Tri Angga

The Balinese traditional architecture we know possesses the fundamental concepts that inspire the spatial setting. These principal concepts are as follows:

• The spatial hierarchy, Tri Loka or the so called Tri Angga.

Tri Angga is the fundamental concept which is closely related to the architectural planning of which Tri Hita Kirana originated. Tri Angga divided everything into three main components or zones:

1. Nista (underneath, dirt, foot)
2. Madya (center, neutral, body)
3. Utama (above, pure, head)

There are three poles where building construction in Bali is based on, these poles include:

1. Hydrosphere, lithosphere and atmosphere (Bhur, Bhuwah and Swah)
2. The rising and the falling of sun (kangin-kauh)
3. Mountain and sea (nature)

From these poles, the people of Bali acknowledge the concept of cosmic orientation, Nawa Sanga or Sanga Mandala. Physical transformation of this concept on the architectural design is the guideline in the setting of typical Balinese houses.