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b a m b o o
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l th e u l t im a t e g u id e to g ro w b am boo ................................ by c hin min z he
Table of Contents Chapter 1 - Researches and Case Studies 1.1 abstract .................................................................................... 7 background and issues ...................................................... 8 1.2 bamboo ................................................................................... overview ................................................................................. why bamboo .......................................................................... bamboo in malaysia ........................................................... genera and species ............................................................. harvesting and treatment ................................................... construction techniques ......................................................
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1.3 case studies ......................................................................... 22 1.4 concept statement ............................................................... 26 1.5 feasibility studies ................................................................... 29 Chapter 2 - Natural Bamboo l investigating standardized bamboo modules 2.1 arch study ................................................................................. 36 2.2 ground interface study ......................................................... 56 2.3 bundling joint study .............................................................. 62 2.4 roof interface study ............................................................... 66 Chapter 3 - Bamboo composite l pushing boundaries of bamboo material 3.1 test 1 - bamboo stick + cornstarch .................................. 80 -3.2 3.3 test 2 - split bamboo + cornstarch ...................................100 -3.4 3.5 test 3 - split bamboo + cornstarch + sand.....................112 -3.7 3.8 test 4 - split bamboo + cornstarch + cement................126 -3.10
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Chapter 4 - Bamboo Five Points of Architecture 4.1 scaffolding facade ..................................................................146 . 4.2 in-between space ...................................................................152 4.3 structural distributors.............................................................158 4.4 community engagement ......................................................164 4.5 recyclable material ................................................................172
Acknowledgement Reference
..................................................................184 . ...................................................................186
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chapter 1 l rese a rc h e s a n d c a se st ud ie s
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ABSTRACT
Current construction industry is dominated by cement, steel and glass, which are primary producers of greenhouse gases. Production of these materials requires large amount of fossil fuel-based energy; hence, releasing a lot of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. This issue is concerning because anymore increase in temperature would cause extreme weather events to occur, which will eventually makes the earth no longer suitable for living. In fact, building industry accounts for one third of the total Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, so there is an urgent need to search for an alternative material that has the potential to replace concrete and steel. Bamboo is identified to possess the ability to provide for a greener future. It is a highly renewable material quoted as the 21st century ‘green steel’ by a Vietnamese architect Vo Trong Nghia (Clarissa 2016). However, the scepticism on bamboo durability and the lack of technology for bamboo production are the factors holding back the society in large scale usage of bamboo construction. Hence, this project aims to investigate the viability of bamboo material in future construction industry.
SUSTAINABILITY IS NOT A BRANDING, BUT A CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE. ‘C urrent mode of material production for concrete and
steel which relies heavily on fossil fuels combustion is bridging the way to the earth’s destruction; hence, there is a pressing need to call for an alternative building material that could pave the way towards realization of sustainable development. Bamboo is proposed to be the game changer. ’
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Sustainability. Sustainability is ‘the ability to continue a defined behavior indefinitely’; while to define ‘environmental sustainability’, Herman Daly (1990) proposed three main pointers:
What does increase in carbon emission mean? Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement is the manifestation of the indifference attitude towards carbon emission and the responsibility as a temporary resident on earth.
1. Renewable resources - sustainable yield Harvesting rate should not exceed regeneration rate
2. Pollution - sustainable waste disposal Waste generation rate should not exceed the environmental assimilative capacity
3. Non-renewable resources - replacement of nonrenewable sources Depletion of non-renewable resources should be compensated with renewable sources
The devastating impact of increment in atmospheric carbon content is due to its nature as a contributor to global warming. Global temperature has increased 4 degree Celsius in 30 years; this is concerning because any increase in global temperature would raise the risk of various environmental issues such as extreme weather events and threatened ecosystems.
Issues. However, current construction industry is dominated by cement, steel and glass, which the non-renewable resources are not in line with the global effort towards sustainable development (Mardiana and Riffat 2015). According to the 4th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), building-related greenhouse gas is expected to rise from 8.6 billion metric tons t CO2e in 2004, to 15.6 billion t CO2e in 2030, with growth of 26%. Besides, carbon dioxide emission from buildings account for 30-40 % of the total greenhouse gas emissions (IPCC 2007). Moreover, building sector contributes as much as one third of the global greenhouse gas emission as result of fossil fuels-based production (Mardiana and Riffat 2015); hence, environmental issues need to be tackled from the aspect of construction sector in order to achieve a significant impact.
