Our explorative nature is the strongest tool we have as human beings, to help us navigate our way around this world and beyond, and it is this nature combined with a ceaseless desire to know and understand more that has compelled us to dive into the depths of our oceans, kick up the dusty surface of our moon and circle the globe at speeds our bodies are not equipped to endure. The search for meaning in an otherwise chaotic existence motivates us to stop at nothing to push the limits of what is possible. Sometimes succeeding and often failing we continue, on our path to enlightenment. Professor Otto Lidenbrock would certainly attest to this after his ‘Journey to the Center of the Earth.’ The adventures foretold by this fictional character may have been written in fantasy, with its giant mushrooms and prehistoric monsters, but the message was clear and the question was real. How far can we push our limitations, and could we ever actually travel to the center of the Earth? 

Until we find a secret passage somewhere in our world and figure out a way to survive under those conditions I don’t know, but I do know a team who can replicate it all for us, and give us a taste of what it would really be like down there, without the melting temperatures and stuffiness it usually comes with of course.  

UBD Global is a team of designers who push these boundaries far beyond what we could imagine, and set a new understanding of what is possible.  

One of their latest creations is an absolute marvel of interior design, with a concept that would leave Jules Verne in awe. The ‘Cave at the Edge Resort’ uses intricate detailing and some real-life magic to imitate a dining experience within a living cave. The results of this are overwhelming to the senses in a kind of “rustic” realism that is quite hard to imagine until you’ve seen it. 

The portfolio of this Luxury Lifestyle Awards TOP 100 winner in the category of Top 100 Architects and Designers of the World 2022 is something to behold with their themed spaces like ‘Blue Door’ and ‘Parlour’. The ‘Mauri’ restaurant design immediately transports you to Puglia, a coastal Italian village. Imagination seems to be the sole vehicle that drives this revolutionary team of designers and there simply is no limit to what they can create. 

“Whatever the project, UBD designs to the specific requirements of their clients. Their years of experience and best practice is always applied in this context. They have a proven ability to deliver extraordinary transformations and push industry standards with unique designs that demonstrate the innate creativity of the company. Each project is delivered with passion, attention to detail, and a desire for perfection that is the mark of their professional team.” This is their mission statement, and the product reflects this entirely. 

‘Lighthouse Studios’ is a first-of-its-kind space for content creators on the island. Podcast and video production studios, meeting rooms, as well as a cafe and alfresco breakout area, have been carefully curated to optimize creativity. The belief that every client is different and that it is UBD’s job to adapt to changing business requirements, and to design for their client’s success is what provides the personal touch that elevates them above the rest. 

Formed in Bali in 2010 by Caroline Usher and her partners, Agung and Fariz, this design house benefits from personal relationships that are built with their clients, or in Caroline’s words it is “essential to curate a nurturing environment where every guest feels enveloped in nature and safety.” UBD Global has used this philosophy to produce a successful number of commercial project interiors and architecture in restaurants, bars, and hospitality categories. The personalized professional experience is the platform for these tailored designs. 

Unique to their core and empathetic in their approach, the team of designers at UBD Global are not afraid to challenge the norms and push the limits of what we understand concept design to be. They ask the big questions and take us to those far-reaching places, with the melting temperatures and the stuffiness, to show us that when we merge our explorative nature with a ceaseless desire to know and understand more, anything is possible.