Construction Category Posts
Truss Fabrication
One of the main reasons for disuse of bamboo in modern construction is due to a lack of skilled human resources. For better or worse bamboo can not be standardized. Bamboo comes in different shapes and sizes which makes it a very difficult material to work with. Bamboos are very hard to produce in an industrial scale. But we take that as a blessing. Sustainability, we believe, also means scale. It is very difficult to make things sustainable and yet cater to a highly industrialized and consumerist lifestyle. Anyways, to work with bamboo requires lots of patience, creativity, improvisation and obviously skills. One has to treat every bamboo as an individual, as they look and behave differently. With a little bit of encouragement, bamboo can challenge any material. With our primitive tools, we are here fabricating bamboo trusses (10 meters), that are strong, durable and perhaps more elegant than steel.
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Making the bamboo pavilion
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Bamboo Pavilion
Bamboo at work. In the the village of Harsar, where bamboo has been used for ages, this demonstration does indeed come as a revelation. The word “truss” is entering the local vocabularly, and indeed the local sceptics of bamboo are thinking twice. The local carpenters are lining up to learn the new techniques.
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Harsar Construction
Pictures from Construction at our site in Janakpur.
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Thatchted Roof
courtesy: Egr. Pratik Lohani
Here is an example of a thatched roof from Japan. Thatched roof tradition is a somewhat in danger of getting lost because it requires very intricate skills to install. However, properly put thatched roof can last for more then 30 years. The advantages of thatched roof include very good insulation, available local resources, natural beauty and cost effectiveness. The disadvantages include high skills. If not properly installed it can invite mice and bird problems and require high maintenance.
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Bamboo Temporary Shelter
Here is an example of a temporary shelter built by Abari in Janakpur Nepal. It is built as a storage place for all the bamboo that we have treated for the construction. It was designed in order to resist dampness and provide enough air circulation to store and dry the bamboo.
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Bamboo in Laos
A rice field in Harsar, Laos. The elevated bamboo houses are very common in this part of the world. The advantages of elevated houses are protection against flood, snakes, rats. The space in the bottom are also used for storage space.
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A glimpse into the homelessness
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Bamboo Connection
Here is a simple yet elegant bamboo connection as seen in Sukumbasi area. Bamboo strips are weaved together; the tension within hold them together. There is no need of nails or screws.
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A stairway to the Second Floor
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