On Thursday 30 October and Friday 31 October, representatives from Kaltimber, together with sister brands Naturanexa and Kitaru, attended the Anakata Design Series Fest in Bali — a focused programme that brought designers, architects and related-fields students together for two days of talks, regional exchange and conversation about the future of design practice.
The series’ compact format created an intimate atmosphere that encouraged listening and genuine exchange. Attendees included established studios, independent makers, and emerging designers — a mix that made the event feel less like a trade fair and more like a working conversation about craft, context and material choices.
Conversations that mattered
Rather than promoting products, our presence was about being part of a wider dialogue. Across panels and informal meet-ups, participants discussed themes that are central to Kaltimber’s work: material provenance, longevity, and the role of reclaimed resources in design that lasts. We connected with architects who care about texture and memory in material selection, and with young designers eager to apply responsible sourcing to their projects.
These conversations included:
How the story of a material adds meaning to a building or interior.
Practical considerations for using reclaimed timber in contemporary projects.
The responsibility of designers and suppliers to be transparent about origins and handling.
What stood out was a shared curiosity: many practitioners want materials that are both beautiful and responsible, and they are actively seeking partners who can deliver both.
Meeting the next generation
One of the most energising parts of the event was meeting emerging designers and students. They brought fresh questions and experimental approaches — not only about aesthetics, but about process and ethics. For Kaltimber, those interactions matter. They’re reminders that our role goes beyond supply: it’s also to offer guidance, share knowledge from field experience, and support design teams in specifying reclaimed timber wisely.
Where conversations with established architects often centred on detailing and durability, younger participants asked about provenance, repairability, and ways to incorporate reclaimed timber in smaller, more innovative formats. That breadth of enquiry underscored how material thinking is changing across generations.
Kaltimber - beyond just supplying great products
Kaltimber’s attendance at Anakata Series was deliberately modest: we were there to listen, to learn, and to network — not to stage a product push. That approach matters because meaningful collaborations often start in conversation, not in a sales pitch.
Our contribution to the community is practical and consistent: providing access to responsibly reclaimed Indonesian hardwoods, advising on material suitability and detailing, and being a steady partner for architects who want design durability paired with ethical sourcing. Events like Anakata Series help reinforce that relationship: designers leave with questions and possibilities, and we leave with a clearer sense of how to support their work.
Why this matters now
Material selection is moving beyond aesthetics. Clients and design teams increasingly ask for:
Proof of origin and handling,
Materials that age well in rough conditions
Solutions that minimise waste and re-purpose existing resources
Reclaimed timber answers those concerns when it is sourced, processed and specified with care. The conversations at Anakata Series confirmed that Indonesia’s design community is ready to engage seriously with these issues — from detailed joinery solutions to project-level procurement strategies.
Looking forward
Events like Anakata Series are valuable for the way they connect people — makers to makers, students to mentors, suppliers to designers. It was already at JIA Curated, where Kaltimber’s booth was so inviting that we made many connections as well as winning the Best Booth 2025 Award. Kaltimber came away from the two days with renewed conviction that reclaimed timber has a meaningful role to play in contemporary Indonesian architecture and design, and with practical leads to continue working alongside architects who share that priority.
If you’re an architect or designer who attended the series and would like to continue the conversation about reclaimed timber in your project, Kaltimber is open to collaboration — from sample provision to specification support. We prefer to be part of the process quietly and reliably, helping projects translate design intent into material reality.