Desa Potato Head

Winner of the 2024 Tatler Best of Asia "Best Innovation" award 

Show, not tell: that’s what Desa Potato Head has done so well. Seeking to inspire rather than preach, it has proved that when prioritising sustainability is the norm and not a novelty, it can be aesthetically pleasing and cool.

Dubbed a “creative village” by founder Ronald Akili, Desa Potato Head is a unique, living, breathing ecosystem that’s been cultivated by an eclectic band of creative talent. Its striking architecture unfolds from the moment of arrival, starting with the façade—built using 1.5 million bricks, each hand-pressed by local artisans and fired using only biomass, in a time-consuming practice typically reserved for Bali’s Hindu temples. There’s an assortment of art installations, including a towering sculpture by New York-based artist Futura, crafted from 888kg of waste collected along the Balinese coast. 

Even the furniture is curated from an impressive roster of designers: contemporary chairs and tables in emerald green painted rattan by Faye Toogood, lamps fashioned from offcuts of local stone and bamboo industries by Max Lamb, and colourful pieces by Dutch designer Dirk van der Kooij, who is known for transforming discarded materials—from fridges to old CDs—into artistic furniture.

Every piece has a story; everything is intentional. And while sustainability is often synonymous with environmental impact, it’s far broader than that. Desa Potato Head works to sustain local communities with its “good times, do good” philosophy; and its unique approach to cultural programming that spans the areas of art, music and wellness. This includes Headstream, a live streaming platform that champions local DJs and  musicians, and delivers Potato Head’s sunshine-soaked sounds to listeners across the globe. 

From its restaurants, green scraps and leftovers are given to local farmers to feed livestock, and cooking oil is turned into biofuel, then donated to Green School’s BioBus Programme to transport children to and from school. Ijen, Indonesia’s first zero-waste restaurant, uses ingredients sourced locally, from vegetables to hand-reeled fish.

The spacious Potato Head Studios are constructed in a uniquely modular format, featuring wood-clad enclaves dedicated to sleeping, grooming, eating and living.

On the earthy, terracotta-hued walls, you’ll find ikat tapestries by Bali-based natural-dye studio Tarum.

Tatler Tip

Request a studio that faces the ocean, so you can catch live music in the amphitheatre from a breezy balcony, or just enjoy the sound of rolling waves.