The Creation of Harmonious Living Spheres - Landscape, Capital, and the Balinese Way

Abstract

In the context of Balinese development, the following paper pursues the concept of 'landscape' as an inherent element in the creation of a harmonious living environment, by an examination of the forces that bring it about. Explanation occurs in three dimensions namely -culture and attitudes to space; the philosophy and religion of Hinduism; and the impact of capital and its political function. While the traditional Balinese courtyard house has possibly been given undue attention, the Balinese relation to the landscape has seldom been comprehensively discussed. In relation to this issue, it is germane that there is no word either for 'landscape' or 'architect' in Balinese. This raises the principle that traditional cultures blossom in the absence of modernist concepts - their environment is a direct reflection of their culture and religion. This suggests that contemporary attitudes to landscape based upon professionalised landscape practices have little to offer Balinese culture, yet potentially much to learn from the integration of landscape and culture.