From Transit Space to Third Space: A Critical Regionalist Study of Bus Stop Design in Bali

Abstract

Bali has experienced a significant increase in the use of public transportation in recent years. Public transportation systems require supporting infrastructure that functions as transit spaces for users transferring between modes of transportation. Bus stops are understood as transportation infrastructure that serves as temporary transit and waiting spaces. In Bali, bus stops exhibit diverse forms and design characteristics that extend beyond their primary function as transit infrastructure and have the potential to generate varied spatial experiences for users. This study aims to analyze the diversity of forms and design characteristics of bus stops in Bali and to identify their potential as third spaces through the perspective of Critical Regionalism. The study employs a qualitative approach using field observations, visual documentation, interviews with the Dinas Perhubungan Provinsi Bali and document analysis. The collected data are analyzed through three main stages: data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification. The findings are expected to demonstrate that the diversity of bus stop designs not only produces variations in architectural form but also contributes to different spatial experiences for users. Bus stops are therefore not merely regarded as transit facilities but also as public spaces capable of fostering aesthetic and social experiences, as well as a sense of place, through design responses that are sensitive to the local context of Bali.