Shell Restaurant

Shell Restaurant, part of Intaaya Retreat, is located on the cliffs of Diamond Beach in Nusa Penida. Conceived as an open space for gathering and community, its architecture responds directly to the coastal landscape and the site’s climatic conditions.

The design is inspired by seashells, whose rigid yet fluid forms provide both protection and aerodynamic efficiency. This idea is expressed in a curved Petung bamboo roof that rises from the ground and opens toward the horizon. Thirteen Dendrocalamus asper bamboo trusses form the main structure, supported by tree-like columns that filter natural light and free the interior from intermediate supports.

The material palette emphasizes local and reused resources: structural bamboo, limestone quarried on-site, rammed earth walls, and reclaimed timber from old Javanese Joglo houses. Traditional techniques such as bamboo weaving and handmade bricks are combined with precise engineering, the result of close collaboration between artisans and technicians.

Passive strategies for ventilation, orientation, and shading reduce energy demand. Currently, 83% of the restaurant’s energy comes from an on-site solar system. In a context of water scarcity, the project is self-sufficient through deep wells, rainwater harvesting, and wastewater treatment gardens developed in collaboration with the Biosphere Foundation, which allow safe reuse of all water.