Our Story

How Narawangsa Villas Came to Be

The history of Indonesia is riven with feuding factions and territorial disputes. In the lore, military victories take a back seat to the adjudication of rival claims by the gods delivered from the mountain tops of Java. Such is the woven thread of history in this beautiful country. The oral tradition encourages embellishment and this kind of story-making, making academic historians grumble, is exactly how Indonesia indeed sees itself. Gabriel Garcia Marquez would feel right at home.

Out of the mystic past, what most will agree on is the supremacy of the Majapahit empire. Over around 200 years, between colonial rule and the advance of Islam through the Malay peninsula, Majapahit (literally sour fruit) exerted control over all of Nusantara (present day Indonesia) and commanded taxes from population centers as far away as present-day Southern Vietnam. During this period of relative stability, arts, culture and accumulation of wealth flourished – establishing some of the richest heritage Indonesia calls its own.

And because after this period the various kings and royals were exiled to Bali, and brought their architectural and cultural values with them, much of the cultural influence of this period is still visible today in Bali – in many cases, more so than in the cradle of the empire in Eastern Java.

Fast forwarding to today, Fie and Alex wanted to honor the greatness of Indonesian history, the part that was not interlaced with foreign influence, the part that was pure and original. And thus began their love affair with Majapahit and building a brand to celebrate the heritage and explore the tradition that comes from those years between roughly 1250 – 1550 AD.

As with so much culture in the time of globalism and soundbites and Instagram stories, much of the traditional histories of people around the world is being lost. It is the intent of the owners to, perhaps in some small part, preserve and showcase the memory of this period for those who wish to engage with it.

With Majapahit as the inspiration, the owners spent almost a year co-creating design details with a local architect. The construction project was intended to reflect the values of the period while also engaging in a way that felt like an interpretation rather than a re-creation. The concept of modern-meets-classic-Majapahit is not new in Indonesia, but Alex and Fie like to believe that the manifestation of this union both reflects the forward-looking nature of art and the type of inspiration that feels unique and powerful and expressive, as opposed to bland mimicry.

The owners sought inspiration in their own traveling to many of the historical sites and temples strewn around Central and East Java during the design phase (special thanks to the Garrya Bianti in Yogyajarta). There are indeed many other places in Bali that celebrate the historical Majapahit tradition, including Taman Bhagawan and the Kempinski Apurva Hotel.

While impossible to replicate the grandeur of the lobby inside the Apurva, the design team oriented the entire Narawangsa property around the concept of a single soaring gebyok flanked by a tranquil water garden. From there they were able to develop the concepts of the shared water garden space that replicates the multi-sensory experience of the river edge at the West edge of the property.

The design team began iterating around the rooftop of Raden Panji (already envisioned as an eco-friendly solar array) and how it could form a frame to the incredible West facing sunset from the Chandra and Kirana rooftop lounge areas. The team, again, took inspiration from the Kempinski Apurva, albeit evolved to the modern context, in having both an interior and exterior tumpang sari ceiling and pyramid roof that could be lit at night for a dramatic moon-rise.

As the multi-sensory experience of arrival to the villa (first look) continued to develop, the design team added both lighting and landscaping to accentuate the feeling of stepping deeper and deeper in to a dream, or perhaps deeper and deeper into the pages of history.

The first look of our guests was cultivated as a multi-step journey, beginning with an understated and unassuming signpost and tropical garden lining the entry-way. Once at the private gate, the opening reveals a taste of something special to come, as the consolidated parking area is topped by the waterfall of the disappearing edge pool from Raden Panji. Decamping from an airport transfer to the sounds of water tinkling over your head and the river burbling below begins the slow reveal of what is to come. Left and right in the parking area are two traditional reliefs telling the story of prince Raden Panji and Princess Candra Kirana (more below: The Tale of Kuda Narawangsa)

Just a short walk up the hill to the water garden is flanked by hand-crafted Candi Tikus (tiny temples) that fastidiously match the temple relics of the Majapahit era. All is surrounded by local paras stone, an attempt to showcase not only the culture but also the beauty of the materials Indonesia has on offer.

Once in the water garden the true majesty of the stay is revealed. 9 pools flow into each other, frangapani trees with their fragrant flowers dot the steps up to the main gate and the carved gebyok punctuates the winding privacy of the shared garden space, that all may enjoy for their entire stay.

The 15-meter high gebyok, a quick digression to be sure, is fashioned entirely from reclaimed teak (jati), hand selected and re-finished from wood, sourced throughout java. The carvings were completed one-at-a-time in a victory of modern technique over a 6-month period both by machine and by hand. There are more than 2,500 carved batik kawung wooden tiles on the property and about 190, 60×60 cm classic identical Majapahit hand finished carvings on display in the gebyok. The gebyok is topped by a classic tumpang sari style roof and envelops the modern staircase at the heart of the Raden Panji villa. This embrance of the classic and the modern is repeated throughout the property where various areas have a lean toward the future or toward the past, and then come together in a deliberate caress at the stairwells.

