R. Stouffs, P. H. T. Janssen, S. Roudavski, B. Tunçer (eds.), Open Systems: Proceedings of the 18th International Conference of the Association of Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia CAADRIA 2013, 000–000. © 2013, The Association for Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia (CAADRIA), Hong Kong
GENERATRIVE BAMBOO HOUSE: N4+ GLUEBAM HOUSE/石榴居 CHO CHUNG MAN School of Architecture, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China muwei.hust@gmail.com, jojowasmydog@gmail.com
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MU WEI Executive Director, Advance Construction Information Development muwei.hust@gmail.com
Abstract. "Glued bamboo prefabricated construction system", developed by the Advanced Architecture Lab (AAL) together with the bamboo institute of the Chinese Academy of Forestry. The Glue-bam investigation is a three years long research project in Huazhong University of Science and Technology Advanced Architecture Lab sponsored by Advance Construction Information Development (ACID). Integrating computational design application with material to achieve DIY housing through parametric computational aid designing, bringing designers closer to its client.
The Project aims to transform the rich bamboo resource in China into the industrialized building structure material. "Glued bamboo prefabricated construction system" advocates a social design, social produce solution and a customizable construction system upon prefabrication. Keywords. Design-it yourself; Glue Laminated Bamboo; Generative Construction
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1. Introduction
China, one of the fastest growing countries, faces fierce demand for mass public housing and emergency relieve housing. The energy waste, deforestation and material wastage in the construction industry place a big challenge in the future development of China cities. This unprecedented growth in demand call for the search for a fast, sustainable, reliable and mass customizable housing made readily available to the access of the masses. With variations of contexts, climates and locations, the generative bamboo house need to reach a set of solutions (fabrication data) that is task-specific and geological specific reacting to the users’ primary inputs and needs. This research combines a bamboo material research with digital research in generative approaches in the design of bamboo-housing typologies. To facilitate a "design-it-yourself" design to construction process that is fully automated, providing a sustainable, versatile, and rapid instant housing typology for the general masses. 2 On Bamboo As one of the fastest-growing plant on Earth, Bamboo is a vernacular material commonly used by the Chinese. Notable for its economic and cultural significance, bamboo could be groomed in various climatic conditions, providing a versatile, reliable, sustainable raw material as a building product. Our research partners, the bamboo institute of the Chinese Academy of Forestry, specialize in glued bamboo board concluded that the material embedded energy is 2300MJ lower and carbon dioxide is 370kg lower per meter square than typical reinforced concrete system. Through a systematic treatment of airing, hot/cold pressing, heating and high pressure gluing, the bamboo board is structurally stable, passing the JAS (日本农林标准).
3. The Generative Bamboo House Understanding the different needs and considerations of the context, constrains and functions guides us to create specific typology for the generative bamboo housing. The Bamboo Single House for the rich, Incremental Bam-
GENERATRIVE BAMBOO HOUSE: N4+ GLUEBAM HOUSE/石榴居
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boo House for the extension of row houses, Emergency Bamboo House for emergency needs, High Density Bamboo House for alternative addition for high density cities like Hong Kong are four housing typologies AAL identify and aims to tackle. Simplicity and convenience is given a high priority for the programming of the generative bamboo house. The app (on i-pad) is perceived to be a simple drawing program that can be generated into fabrication data which can be ordered through online platform. For our first prototype, the single housing typology, the user input is two basic polyline, one is the profile section of the house and the other is a plan curve of the fringe of the building. The programming background would optimize structural requirement, number and location of screws, distance and location of frame members, component and mass-fabrication of similar components.
4. First Prototype Build mainly by student volunteers, the First Prototype of the generative bamboo house is completed in 25 days with simple tools like screws, hammer and drills. The material cost is significantly lower at approximately 100,000 RMB (not including labor cost). Some lessons we learn from this construction is the optimization in detailing, a more logical construction sequencing, linking parametric model with BIM to control on site construction, and possibility of pre-fabrication with laser cutting would fasten the process and lessen mistakes. The First Prototype is a beta version of the single family houses; we plan to add more complexity like toilet, double flooring to push the typology more attractive for the general public.
5. IKEA-Able House AAL (Advance Architecture Lab) pushes the boundary of computational in architecture through actual application of the tools we teaches in Huazhong University of Science and Technology. The Generative Bamboo House aims to materialize the idea of a “Design-it Yourself” Ikea-able house which a wide spectrum of people from governments, farmers, etc can design and build their own houses.
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Acknowledgements (sample) The authors would like to acknowledge Dr. Li Baofeng (Dean of Architecture, HUST), Mr Yu Hui (Private Sponsor), Zhou Chao (Chief Architect), Liu XiaoHu (Advisor) and all the student volunteers making this research possible.
References Sass,L.Instant House: Design and digital fabrication of housing for developing environments. CAADRIA 2006 , caadria 2006 proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Computer Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia,Kumamoto Japan, 30 March2006, pg 209-216 W.Yueng, J.Harkins .Digital Archi For Humanitarian Design. CAADRIA 2010 , caadria 2010 proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Computer Aided Architectural Design Research in Hong Kong, China, 30 March-2010, pg 413-422