Alexis Dornier pushes architectural and creative boundaries with the Butterfly House, a striking home in Ubud, Bali that features a circular lower level underneath an elevated cross-shaped upper floor.
Embodying the spirit of Bali’s laid-back tropical modernism, the home is set amidst a scenic and curated landscape dominated by artworks, plants and sculptures. At the heart of the lower circular level is the living area, a glass-enclosed space that allows visual and physical access to the terrace, lounge and swimming pool area. Two central staircases arranged in a helix lead to the upper level’s four bedrooms, each appointed at the end of the elevated cross structure and pointing into different directions. Dornier crowned each bedroom with a specific roof shape to visually connect to the neighbouring ones, “not to stand out, but to continue the rhythm of built shapes on the horizon,” he says.
Reclaimed wood of various types was the natural material choice throughout the dwelling’s construction, and along with the generous floor-to-ceiling openings and contemporary furnishings, the Butterfly House is the epitome of a cozy, luxurious and welcoming tropical retreat.
Dornier is a German architect who has been based in Bali, Indonesia since 2013, where he works on residential and commercial projects both locally and internationally. Visit his website and Instagram.
More amazing Bali-based homes here.
Photography © KIE for Alexis Dornier