09/04/2024
When I first came to the Gilis in Lombok, I loved the look, shape and feel of the local Lumbung Bungalows.
A Lumbung is a traditional Indonesian rice barn used for storing surplus rice, an agrarian practice in Indonesia. Also, the word “lumbung” means a space used to meet, celebrate and share appreciation for the previous harvest.
At Meno Madia we built bungalows in this traditional, appealing, comfortable style. But traditional buildings in a tropical climate like this generally wear out, break down, corrode or rot very quickly. Materials need to be replaced regularly. I’ve read that as architecture, a lumbung can only remain relevant and sustainable if its users continuously renew and refill its resources.
So that’s what we’ve just done. After 7 years, our alang-alang (grass) roofs have been renewed. We’ve noticed with sadness that almost all roofs in the Gili’s have been replaced over recent years with more modern materials (steel, plastic, multiroof) and it seems coconut leaf and alang-alang roofs are disappearing. We didn’t want to lose the natural feel and breathability of our bungalows, and given the layout of Meno Madia we felt it important to keep the traditional look, even though it’s more expensive and needs replacing more often.
We think our lumbungs are beautiful and hope they continue to be a space to celebrate and share 🏝️ 🌴 ☀️ 🌧️ 🏝️
