Perched on the spectacular southwest coast of Bali, this award winning villa by Bedmar & Shi is Ernesto Bedmar’s long awaited first project on the island that has so inspired his successful career. The exquisitely designed villa was given the name The Jiva Puri, where “Jiva” in Hindu religious texts denotes the immortal essence of a living organism or being and “Puri” in Sanskrit refers to a palace or large dwelling. Although highly contemporary in expression, the design is intrinsically linked to the built history of the island and shows a deep understanding of traditional Balinese architectural concepts and their relationship to the landscape. Featuring a foreword by Darlene Smyth that puts The Jiva Puri into context before taking the reader on a detailed tour of every pavilion, and sumptuous photography by Albert Lim, the monograph also includes comprehensive plans, elevations, and details to give a fully rounded view of a villa complex that has set new standards of subtle architectural brilliance on the island.

• Text by Darlene Smyth
• Photography by Albert Lim Koon Seng
• Edited by Oscar Riera Ojeda

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Contributors Biographies

Bedmar & Shi is a Singapore-based design practice established in 1986, incorporating a wide range of architectural, conservation, landscape, and interior designs. Since its inception, it has always maintained a staff of twelve, a multicultural mix of personalities from various parts of the world, designers with a singular desire to explore the relationships between buildings and nature with particular emphasis on quality design and execution of its diversified portfolio. The company founders, Ernesto Bedmar and Patti Shi, personally liaise with and direct each of the company’s projects. The list of projects stretches from New York, London, New Zealand, India, and Malaysia to Indonesia, Thailand, Tibet, Bhutan, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

Darlene Smyth is a Canadian-born writer and designer, she has a BA in Communications and Music, a Bachelor of Environmental Design Studies, and Master of Architecture from the University of Ottawa. She is a professor at the National University of Singapore and director of the Singapore-based design practice, A. D_Lab pte ltd.

Albert Lim Koon Seng is an architectural photographer based in Singapore whose images have been published extensively in architectural journals such as A + U, MIMAR, Singapore Architect, World Architecture, SPACE, and Monument. His photographs have also illustrated numerous books, including The New Malaysian House and Singapore: Architecture: of a Global City. His work has been displayed at several exhibitions including the Venice Biennale and the Aedes East Gallery in Berlin.