The Monolith House
A private residential sanctuary shaped by board-formed concrete, charred ironwood, and submerged internal rainwater courtyards.
South Elevation & Water Threshold
Architecture emerging from the ground, not imposed upon it.
Located in Pererenan on Bali's southwest coast, The Monolith House occupies a narrow, gently sloping site between dense subtropical flora and an agrarian watercourse. Rather than raising a conspicuous multi-storey silhouette, the design submerges the ground volume, wrapping living spaces around three sunken courtyards that capture cooling diurnal breezes.
The structural language relies on cast-in-place pozzolanic concrete poured in rough-sawn timber formwork. The wood grain left on the concrete surface responds to the shifting tropical sun, softening the brutalist mass and harmonizing with charred Ironwood (*shou sugi ban*) privacy screens.
Courtyard Venting
Submerged gardens draw cooler ground-level air into shaded openings, dropping indoor temperatures by 3.8°C without active air conditioning.
Volcanic Basalt
Floors and reflection basins feature bush-hammered black andesite stone quarried from Mount Agung foothills, providing tactile grip and thermal mass.
Charred Ironwood
Reclaimed Kalimantan ironwood beams were charred using traditional techniques to achieve natural resistance to humidity, termites, and salt mist.
“In tropical architecture, the roof is the house. By cantilevering deep concrete slabs over perimeter glass, we eliminate direct glare and invite the monsoon rains to become a sensory backdrop rather than an adversary.”
Plans & Spatial Sections
Circulation and airflow studies demonstrating the sequence of sunken courts, water thresholds, and cantilevered living pavilions.
Circulation & Volumetric Schema
The cross-section illustrates how the upper master volume acts as a monumental sun shield for the open living pavilion beneath. The water basin absorbs daytime solar radiation and cools incoming sea breezes before they enter the bedrooms.
Tactile Archive
Click any frame to inspect the raw grain of pozzolanic concrete, basalt masonry joints, and custom joinery.
Twilight Elevation & Living Pavilion
Board-formed concrete cantilever over reflection pool and native ferns.
Bush-Hammered Basalt & Concrete Joint
Direct intersection between poured concrete lintel and textured volcanic stone.
Submerged Living Lounge
Wide-plank smoked oak flooring, low profile furniture, and natural lime plaster.
Cantilevered Overhang & Pool Threshold
Linear reflection pool acting as a natural evaporative cooling basin.
Have a site in mind? Let us explore its spatial possibilities.
Connect with our partners in Jakarta or Bali for an initial site feasibility review and architectural consultation.