A "Moonraker"-Inspired House Rises in Bali

Watch enough James Bond movies, and you’re going to get a fascinating architectural tour with a global scope. Sometimes, that can translate into interest in visiting real-world locations that 007 has visited; the floating palace prominently featured in Octopussy is now a hotel, where espionage film aficionados and travelers who enjoy a waterfront stay can relax in luxury.

Even some of the more conceptual Bond locations are making their way from the silver screen into real life. In an article for Dezeen, Jon Astbury wrote about architect Alexis Dornier’s work creating Villa Omah Prana, a luxurious abode in Indonesia. While the home itself is located on terra firma, Dornier took inspiration from a location high above the planet’s surface: specifically, the space station that’s featured prominently in Moonraker.

“Some of the curvature and the atmosphere reference early Ken Adam sketches for Moonraker — especially the clarity of a bold geometric move and the way space can feel choreographed without being theatrical,” Dornier told Dezeen.

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In taking a cue from the set design of Ken Adams, Dornier is drawing inspiration from one of the greatest production designers of his generation. Adams, who died in 2016 at the age of 95, worked on a number of Bond films over the years; he was responsible for the look of Spectre’s volcano headquarters in You Only Live Twice. He also collaborated with Stanley Kubrick on the likes of Dr. Strangelove and Barry Lyndon, the latter of which earned him the first of two Academy Awards.

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If a 2024 interview with Dornier is any indication, a Moonraker-inspired house is something of a full-circle moment for him. “As a child, I was fascinated by the architectural backdrops featured in nearly all the James Bond films I watched, which sparked my initial interest in the field,” he told Prestige. “This early passion eventually resurfaced and I studied architecture in Berlin.” His architectural practice eventually led him to Indonesia, and the rest is history — with a bit of onscreen espionage in the mix.

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Tobias Carroll

Tobias Carroll lives and writes in New York City, and has been covering a wide variety of subjects — including (but not limited to) books, soccer and drinks — for many years. His writing has been published by the likes of the Los Angeles Times, Pitchfork, Literary Hub, Vulture, Punch, the New York Times and Men’s Journal. At InsideHook, he has…