Exploring the Elements of Batuan Painting as a Basis for Architectural Design Method

Abstract

This paper aims to identify elements of Batuan painting, a local Balinese painting, that potentially become the basis of the architectural design method. The exploration of the image became an alternative in developing design methods as explored by some architects, such as Zaha Hadid, Van Doesburg, and Gerrit Thomas Rietveld. Arguably, such approaches offer different insights into programming architecture and further enrich the design process by creating particular relations with the context instead of producing a generic and contextless architecture. In this study, the local Batuan painting is related closely to the daily life of the Balinese community. Local philosophy is explored to connect architecture with the locality and cultural identity as part of the design process. This study employs the qualitative approach by visual observations and content analysis of Batuan paintings, identifying the elements, compositions, and essential aspects always present in Batuan paintings. This study reveals three details from Batuan painting critical to the design method: heterogeneity, hierarchy, and the particular local painting techniques of luck-naturelabour. The painters mainly developed such elements from Batuan Village to represent the everydayness of the local society to Tri Hita Karana, Hulu-Teben, and Tri Mandala philosophy. Furthermore, the elements imply the spatial classifications of local activities, dualism principles, and the embedded relationship between humans, humans with nature, and humans with God. The painting elements insinuate further insights for developing the architecture, particularly in the formal and spatial arrangements and spatial qualities, which could be more culturally meaningful and contextually situated.