IBUKU goes to Hong Kong

Ibuku has completed its first international project, TRi Restaurant in Hong Kong. TRi captures the pure essence of Bali in a unique dining experience focused on Balinese flavors and opened in July 2015. TRi has been brought to life by the Le Comptoir team with interior design by Ibuku.

The concept for TRi came from the Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Karana, the union and balance of three elements: man, nature, and divinity. The guests pass through three areas during their TRi experience- Kampung (the Village), Kebun (the Garden) and Hutan (the Forest). The design elements are inspired both by Bali’s incredibly rich cultural heritage, as well as its incomparable natural beauty. Bamboo is the dominant material, but TRi also features Balinese metalwork, slabs of river stone, and traditional cloth. As with every Ibuku project, the design takes its cues from the surrounding natural beauty and features. In Repulse Bay, the river, sea, light reflections over the course of the day, tree line and far-off mountains all play a role in TRi’s design.

The first area, Kampung, welcomes the guest into a Balinese compound. Woven panels and mats speak to humble village homes and hand-craftsmanship; brown tones reminiscent of a wood-smoke hearth dominate the space. “We wanted to bring balanced energy to the restaurant space. The Kampung bar area is designed as a bale pavilion, a place where Balinese people gather and sit together to relax; our hope was to foster this sense of connection and harmony for TRi,” said Darayanti, Ibuku Architect.

Guests then move into the bright world of a well-organized family garden, or Kebun. Natural but cultivated, geometric patterns through the hollows of sliced bamboo bring about energizing play of light and shadow. A 14.5m long communal table extends along the length of windows, made from an extraordinary rare teak log, designed by Tiger Hallow. “It was important for us that the elements for flooring (stones) and the wall (earth) in Kebun reflect the relationship between humans and nature; how man’s skills can enhance natural beauty and then integrate those new objects into their culture ,” said Agung Budi Raharsa, Ibuku Architect.

Finally, TRi guests come to the original Bali, the Bali of the untouched riverside, ripples in the water, cascading ferns, and wild groves of bamboo. There is a free natural wildness to this space, overlooking a calm river flowing to the sea. Along the far length of windows is a curving, terraced-edge pond. The bamboo elements stand tall, fully intact in natural beautiful form. “In relation to the Tri Hita Karana concept, bamboo was such a natural choice. It is not only a sustainable material, but also has spiritual function, representing wealth and prosperity,” said Putri Wiwoho, Ibuku Interior Architect. Stepping stones leading to pods on the water create intimate seating for romantic dinners and for small groups. The oversized lotuses dominate the pond, while becoming another layer of the view, their silhouettes echoing the mountain range beyond. Stone tops made from sliced river boulders also feature, bringing the natural edge and weathered crust of the original stone to the dining experience. The three legs are the “elephant feet” of giant Dendrocalamus Asper bamboo, further underlying the wild and untamed Bali landscape.

“TRi is a new step in a new direction, outside Bali., in an existing structure not made of bamboo, and the Ibuku team did an amazing job,” said John Hardy, co-founder of Ibuku. Ibuku has designed and built over 40 bamboo structures in Bali, Indonesia, and around the region over the past five years. The traditional skills of Balinese craftsmen, combined with Ibuku’s design ideas and modern engineering enable Ibuku to create original bamboo structures for residential, educational and commercial clients to international acclaim.

Check out TRi at:

Shop 302, 3/F, The Pulse, 28 Beach Road, Repulse Bay, Hong Kong

E-mail: tri@tri.hk

Opening hours: Wednesday to Friday: Lunch: 11:30-2pm last order, Dinner: 6:30-10pm last order Saturday and Sunday: Weekend brunch: 11am and 1:30pm (two services), Dinner: 6-10pm last order