylight.
Photography by © KIE
Project info :
Architects: Alexis Dornier
Area: 1440.0 m²
Year: 2019
Photographs: KIE
Madeline Brooks is a Projects Editor at Arch2O, where she has been shaping and refining architectural content since March 2024. With over a decade of experience in editorial work, she has curated, revised, and published an array of projects covering architecture, urbanism, and public space design. A graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Madeline brings a strong academic foundation and a discerning editorial eye to each piece she oversees. Since joining Arch2O, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the platform’s editorial direction, with a focus on sustainability, social relevance, and cutting-edge design. Madeline excels at translating complex architectural ideas into clear, engaging stories that resonate with both industry professionals and general readers. She works closely with architects, designers, and global contributors to ensure every project is presented with clarity, depth, and compelling visual narrative. Her editorial leadership continues to elevate Arch2O’s role in global architectural dialogue.