Civil Engineering and Architecture Vol. 14(1), pp. 642 - 654
DOI: 10.13189/cea.2026.140143
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The Architectural Transformation of Bale Banjar under the Pressures of Modern Tourism in Bali: An Integrative Model Based on Cultural and Community Fingerprint

Ni Made Mitha Mahastuti ^*, I Made Adhika , Ngakan Ketut Acwin Dwijendra , I Nyoman Susanta
Faculty of Engineering, Udayana University, Indonesia

ABSTRACT

This study examines the transformation of the function and architectural form of Bale Banjar in Kuta District, Bali, in response to tourism pressures, globalization of modern values, and policy interventions that have not fully considered cultural and community fingerprint. Bale Banjar, which initially served as a sacred and social space for indigenous communities, is now undergoing a significant transformation into an economic and administrative hub, featuring shops, cooperative offices, and other commercial spaces. In terms of form, there has been a change from an open structure made of local materials to a modern multi-storey building with industrial materials, which tends to ignore the aesthetic and symbolic value of traditional Balinese architecture. This research employs a qualitative approach, utilizing field observations, visual documentation, and in-depth interviews with stakeholders. The findings indicate that this transformation is driven by four primary factors: changes in the lifestyles of the younger generation, the community's economic needs, government policies that lack local architectural guidelines, and the introduction of modern values through globalization. Based on this analysis, this study formulated a conceptual model for the transformation of the function and form relationship of Bale Banjar that is integrative, covering five main pillars: (1) adaptive functional-spatial, (2) integration of local values, such as Tri Hita Karana and Sanga Mandala, (3) material and technological innovation, (4) community participation, and (5) management based on customary regulations. This model is expected to serve as a guideline for the preservation, revitalization, and design of Bale Banjar, which is contextual, adaptive, and rooted in local cultural values, amidst the increasingly complex pressures of modernity.

KEYWORDS
Bale Banjar, Balinese Architecture, Functional Transformation, Cultural and Community Fingerprint, Tourism, Integrative Model

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Ni Made Mitha Mahastuti , I Made Adhika , Ngakan Ketut Acwin Dwijendra , I Nyoman Susanta , "The Architectural Transformation of Bale Banjar under the Pressures of Modern Tourism in Bali: An Integrative Model Based on Cultural and Community Fingerprint," Civil Engineering and Architecture, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 642 - 654, 2026. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2026.140143.

(b). APA Format:
Ni Made Mitha Mahastuti , I Made Adhika , Ngakan Ketut Acwin Dwijendra , I Nyoman Susanta (2026). The Architectural Transformation of Bale Banjar under the Pressures of Modern Tourism in Bali: An Integrative Model Based on Cultural and Community Fingerprint. Civil Engineering and Architecture, 14(1), 642 - 654. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2026.140143.