Genius loci

Nusa Penida is an island southeast of Indonesia’s island Bali. Nusa Penida covers a wide area of diving loca­tions, inclu­ding Penida Bay, Batu Meling, Batu Abah, Toya Pakeh, Malibu Point – and Manta Bay, a bay frequented by tourist boats because it is a known loca­tion for spot­ting and swim­ming with Manta Rays. The inte­rior of Nusa Penida is hilly with a maximum alti­tude of 524 metres. There is very little tourist infra­struc­ture so far. Manta Point Skywalk will change this.

At 150 metres above sea level and over­loo­king the vast Indian Ocean, Manta Point will be the ideal tourist desti­na­tion in Nusa Penida Island. It is an ecotou­rism prime spot for divers, a place to enjoy diversed marine ecosystem and encounter Manta Rays, one of the rare marine animals on earth, which nowa­days divers or marine life lovers are trying to protect from illegal fishing prac­tices.

You should be free from giddiness

With a view over­loo­king the Indian Ocean, Manta Point Skywalk is a loop bridge over­han­ging on the edge of Manta Point cliff. The aim is to create an archi­tec­tural iconic form that will allow visi­tors to enjoy the beau­tiful coast and enjoy the sight of manta rays below them. The distinct design of the skywalks derived from the local organic marine animal, Manta Rays. The studies of manta rays loco­mo­tion and move­ments become the base of the design through its propor­tion. Thus, the distinc­tive charac­te­ristic of Nusa Penida is reflected through Manta Point Skywalk, allo­wing people to reco­gnize the beauty of Nusa Penida through its archi­tec­ture.

The project stresses the importance of site-specific factors to achieve a sense of place both in spatial and social terms. The complex ties that bind people to place arise through inter­ac­tion with the distinct elements of place, which combine to give a place its indi­vi­dual iden­tity. The use of local idio­syn­cratic element in Nusa Penida, the Manta Ray, as a design inspi­ra­tion brings meaningful purpose and increase the sense of attach­ment in space. Ther­e­fore, Manta Point Skywalk is an archi­tec­tural physical mani­fes­ta­tion of coun­ter­ac­ting alien­ation and homo­gen­eity in a globa­lized world through adding character to a place.

Manta Point Skywalk has been short­listed for the World Archi­tec­ture Festival 2017 under the Leisure-led Deve­lo­p­ment-Future Project Cate­gory.