Moon Gang Ubud Hotel by YSG Studio: Adaptive Reuse, Local Artisans
YSG Studio completed the Moon Gang Ubud hotel in Bali in June, converting a 512-square-meter derelict residence. The project focused on adaptive reuse, integrating local Indonesian artisans and materials like recycled earth-based render, tessellated terracotta, and plant-dyed textiles.
Adaptive Reuse for Bali Hospitality Project
The Moon Gang Ubud, a five-suite hotel, opened in June 2026 on a hillside above Ubud, Bali. Sydney-based YSG Studio, directed by Yasmine Ghoniem, led the project. The 512-square-meter building was a private holiday residence in severe disrepair, with concrete walls requiring drying injections and external repairs. Instead of demolition, YSG Studio opted for adaptive reuse.
Ghoniem states the approach involved enhancing focal points and fluid connections. This included removing obstructive columns from the lounge, lowering its central archway, carving organic portholes, and thickening a tiled portal to improve sightlines to a newly leveled pool.
Site Constraints Drive Material Sourcing and Fabrication
The project site presented logistical challenges, situated above a paved path wide enough only for scooters. All construction materials and machinery arrived on site by foot or motorbike. This required all joinery to be designed for on-site assembly. The concrete exterior received a cladding of warm, cinnamon-shaded recycled earth-based render.
Damaged floors were replaced with tessellated terracotta. Rotten boundary slats were swapped for breeze blocks, reoriented to create a printed woodblock pattern. A new bamboo suite was added to one roof, stained with deep charcoal indigo. Over 15 Indonesian artisans produced most of the interior elements and furnishings.
Artisan Collaboration and Material Specifications
YSG Studio collaborated with local artisans, often pushing their production capabilities. Pagi Motley hand-dyed two-story suite curtains using extracts from indigo, mango, coconut, and ketapang leaves, achieving marigold, matcha, aqua, and deep sea blue colors. This marked Pagi Motley's first time layering multiple dyes on a single cloth.
YSG Studio also brought Pagi Motley to enhance the indigo color of banana paper cloud pendants from Greenman Banana. Weedoo Plastics supplied colored recycled plastic to BYO Living, which typically worked with grey and white materials. BYO Living built new local machines to press thick bullnose counters for the Nongkrong Lounge, meeting Ghoniem's request for curved surfaces.
All art, including paintings and sculptures, was sourced from Indonesian art fairs and local galleries, with several pieces commissioned directly.
Cultural Integration and Procurement Implications
The design integrates Balinese rituals and traditions, aligning with the Tri Hita Karana philosophy of harmony. A black and white checkered tile relief around the pool references Saput Poleng, symbolizing balance. Timber shrines, custom-shaded and newly blessed, hang throughout, with smaller resin and timber versions serving as suite numbers.
The Nongkrong Lounge features a vinyl library and a bio-sonic system by Indonesian duo Bottlesmoker, which converts plant electrical frequencies into a continuous score.
For procurement directors and specifiers in Asia, this project demonstrates the potential of commissioning local artisans and specialized material suppliers, even when it requires developing new production methods or expanding existing capabilities.
It also highlights how site access limitations can influence material selection and fabrication strategies for projects across the region.
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