RF studio expands performing arts foundation in bali

RF Studio unveils residence for performing arts foundation

In Batuan, south of Ubud, RF Studio completes a residence for Yayasan Bali Purnati, a foundation dedicated to the performing arts in Bali. The project expands the foundation’s grounds with three villas and nine guest rooms designed to host artists-in-residence and support public programming. The architects conceive the form as an extension that integrates into the landscape with minimal intervention, merging with rice fields, native vegetation, and the rhythms of daily life on the island.

The design draws inspiration from the existing features of the site, including trees, volcanic stone, bamboo, salvaged wood, and terracotta, and weaves around the site’s contours to create a series of interconnected living spaces.

all images by Tommaso Riva

local artisans collaborate with the architects for the interiors

The collaboration between the lead designer of RF Studio’s team and artist Rafael Freyre and Yayasan Bali Purnati began in 2002, when the Peruvian architect first arrived on the island with drawings in hand, accompanied by the late theater director Robert Wilson after a summer at the Watermill Center in New York.

The residence complements the foundation’s amphitheater and stage, framing architecture as part of a living system. Interiors were realized in close collaboration with local artisans, with all furniture and fixtures crafted specifically for the site. ‘It’s not about building something new. It’s about uncovering what is already here. The spirit of the place is older than us. The architecture just listens and reacts,’ Freyre notes.

in Batuan, south of Ubud, RF Studio completes a residence for Yayasan Bali Purnati

the project is designed to host Yayasan Bali Purnati artists

Yayasan Bali Purnati is a platform where Balinese traditions intersect with contemporary experimentation, founded in 2000 by dancer Restu Imasari, writer Leonard Lueras, journalist and cultural organizer Justin B. Smith, Willem Eisenbeis, and Christopher Frank. Since its inception, it has welcomed artists across performance, dance, music, design, and visual arts, maintaining a strong connection to the local cultural fabric. Its artist-in-residence program, established in 2005, invites practitioners to spend extended time on the compound developing projects and often culminates in free public presentations.

With the new residence, the foundation strengthens its capacity to host international artists and offers an alternative to the rapid overdevelopment of the island. Daily acts like resting, bathing, watching the moon, and tending to gardens become part of a broader performative experience. ‘Rafael has created an architectural artwork in the heart of Bali’s leading international arts foundation, renewing a tradition that started 26 years ago in the rice fields south of Ubud,’ co-founder Justin B. Smith reflects.

the foundation is dedicated to the performing arts in Bali