As guests ascend the stairs they pass another beautifully rendered candi tikus as they enter their private sanctuary, an exceptionally deep pool shaded by a tropical garden, a private bale (shaded sitting area) and the ground floor of the Villa.

Again, the senses are all addressed, the tinkling of flowing water in the water garden is replaced by the singsong of the gamelan, the aroma of incense wafts through the outdoor space, the cold welcome drinks drip with perspiration on to their reclaimed ironwood (ulin) coasters on the dining room table. Guests settle in for a brief orientation by our concierge while they relax, cool off, and luxuriate in the aura of their introduction to Narawangsa.

Each step of this journey was meticulously crafted to drop guests in to the essence of Narawangsa. To celebrate the heritage of the Majapahit empire as envisioned from the vantage of modern luxury and as expressed via the loving hand of several years of painstaking effort to bring the villas to life.

The Tale of Kuda Narawangsa

The art form of wayang kulit (buffalo-hide puppetry) is on full display around Bali and elsewhere in Indonesia. Wayang kulit traces its origins to the Majapahit rule of Nusantara (united Indonesia prior to the current country’s formation) in the 13th and 14th centuries, which is what makes it so special to us at Narawangsa Villas.

There are many sagas or larger stories that are the settings for these (often 2-hour) puppet plays. The most famous being Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Raden Panji. Of course, many modern adaptations have flourished in the 19th and 20th centuries, but these three are generally agreed to be the original trinity. Ramayana and Mahabharata both draw their roots from the Indian Sub-continent and the Hindu traditions there. Uniquely among these, Raden Panji is an Indonesian story – with Indonesian themes and an Indonesian history.

Raden Panji is, at heart, a hero’s tale. A young prince’s quest to discover his true purpose and successfully unite a kingdom riven with conflict and evil. A journey, like most classical hero’s adventures, which ends in triumph. Along the way, Raden Panji is smitten by a village girl, who is secreted away by malignant interlopers. Candra Kirana, the beautiful, yet reserved nubile, herself endures tragedy after tragedy at the hands of her tormentors. Raden Panji searches for Candra Kirana over many miles and months. And finally, at the conclusion of the saga, the lovers are reunited to rule the kingdom with love and generosity.

As in any such epic, the escapades of each protagonist are split into chapters and books and each chapter develops its own flavor and thematic lesson. An apt comparison would be that each ‘play’ takes one ‘chapter’ and unfurls its content for the audience. Each Dalang (puppetmaster), in delivering a performance, takes narrative license to adapt the general script, details and outcomes to match his/her mood, the audience and, perhaps, the current events of the time. Wayang kulit is an oral tradition that was not well recorded until the 18th century and thus evolved with time and the personalities of the great performers across centuries.

Though the characters in the Raden Panji stories repeat, and the protagonist is always the same, there are major and minor characters introduced to the audience representing one such value, merit, malignancy or another. Some lovable savants, some problematic heroes and some grotesque villains dot the story’s arc. All good stories, including the Raden Panji tales have memorable characters.

One such character, in one such chapter or branch of the Raden Panji stories is a dalang named Kuda Narawangsa. What is special about Kuda Narawangsa is not that he is central, though he is, it is the form his character takes. Kuda Narawangsa is a dalang in a performance by a dalang. Essentially he is the wise attaché of the prince Raden Panji – who guides Raden Panji through several trials, avoiding misfortune and traps set by his adversaries. The trusty sidekick (patih in the language of the time) has both a storied history in Western lore and in Eastern histories (specifically the great Gajah Mada is Indonesia’s most famous patih, hailing from this Majapahit era). Kuda Narawangsa expertly sees through the veiled threats of Raden Panji’s adversaries and assists in surfacing leads to recapture the beautiful Candra Kirana.

What struck us about this particular character, is that the un-named dalung originator (author) of the Kuda Narawangsa character was not content to simply be a performer of the stories he told. He wanted, perhaps he craved, to be an animating force in the actual adventures and, thus, made Kuda Narawangsa in the image of himself, so that he might participate in the epic and shepherd it to its rightful conclusion.

Closing Note from the Owners

In this same way, we feel the same compulsion to write ourselves in to our own stories, crafting the narrative with us (Fie and Alex) as central figures. Seizing control of the threads of our destiny and willing them to follow the path of our choosing. We exist, like Kuda Narawangsa, in an epic tale, beyond our ability to control. But in this great adventure of life, we choose to insert our will into the story of our own life , be a force for good, and most importantly, frame our adventure as a hero’s journey.

