Form follows shuttlecock

Kura Kura in Bali

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Situation

Kura Kura is the name of a building that houses a badminton court and has a floor surface of over 200 square meters.

Inspired by the shape of a tortoise shell, the large bamboo structure was designed and built in a collaboration between Ibuku and Studio Jencquel. The court is privately owned by Maximilian Jencquel and was completed in 2016.

Structure

The pavilion is built entirely from bamboo (structure and all roofing), except for the floor, which is from a special rubber resin.

It was Studio Jencquel’s initial concept to conceive a convex roofline that would solve some of the ergonomic requirements needed for an indoor badminton court. At the center of the court, above the net, a height of 9m is required, and therefore the ceiling of this court was to mimic the trajectory of a shuttle-cock, resulting in a turtle-like curved shape.

Airflow

Other considerations affecting the shape and height of this roof where the need to allow airflow for cooling, while simultaneously stopping the wind, which would interfere with the shuttlecock’s flight.

That’s why the buildings orientation was positioned in consideration of the predominant wind patterns, and the roof almost grazes the ground on two of its extremities. Bamboo was the obvious choice for such an organically shaped building in the tropics. ⁠

Realisation

Studio Jencquel’s founder Maximilian Jencquel approached his friend Elora Hardy, the most experienced and professional bamboo designers/ builders on Bali (and probably the world) to help design a structure for the aforementioned concept.

Elora and her team came up with this intriguing, basket-like woven structure, which they not only conceived, but also built with their amazing team of bamboo carpenters. ⁠

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