Insights

Newly Opened Ritz-Carlton Bali Showcases WATG Design Innovation

By WATG
February 12, 2015

Situated harmoniously alongside the Indian Ocean, at the southern tip of Bali’s Nusa Dua, The Ritz-Carlton, Bali blends unique, contemporary design elements with a lush and exotic natural environment. The hotel, which marks the return of the Ritz-Carlton brand to the island, opened in early February of this year.

The architecture takes inspirations from Balinese concepts of indoor and outdoor spaces, and tastefully infuses these with contemporary interpretations of traditional architecture elements and local materials. The cliff that separates the resort in half is kept as an exuberant landscape background, punctuated by an iconic 70-meter high glass elevator tower that connects the two levels of the resort. The main lobby at the upper level is perched along the edge of the cliff, offering spectacular, panoramic views of the coastline. The spa at the lower level is nestled at the foot of the cliff while the guest wings, villas, restaurants and main pool are arranged towards the pristine beaches.

Designed by award-winning architecture and design firm WATG, the new tourist destination is situated on 12.7 hectares of manicured land that includes both beach-front and cliff-top property. The hotel offers 313 guest rooms, including 34 cliff-top and ocean view villas. In designing the structure, WATG Associate Vice President, Roger Gaspar, attempted to define luxury beyond the norm, hoping to achieve a more experiential and unique environment for resort guests.

“How ‘luxury’ is defined seems to be always in flux,” says Gaspar. “It is driven by people’s ever-changing and ever-increasing expectations. To me, luxury is when utmost care, and the best comfort and personalized service, above and beyond the norm, go hand-in-hand with the experience of the place. Whether it is the architecture, the interior design, or the outdoor spaces.”

Echoing the design architect’s sentiments are the unspoiled and idyllic tropical surroundings, paired with the resort’s structure, which features authentic and indigenous design elements. Says Gaspar, “it was imperative that, as much as possible, we save the natural beauty of the cliff. This led us to some very interesting design solutions. People seek authenticity, something that captures the spirit of the place and manifests in the way it tingles and excites the senses. It is these delightful, unexpected, joyful, unique experiences–perhaps sometimes quirky–that always leave the most long-lasting impressions to guests that, more than anything, can never be measured in tangible terms.”

This reference to “joyful” and “unique” is perhaps best exemplified by the stunning glass elevator tower, mentioned previously. Regardless of how one would interpret the “unexpected, joyful, and unique,” it is certain those who visit the new Ritz-Carlton, Bali will be captivated by a thoughtful and inspired design approach that combines Balinese influences with spectacular landscapes and ocean views.

About WATG

WATG is one of the world’s leading integrated design firms and ranked as 2nd in the world among hotel architectural firms. WATG’s interior design firm, Wimberly, was ranked 11th by Interior Design Magazine in their 2015 Hospitality Giants survey.

With over 70 years of design excellence, WATG and Wimberly, have become the world’s leading design consultants in the industry since starting in Hawaii in 1945. With offices in Irvine, Beverly Hills, Seattle, Chicago, New York, London, Miami, Istanbul, Dubai, Singapore, Shanghai and Honolulu, the multi-disciplinary design firm is best known for creating internationally acclaimed destinations in 160 countries across six continents. WATG offers integrated design solutions comprising strategy, planning, architecture, landscape, and interiors for urban, tourism and resort destinations. WATG’s projects are renowned not only for their design and sense of place but also for their bottom-line success.

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