The Living Bridge Co-Learning Centre

The redesign responded to the evolving needs of The Bridge, an on campus collaborative working space hosting workshops, talks and parent-led initiatives. The new design is a living and breathing space, partially open to the elements embracing the indoor-outdoor learning ethos that defines Green School. Work was funded by the School with students participating in fundraising activities. 

The project became an active part of the School's curriculum; with students aged between 15 and 18 participating in the design and building of the space, learning new skills from scratch, a joyful and challenging process. The School remained open during construction work which took place onsite within the academic year, in parallel to the school’s day to day activities. 

Jonathan Mizzi and his Studio led remote online weekly sessions with the construction team, parents and students to oversee Stage 4 tendering and stage 5 construction on site. 

The project was built using over 300 pieces of locally harvested bamboo, shaped using advanced heat-bending techniques developed with local experts, Bamboo Pure, making this one of the first of its kind in Bali. An innovative sustainable materials palette includes terrazzo made from crushed glass and a biocomposite blend, mycelium acoustic panels and eco-crete bricks constructed from industrial waste ash as well as lime plaster, a material that sequesters carbon as it cures. Eight arched heat-bent pillars support a sweeping bamboo-roof that cantilevers outwards, welcoming visitors from the entrance of the school. This roof is clad using the ‘Pelupuh’ system, flattened bamboo shingles, traditional of Indonesian architecture.

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The Living Bridge Project serves as an extension of the Green School philosophy - offering a blueprint for how educational infrastructure can actively regenerate the land, its people and its ideas. At its heart is a commitment to sustainability, shared intergenerational learning and building in harmony with local craftsmanship and knowledge.  

The project is regenerative in its social and educational reach; in mentoring, co-creation and empowering the next generation of designers and changemakers. Teams of students explored architectural design, modelling, animation, construction and filmmaking - creating a new educational model for collaborative learning between students and professionals.

The Living Bridge project began as part of Jalan Jalan, a cornerstone of Green School Bali’s sustainability-focused curriculum. Named after the Indonesian term for ‘taking a journey’ Jalan Jalan invites students to explore hands-on, place-based projects that merge academic learning with real-world impact.

The Living Bridge represents a new kind of educational model, one that cultivates learning through connection, creativity and collective authorship. The space was designed for versatility with a flexible layout allowing for a range of events and use. Pillars and circular furniture arrangements encourage collaboration, with the pillars designed to host the interactive digital platforms developed by the students to connect alumni, parents and current students. The addition of booths addresses the requirements of privacy, providing acoustically separate and intimate working spaces. The space will continue to evolve as a communal platform for curiosity, innovation and exchange connecting parents with students for mentorship opportunities. 

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