Alchemy Yoga Center is located in the heart of Penestanan Ubud, and developed by the longstanding vegan restaurant Alchemy, the center offers a gorgeous and sustainable destination for the many travelers, expats, and locals who wish to experience yoga in glorious spaces. The center includes two yoga shalas, two bathroom buildings, a shop and reception, and various outdoor areas complete with organic permaculture gardens and water features. The two yoga shalas are built around the concepts of Tilem, which means new moon in Balinese, and Purnama, which means full moon. Both shalas are clad in hand-made copper shingles which are long-lasting and promote favorable energy for yoga practices. The natural material palette used in the shalas was intentional, and approached from an alchemical perspective, staying true to the ideas behind Alchemy.
The Tilem Shala features a beautiful black petung bamboo structure, which holds up a dusk red ceiling and a roof that dips low, down to the level of the dark ulin wood floor. The black bamboo arches spring up from dark gray stones and arc in a synclastic dome structure, creating an air of quietness and intimacy. There is an intentional lack of directionality in the Tilem shala, to inspire freedom of motion, and the clearing of one’s mind.
The Purnama Shala features a blonde petung bamboo structure and a natural mud floor. The natural mud floor is created using a mixture of limestone, various soils, and clay, and most importantly uses zero cement. The entire floor and all the walls in the Purnama shala use this material, connecting visitors to the earth, and acting as a grounding element in a light and airy building. The bamboo arches of this shala soar overhead, and frame five ribbons of anticlastic gridshell roofs. While the Tilem shala feels protective and intimate, the Purnama shala feels porous and inviting. Natural light pours into the space through the gaps in the roof and bounces off the earthen walls to give a beautiful glow to the space.
