Vision For North Bali Airport Revealed As Designers Call New Travel Hub ‘ARTPORT’

Share The Article

The North Bali International Airport has been one of the hotly anticipated and contentious prospective projects Bali has ever seen.

The project has been on and off the cards for nearly a decade, but Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is clear that this massive infrastructural development will be made a reality during his term in office. 

Until now, limited plans and visions of the North Bali International Airport project have been available to the public.

A series of basic graphic representations of the space had been shared by PT BIBU Panji Sakti, the company behind the project, back in 2021, and since then, very little more had been revealed. For years, two of the biggest obstacles facing the team were funding and investment, followed by land acquisition, but all that has changed. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ALIEN Design Consultant (@alien.dc)

During his presidential election campaign, the now-President Prabowo Subianto visited Buleleng Regency in Bali and pledged to build a new airport during his term in office. Shortly after his inauguration, President Subianto visited Bali once again and told supporters, “North Bali Airport, as I have conveyed, I am committed, I want to build North Bali International Airport.” Adding “We will make Bali make the new Singapore, the new Hong Kong, where we will be the center of this region.”

Earlier this month, the Puri Sejebag of Bali, which represents the royal families and noble households of the province, met to discuss making progress on projects that will irreversibly change the economic, social, and environmental landscape of the island. The Puri Sejebag has given its blessing to the project and has called for progress to be sped up, and for President Subianto to stay true to his word. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ALIEN Design Consultant (@alien.dc)

In response to requests for progress from the Puri Sejebang, the CEO of PT BIBU Panji Sakti, Erwanto Sad Adiatmoko, told reporters that plans are in full motion. He revealed, “Investors are ready. We have signed an MoU with investors. We have proposed the Location Determination. We are targeting the first runway, from the two runways that we planned, to operate in 2028.” 

It has now been confirmed that the North Bali International Airport will be developed as a collaboration between PT BIBU Panji Sakti and Alien Design Consultant.

Alien is the mastermind behind major infrastructure projects across Indonesia, including the BUMN Spire, the Mandiri IT, the Twin Towers Massakar, and the Maritim Tower. North Bali International Airport is not the company’s first foray into transport hubs either. Alien Design Consultant is also designing the Labuan Bajo Airport in the Mentawai and the Komodo Airport in Labuan Bajo.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Seasia News (@seasia.news)

Alien Design Consultant has published a series of new design images of North Bali International Airport, along with details behind the vision for the structural design and interior.

The designers have shared “The airport’s design embraces the ‘Bedawang Nala’ concept, inspired by Balinese mythology’s cosmic turtle, which symbolizes harmony and protection. This philosophy is embodied in the terminal’s organic architecture, with curves resembling a turtle’s shell, and a spatial layout that embraces the Tri Hita Karana values ​​of harmony with God, humanity, and nature.”

Alien Design Consultant has confirmed that Bali International Airport will be located in Kubutambahan, Buleleng Regency, spanning over existing landscape and reclaimed land, and will be surrounded by an Aerocity and an Aerotropolis.

The airport is expected to serve 24 million international passengers annually, in addition to 6 million domestic passengers. With increased connectivity between East Java and West Bali, along with existing capacity at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, it is clear that North Bali International Airport is set to become the main international airport in Bali, with Ngurah Rai likely to draw more domestic passengers over time. 

North Bali International Airport will feature 196 international check-in desks, 24 domestic check-in desks, 32 boarding bridges, and will have direct public transport connections enabling passengers to transfer to destinations across Bali with ease. 

Alien Design Consultant has shared “Passengers will be greeted by a verdant inner court, a vibrant retail area, an amphitheater for cultural performances, and a modern waiting room that still exudes a Balinese feel. From the moment you arrive, every journey feels like a part of Bali’s story.”