With reference to IPCC fifth Assessment Report (2014) on global temperature increment, following the current carbon emission rate, the global temperature is pacing towards 5 degree Celsius increment in 100 years. The earth will reach a state when it is no longer safe for occupation, and thus, the extinction of human being on earth is just a matter of time if no actions are taken. Hence, ‘Sustainability’ should no longer be a gimmick to promote product or property sale, but to be seriously dealt with. Current mode of material production for concrete and steel which relies heavily on fossil fuels combustion is bridging the way to the earth’s destruction; hence, there is a pressing need to call for an alternative building material that could pave the way towards realization of sustainable development. In this thesis project, bamboo is proposed to be a potential alternative material to replace concrete and steel in construction industry; as a game changer to the critical global environmental issue.
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Bamboo An overview.
B amboo
has always been regarded as symbol of strength, grace and endurance. The enigmatic beauty of bamboo forest is frequently portrayed in paintings or jade carvings. As the ancient Chinese literary saying goes, “风来笑有声，雨过净如洗。有时明月来，弄影高窗里。” 《咏竹》纪琼
‘With storm, bamboo bends; when storm ceases, it stands’, bamboo is the symbol of harmony between nature and living beings on earth (Ibuku n.d.). According to the research by Andam (1995), bamboo is discovered to have comparable tensile strength as steel and compression strength as concrete, not to mention its environmentally friendly quality and being a locally accessible material in Malaysia. Before the days of man on earth, bamboo already existed as natural raw materials; it is a wonder why human being diverted their attention away, and proceeded with exploration on steel and concrete.
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Why bamboo? Bamboo is known for its unbelievable growing rate as it could grow up to 1.25 meter height in just 24 hours. Furthermore, It only takes 3-5 years for bamboo to reach its mature state to be harvested while a fir tree requires 12 to 15 years to be gathered. A major side effects with constructing wood building is deforestation, which requires tedious and costly replanting work. However, chopping bamboo pole off its main culm does not kill the plant, but instead the remaining bamboo regenerates with even denser fiber (Chua 2012). Zero Emission Research Institute (ZERI) has published a study report on bamboo, which uncovers that bamboo not only absorbs 4 times more carbon dioxide than usual plants, but also produces 35 percent more oxygen. The dense distribution of bamboo in a forest makes it sequester 17 times more carbon than a typical tree forest. With the above mentioned figures, bamboo is believed to be the solution to sustainability issues prevailing today, particularly the excessive carbon amount in the atmosphere. While construction industry contributes one third of the carbon gases, usage of bamboo in construction sector is able to make significant changes to the environment. Hence, this thesis project aims to use bamboo to envision an environmentally sustainable future for tropical cities.
Bamboo in Malaysia. Bamboo is deeply rooted in Malaysia and is never foreign to the locals. In the past, the people built houses using locally available materials in tropical forest, namely timber, rattan, bamboo and leaves. Besides, there are also various ways in which bamboo is used traditionally in villages ranging from fencing, laundry-drying bars, musical instructions to woven walls and ceiling panels. However, due to the lack of interest in this so called ‘poor man’s timber’, it was left unexplored until the recent revival of bamboo architecture. Bamboo is widely distributed in Malaysia. Most of the Malaysian bamboos grow in clumps, on river banks, lowland forests as well as hillsides and ridge tops (Azmi and Appanah n.d.)
Genera and species.
M alaysia has around 70 species of bamboo, with 50
of them in Peninsular Malaysia. The 10 main genera are Bambusa, Chusquea, Dendrocalamus, Dinochloa, Gigantochloa, Phyllostachys, Racemobambos, Schizostachyum, Thyrsostachys and Yushania (Wong 1989). The most commonly planted species are Gigantochloa scortechinii, G. levis, G. ligulata, Dendrocalamus asper, Bambusa blumeana, Schizostachyum grande and S. zollingeri. Valuable species in Malaysia suitable for construction include Gigantochloa Scortechinii, Dendrocalamus asper and Dendrocalamus pendulus. Dendrocalamus asper has been replaced by Gigantochloa Scortechninii, as the most popular bamboo species for construction-related usages in Malaysia.
15 Schizostachyum Zollingeri ● Growth altitude from 50-200m, which can be easily found at Johor Bahru ● Can be used for construction (non load bearing) ● Diameter 5-7mm, lightweight, differentiated from main structural bamboo
Schizostachyum Grande ● requires high altitude for growing (400m) ● Diameter 8-11mm, yet not suitable for construction
Gigantochloa Scortechinii ● requires high altitude for growing (400-800m) ● Grows up to height of 20m ● Diameter 9-11mm, can be used for load bearing element in construction
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Harvesting and Treatment Process.
