Bali’s appeal, heritage and natural beauty are no secret – and the new Budidesa Art Park is set to help the Indonesian island make its mark in the global contemporary art world too. The project, created by Aranda\Lasch architects and Chinese-Indonesian entrepreneur, philanthropist and collector Budi Tek, will encompass a series of residential living areas, art gardens, exhibition spaces within the island’s tropical environment just north of its capital of Denpasar. The New York- and Tuscon-based architecture firm first presented the scheme through the Chicago Architecture Biennale exhibition.

Tek is a well-known supporter of the arts having founded the Yuz Foundation in 2007 to promote art – local and international. The creation of this project in his home country was the next step for the entrepreneur, who, together with the architects, envisioned this experience as ‘art within nature’.

The mild Balinese climate is perfect for this indoor and outdoor design concept. The location will include both a museum and residential apartments. For the museum, a series of inhabitable, strikingly cascading roofs will give visitors the chance to view the artworks while taking in Bali’s beautiful landscape – at the same time, adding a strong sculptural quality to the building itself. The complex’s residencial area will blend Chinese and Balinese layout typologies.