WORKSHOP: Goa, India 2006

workshop: Building with Bamboo location: Colvale, Goa, India participants: Children of El Shaddai street child rescue sponsor: Architects 4 Aids/Reid Architecture facillitators: Chris Gregory (Reid Architecture) and Wan S. Sophonpanich date: September 2006

As part of a gateway into the new Sustainable Village being planned, the Bamboo Building workshop was structured to introduce the boys to bamboo as a building material, dispelling the usual asociation of it as poor man's material, and allowing them to get a feel for basic structural principles while giving them a chance to work with their hands, building their first structure together as a community.

Straw as Model introduces basic structural principles, using straw to test strength and make possible model for bamboo construction. The exercise starts from the most basic attempt at spaning the gap, to strenghtening the span by making grids, to adding diagonal members with cross bracing, to adding the third dimension with cubes and to use of triangulations.

After each exercise, the models are tested and compared with previous ones. We then had a look at the pre-cut bamboos that are outside the house, getting familiar with its strength and flexibility.

Unanimously the boys agree to build a bridge to span a small creek on site, connecting the house they live in now and the rest of the site and work on clearing vegetations from the site and surrounding area got under way. Once the ground was levelled, stones were found and placed on either side of the creek to support the bamboo structure.

Discussions were made with the carpenter, Mahadev, on the best way to carry out the construction.   It was agreed that the bridge is to be constructed off site; the bridge is to be 2m by 4m.

Mahadev showed the boys how to prepare the bamboo, cleaning the ridges and scraping the cut edges, etc.   before being nailed into place along the 3 main support bamboos and then tied with coconut ropes. The bridge was then carried and place onto site. Discussion on frame construction for the bridge to provide handrails and added strength; bamboos were cut and prepared.

We debated between using an A-frame and rectangular frames on the bridge and all agreed to make A-frame as this requires less pieces of bamboos, less construction time but still providing the required strength.

The 2x two long half-bamboos were positioned to form a V and bolted together, these were then carried out to the site. A short piece of bamboo was then put in between the two V shape joints and tied together. The frame was then lifted and fitted over the bridge and tied down in four corners and the handrail nailed and tied onto the frame.

The strength of the bridge is again tested - it is noticeably stronger but still has slight bend.   Cross bracing is tied between handrail and floor of bridge.