On Bali, 5 km north of Ubud, is the compound of Villa Naga. “Naga” means dragon, an auspicious sign of the Chinese zodiac. The house is designed by Dutch architect, Joost van Grieken using traditional Balinese and Javanese building materials in a very modern minimalist style. The house has been written up in a number of books and architectural magazines as part of the new Bali school of architecture. The long stretched piece of land gives far views over the Wos River – valley, is mainly facing the east, the direction of the sun and moonrise.

Via the dining area, walking over stepping-stones of the main focus fishpond, one reaches the large living pavilion, where the kitchen and the staff quarters are housed. While traditional Balinese and Javanese materials are used throughout, the pavilions with the thatched roofs appear to be modern, so is most of the furniture. All decorative and art works have been collected by the owner during trips all over Asia. The lighting in the pavilions and gardens create another serene atmosphere during the evenings.