How Nuanu is turning real estate into a sustainable movement
MANILA, Philippines — In a quiet stretch of Tabanan, Bali, a different kind of development is quietly taking root. Spanning 44 hectares of tropical landscape, Nuanu Creative City is positioning itself not just as a lifestyle destination, but as a sustainable model for how people might live, work and create in the future.
At the heart of its vision is a guiding principle – build less, but better.
“We’ve seen developments around the world lose value because they overbuild,” said Lev Kroll, CEO of Nuanu. “Here, we’re intentionally developing less than what’s allowed – not just for the environment, but because it protects long-term property value.”
That philosophy blends business logic with ecological restraint. Since its launch, Nuanu has invested over $150 million, with more than $30 million dedicated to infrastructure. Over 50 active projects are underway, including creative studios, schools, an immersive art park and a wellness complex. These are all supported by Nuanu’s new residential brand: Nuanu Real Estate.
But while Nuanu is anchored in physical spaces, its leadership sees the project as much more than land and buildings.
“Our goal is to attract the brightest minds – artists, entrepreneurs, innovators,” Kroll said. “Whether they’re creating art or designing AI-powered city governance tools, we want to build a place where added value is driven by talent. In a global economy, that’s what makes a place relevant.”
To do that, Nuanu leans into its identity as a Creative City where public installations, cultural programming and even education are treated as infrastructure. The campus hosts ProEd Global School, Aurora Media Park, the Earth Sentinels by Daniel Popper and Lumeira, a domed wellness complex for sound healing and hydrotherapy.
Though values drive the project, Kroll makes it clear: Nuanu is still a business.
“We’re not a charitable endeavor,” he said. “We’re a business trying to prove that doing good can also be a great business strategy.”
Each project within Nuanu, from restaurants to villas, has its own profit model, projections and performance targets. But alongside traditional key performance indicators (KPIs), the team also tracks sustainability indicators, talent attraction and community impact.
“We are a double bottom line company,” Kroll said. “Profit is one metric. But we’re also asking, are we creating a place people want to come back to? Are we surprising them? Are we helping them feel something deeper than just convenience?”
Behind the beauty of the campus is a more traditional machine. Kroll says the real secret to scaling is not just vision, but governance and technology. “Whether it’s a hotel or a garden, success depends on two things: the quality of management and the quality of systems,” he said.
“We’re bringing an information technology (IT) mindset to a traditionally rigid industry. Not to erase hospitality but to help talented people do amazing work with the support of good tools.”
The long-term vision
By 2035, Kroll hopes Nuanu will be more than a stop on the Bali map. He wants it to be the reason people come to Bali.
“Our goal is to become the number one destination in Southeast Asia not just for travelers, but for creators, learners and people looking for meaning,” he said.
Plans are underway to launch international art fairs and food festivals, which would position Nuanu as one of the region’s top culinary and creative hubs. But the deepest goal, Kroll said, is intangible.
“We want to build a place where people want to hug their neighbors,” he said with a laugh. “Where community is the real engine. That’s hard to measure, but it’s the most valuable thing we can build.”
For now, the strategy seems to be working. Villas are selling fast, creative programs are expanding and word is spreading. Nuanu may be a real estate project on paper, but on the ground, it’s shaping up to be something far more powerful: a place where business and beauty coexist.
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