To tie out all the threads of the Narawangsa Villas journey, we hopefully you now see the significance of the villas being named Raden Panji, Chandra and Kirana – and can appreciate the small part the Narawangsa experience can play in your lived journey. At Narawangsa, you’re not merely a guest – you’re a protagonist in an unfolding story that bridges centuries. Like Kuda Narawangsa, you’ll find yourself transformed by the magic that lives within these walls, where every moment becomes part of your own hero’s journey.

Acknowledgements

A project like this does not have a prayer of being realized without a large and multi-disciplinary team. It is our hope to promote the competence of and to acknowledge the contributions of all the parties who contributed to this project that became Narawangsa Villas, completed in 2024. In the end a complete list became an impossibility – but we’ve done our best. To the village that created Narawangsa – we thank you.

Friends and Family: To you all who supported us through the many, many months – a word of wisdom here, a suggestion there. Without whose financial and spiritual support we could never have shepherded this dream in to the reality it has become. We are forever, and deeply thankful for your part in our lives. Your insights and patience enabled the success of Narawangsa from inception to completion.

Lumbung Architects: Andri and his team have taken his vision and skill and riden the rocket to the stars. One of the best up and coming architects in Bali is now difficult to get a hold of – but boy is he worth it. Andri sat with the owners for countless hours, painstakingly bending his creative hallmarks to meet the moment, and the desire to blend classic Majapahit elements into a modern façade.

Palm Emas: Jasmin, Priyo and the team worked for nearly 2 years, through many, many challenges to deliver a superior structural result. Their attention to detail, commitment to quality, honesty and deliberate communication were all boons without which Narawangsa would not be. We wish them success on the many projects they now have on deck and are happy to be a reference project for that leaping off point.

Lintas Daya: Lukito, Mawang and the Lintas Daya team worked tirelessly through what seemed like hundreds of revisions for MEP execution – presenting tradeoffs and suggestions that only come from the hundreds of large-project scope experiences they already have behind them. We were lucky to have their help on our ‘small’ project in Bali.

SGS: David and team had the patience through a breathtaking number of revisions to work through the technology with which to make our home smarter. From door locks to electricity control, from cinema rooms to garden speakers they truly do it all, with patience and competence and expertise.

SatuWatt: Api and team delivered an outstanding solar solution for the project delivering 100% load support through peak daylight hours. Local government regulations have not made it any easier for solar purveyors to sell in this technology, but as it was a core principal of ours to deliver a eco-conscious development, we could not have picked a better partner.

Mahallati: Fani, Oky and team took what we thought was a finished interior design concept and deftly showed us how far we were from achieving anything that approached a ‘pulled together’ concept that we could execute. They took the 90% concept and delivered the 100% result so that we could match our insides to our outsides.

Binar/Lagom: Tracey, Agasi and team understood how important it was to us to have our property lighted in a way that accentuated the design elements and created moods for the guests and owners who occupied the spaces. They delivered on every part of their mandate.

Casa Moderno: Detlev and team contributed countless ideas and inspiring elements to the design process from early days until well into construction. Their eye for design consistency and openness to the layers of modern and classical Indonesian architecture contributed greatly to the Narawangsa brand and its manifestation into the villa development.

Bali Design Center: David and his team were the brains behind the carving operation. Unfortunately, no longer active in the BDC instantiation, the skillset is still available for those who know where to find them. We’ve never met someone we would more affectionately refer to as a creative mad scientist.

Bali Design Works: Jeff and team were both thought partners and craftsmen in delivering several of the high profile fixed furniture pieces, door designs and generally just being reliable, communicative partners with a distinct flair for the art of woodworking.

Anada: Anysia and team have assembled an excellent team of tradesmen who can execute loose furniture to within the tightest design standards all while dealing with the supply chain challenges that is materials selection in Indonesia. While the owners were pulling their hair out trying to finally, for the fifth time, selecting the matching fabric for the urban bedroom couch, Anysia and team patiently presented options and tracked the decision-making to work the myriad problems to their respective conclusions.

Sume: Ricky and team are a scrappy set of furniture makers based in Bali. They have cultivated a niche at the intersection of quality and price that is most relevant for owners in a tropical climate that have the vision to execute against a specific design aspiration. Ricky was a great partner to work through the vagaries of designing furniture from a sketch-up but also making sure concept matched reality.

Oraled: Zew had the difficult assignment of navigating the complicated import architecture of a byzantine trade ministry – while they decided to change import regulations mid way through our construction project. Only someone with his experience and perseverance could have delivered our complicated lighting order in the way he did. Kudos.

Kitaru: Guillaume, Dewa and the team saved our timeline on a few occasions being an excellent resource for processing complicated reclaimed woods – mostly jati in this case. Nails, paint, cracks and bowing – confounding most other tradesmen, are par for the course for these guys. Highly recommend.