Four impressive, warm, terracotta-coloured buildings now punctuate the seaside village of Pererenan in Bali. Together they form Further, a new “diffused hotel” designed to honour Balinese culture and allow visitors to experience it in an almost tactile, immersive way from the moment they set eyes on the structure.
Designed by the Bali-based architecture firm MORQ and interior design office Studio Wenden, the complex comprises four distinct, yet visually coherent buildings scattered around Pererenan. Built as rectangular blocks, their façades are “functionally aesthetic”, wrapped in a porous, lattice-like sunshade crafted from handmade clay tubes produced in the nearby village of Tabanan.
Further Hotel by MORQ and Studio Wenden
— Architectural Art (A-A) (@4AAAAart) November 29, 2025
Bali, Indonesia 🇮🇩 pic.twitter.com/MtYvg205T4
From the outside, the brickwork lends the buildings an unexpected elegance – distinctive, warm and almost sculptural. Inside, the interplay of light and shade becomes the defining experience. “The relationship between light and shadow is an underlying theme that characterises our work,” said Andrea Quagliola, co-founder of MORQ, whose studio also operates in Perth and Rome. He added that the shifting daylight supports ‘a sense of discovery and spatial depth’ as one moves through the spaces.
Each building is organised around its own roof terrace, which is designed like a courtyard with a view of the sky and a sheet of water at its centre. Hospitality areas retreat into the shadows around it, creating a calm transition between sunlight and dimmer, cooler interiors. The largest of the four structures features a pool on its roof, tucked into a shaded alcove, invisible from the street below. Guests can enjoy snacks and relaxed dining at the rooftop restaurant Portion, while Bar Vera, located on the ground floor, offers a more substantial dining experience. Coffee is provided by St Ali, which is housed in one of the other buildings.
The hotel’s 25 suites feature sunken beds and materials such as cast iron, dark timber, and travertine. “Natural, sustainable materials feature prominently in our design choices, adding a tactile dimension to the overall architectural experience. Each touchpoint, from the polished wood underfoot to the bespoke textiles, underscores our commitment to luxury and sustainability”, according to the hotel description. Some of the rooms open onto lush, plant-filled courtyards, while others have open-air baths.
Some of the rooms open onto lush, plant-filled courtyards; others include open-air baths.
Throughout the complex, earthy tones, ochre, terracotta, grey and black create a warm and minimalist atmosphere, animated by the vertical lattices and their shifting shadows, as well as the horizontal lines that guide the staircases. Sudden bursts of colour come from the hotel’s rotating programme of contemporary photography exhibitions, adding further layers of visual depth to the interiors.
In tune with the serene atmosphere of the place is also a shop featuring offerings from Object, a “sensory-inspired” brand, as well as perfumery Oaken Lab, which developed a custom scent for the hotel.
Claudio Cuccu and Martine McGrath are the minds behind the concept of this ‘diffused hotel’. Cuccu founded the acclaimed boutique property Slow in Canggu over 20 years ago and co-founded Further with Simon Digby and Tim Wiswell. They aimed to create a model that would respond to the island’s rapid development by blending into the local landscape rather than competing with it.
“Our vision was to honour Balinese culture and community while taking hospitality further,” the founders explain. “The diffused concept allows guests to live in the village rather than just visit it – to connect, not just observe.”
If a picture truly paints a thousand words, Further appears to have delivered precisely that.
