The studios behind the screens — Ubud Open Studios

Last year I went to Ubud Open Studios for the first time. I'd just landed in Denpasar the day before — half jetlagged but so excited to finally visit the makers and design studios I'd been following from a distance for years.

In short: Ubud Open Studios is a three-day event in Bali where over 60 artists, architects, and designers open their private studios to the public. No galleries, no curation — just real workspaces, real conversations, and a rare look behind the scenes of Ubud's creative community.

Even if you're more into design and architecture than art — this event is for you. Because the studios themselves are just as inspiring as the work inside them. Bamboo structures, jungle pavilions, hidden courtyards behind unassuming doors. Spaces where you can't tell where the studio ends and nature begins. Each one reflects the person who works there — their journey, their aesthetic, their relationship with this island.

Here are a few that stayed with me.

The first studio I visited was Pablo Luna Studio. Their work, with projects all around the world, is shaped by local artistry and natural materials, guided by a deep dialogue with place, and created to nourish both people and their environment.

Maquettes and the cozy seating pit at the new Pablo Luna Studio

They had just moved into a completely new open-aired studio built in Pablo's signature material: bamboo. A stunning space with a sunken seating pit as its central meeting point. Pablo himself took the time to talk about their vision, where he came from, and how they work. He showed us the studio where his architects and designers were working on current projects, and the maquettes of work they had finalised or were about to start. Incredibly precise work.

It was so special to walk through that space — suddenly not looking at a curated feed anymore. You're seeing the half-finished pieces. The tools on the table. The coffee cup next to the sketch. And the person behind it all, right there, happy to talk.

The second place I loved was the beautiful exhibition of Mary Verspoor and her daughter and fellow designer, Shayan Gunawan. The venue was the badminton pavilion of Rumah Hujan. The atmosphere, together with Mary's hand-carved wooden pieces and Shayan's limestone objects, was incredibly inspiring. Sketches of their design process were on display, and it was wonderful to walk through the space and see everything up close.

The exhibition of Mary Verspoor and Shayan Gunawan at Rumah Hujan

The fun part — I discovered Mary's work years ago and used several of her pieces in my graduation project for my studies in Interior Design. So visiting this exhibition felt like coming full circle. To finally meet Mary in person and see the pieces I once placed in a mood board, now standing right in front of me.

And now, a year later, I've also met Mary here in Amsterdam. Some connections just keep growing.

The last studio I was eager to visit was Studio Jencquel. Maximilian Jencquel's designs have been a big inspiration of mine for years, and I felt genuinely excited walking in. They were screening a film in which Maximilian talked about his ethical compass, his way of working, and his admiration for the island. Seeing his maquettes up close, the way an idea becomes a shape becomes a building — I loved it.

Sketches and maquettes by Studio Jencquel during Ubud Open Studios

And as it turns out, Studio Jencquel's work was already surrounding me earlier that day — the venue for Mary and Shayan's exhibition was designed by Jencquel together with Ibuku, the studio renowned for their groundbreaking work with bamboo. Both studios share a commitment to slow design and sustainable, adaptive building. Walking through that space, it all made sense.

If you're interested in Balinese culture, architecture, art, or design, Ubud Open Studios really is the place to be. Some studios even offer workshops that take you so much deeper into the work and the people behind it. This is what I love: craft becoming personal.

So if you're going this year, three studios I'd love to visit myself:

1. Threads of Life, a natural dye studio in Petulu where they work with over 1,200 women across 12 Indonesian islands to preserve heritage textile techniques.

2. Mahteh Ceramic, a ceramic studio tucked away in the jungle, run by Seline and Marco — a place dedicated to clay, creativity, and sharing. Both offer workshops during UOS.

3. And lastly, Pablo Luna Studio of course. If you go, tell me everything!

Ubud Open Studios returns this week, June 5–7. If you're in Bali — just go. Believe me, you won't regret it.

Ubud Open Studios last year during my stay in Bali

With love,

Miek

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