Uma Jiwa

Uma Jiwa rises out of the Ubud greenery as a piece of architecture rather than a house — a two-storey pavilion of raw concrete, honeyed timber and a soaring shingled roof, open on every side to the palms that press in around it. There are no walls to speak of on the living level, only deep shade, cross-breeze and a green wall of jungle that changes with the light.

A lawn runs down to the pool, which sits low against the treeline and catches the morning sun before the canopy closes over. Inside, latticed timber joinery climbs to the roof, sculptural stone basins anchor the bathrooms, and a freestanding tub sits against a full-height window looking straight into the foliage.

Three bedrooms sleep six, one of them opening directly onto the upper deck among the branches. Ubud’s cafés, temples and rice terraces are close, but the villa itself is deliberately quiet — a place built for waking to birdsong.