Nusa Dua is a development that includes several luxury hotels, among them the Grand Hyatt Bali and the Conrad Bali, both designed by WATG. APL and WATG began the concept design in mid-2011.

The site had previously been occupied by a half-finished project of partially completed villas. 17 of these villas were retained, with ocean views reaching 60 percent of the guestrooms. WATG aimed to celebrate and integrate local culture into the project. Senior Designer Chiara Calufetti-Lim commented: “The idea was to create a complete Bali experience within the site. In the lobby, guests are welcomed by large timber columns that support the roof. They symbolise a banyan tree, which in Balinese villages are the centre of social life.”

“Completion of the resort in late 2013 was a major accomplishment,” noted Ron Van Pelt, WATG Senior Vice President. “Two years from concept to completion is remarkable for any development project, let alone a five-star luxury resort.”

The speed was driven by a tight deadline as it was announced in 2011 that Indonesia was to be the host country for the APEC Conference in October 2013, with Nusa Dua as the venue.

The design of the Sofitel was WATG’s first project with APL, which has since commissioned WATG to design two additional five-star hotels in West Java and Bali.

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