Green School

When he sold his jewelry company in 2007, Canadian expat John Hardy and his wife reinvested much of the money into the Green School, an innovative K-12 school in Sibang Kaja, Bali. The curriculum is very experiential—the international and Balinese students learn everything from aquaculture to Balinese puppetry. Named greenest school of 2012 by the U.S. Green Building Council, the school is worth a visit if only to see the far-out architecture. Many of the complex buildings are constructed entirely of bamboo.

The design of Green School’s new bridge is inspired by the traditional Minang (short for Minangkabau) house in Sumatra, famous for its curved roof shape. Hear the Ayung river rushing by below, and walk past student-tended rice fields as you head up the stairs to Heart of School. Green School’s mission is to provide a holistic education while “empowering global citizens and green innovators who are inspired to take responsibility for the sustainability of the world.” Located in Sibang Kaja, an untouristed part of Bali about 30 minutes south of Ubud, the campus comprises a number of open-air buildings designed entirely out of bamboo.

This bridge connects Bamboo Village to the Green School, south of Ubud, Bali. We embarked on a six-month surf trip around Asia, but our first stop was to visit friends who were teachers here. They put up our weary feet, helped us extend our Indonesian visas, hooked us up with their car (and driver), and fed us well. The Green School and the neighboring Bamboo Village are made of 100 percent bamboo, harvested from about a mile away.