T o obtain ideal bamboo products, the proper post-
harvesting process must be followed strictly to prolong durability, which involves treating and drying processes as illustrated: Step 1: Harvesting Step 2: Delivering to site Step 3: Trimming to required size Step 4: Washing with high pressured water Step 5: Treating with boric acid solution Step 6: Drying for 1-2 weeks
Construction Techniques.
O ne of the reasons for the little usage of bamboo
in construction lies with the complexity of joinery and the variation in sizes of different bamboo which make bamboo difficult to work with. This section documents the variety of joinery systems of bamboo to facilitate understanding on bamboo joinery systems. Information was obtained from Schröder’s (2012) “Bamboo Joints and Joinery Techniques”.
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Traditional joinery. As mentioned by Schrรถder (2012), making good and aesthetically pleasing bamboo architecture is complicated because bamboo is hollow, tapered, and with fluctuation in sizes and distances between nodes. Brilliant ideas have been developed by skilled craftsman in working with bamboo joint, however, they are far from getting widely adopted in modern architecture where universal joining systems has to be solved. If problems with bamboo joinery can be addressed and simplified, we could foresee broader usage of bamboo in construction sector. Multiple traditional joinery systems are illustrated in the previous page, as a reference to develop greater joinery system.
Modern joinery. Modern joinery system of bamboo involving hybrid of steel and concrete as a method to design for tolerance of fluctuations in bamboo sizes. Information here is extracted from X-Bamboo Design Project (2015). However, there is a question of whether the above steel/ concrete and bamboo hybrid is appropriate as it loses the tectonics or aesthetics of a bamboo joinery. Bamboo elements gain strength when they are interwoven, which exudes an ineffable quality that only bamboo material possesses; hence, the weaving joinery system should be further explored.
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Case Studies An overview.
T his
project took inspiration from various Bamboo architects, include Elora Hardy, Vo Trong Ghia and Eleena Jamil. The case studies were deeply investigated as endeaver to search for an improved design solution for bamboo material. During the study of Bamboo Playhouse, I had the opportunity to visit one of the bamboo architects, Eleena Jamil in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), who generously shared her drawings and insights which greatly contributed to this thesis; and I am utmost grateful for that. These case studies then served as the basis for the design solution proposed in the later stages.
23 Bali Greenschool - Hardy Environmentalists and designers John and Cynthia Hardy had a vision for sustainable living, and hence embarked on the journey of building with bamboo to show the world how natural material such as bamboo can be the future (Shim 2010). The architects have revolutionised the contemporary construction method by engaging the local skilled craftsman into the making process. Bamboo is not just used for the building but as scaffolding for construction. In this way, cranes or heavy equipment is not required which minimizes the disturbance on site.
Vietnam Pavilion - VTN Vietnam Pavilion was designed to transform an ordinary warehouse into a pavilion with exciting spaces to house Vietnamese cultural events with wavy arch-shaped bamboo forming the interior spaces inspired by the bamboo forest.
Bamboo City - Penda Penda, a Beijing based design studio has proposed a multi-storey structures built from interlocking horizontal and vertical bamboo poles for the entire city. Similar to VTN architects, Penda explores interweaving structure of bamboo in a different way. The main advantage of the system is its flexibility to allow addition of multiple modules to form larger structures. As compared to Vietnam Pavilion Expo, this system minimizes wastage on material and easier to be constructed.
25 Bamboo Playhouse - Eleena Jamil Eleena Jamil endeavers in promoting bamboo as construction material in Malaysia. In her bamboo project, she explores modularization of bamboo structure to facilitate construction. Eleena believes the way to go forward with bamboo is through designing for prefabricated parts with bamboo, which aligns with the efficient construction system today.
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Concept Statement Current construction industry is dominated by cement, steel and glass, which are primary producers of greenhouse gases. Production of these materials requires large amount of fossil fuel-based energy; hence, releasing a lot of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. This issue is concerning because anymore increase in temperature would cause extreme weather events to occur, which will eventually makes the earth no longer suitable for living. In fact, building industry accounts for one third of the total Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, so there is an urgent need to search for alternative materials that has the potential to replace concrete and steel. Upon realizing the issue, designers such as Elora Hardy, founder of IBUKU design firm has worked with bamboo, which grows abundantly in Asia, to envision a sustainable future for the tropical cities. She has engaged the local skilled craftsman in Indonesia to build their own house and school. Hugely inspired by the architect, this project is intended to promote bamboo architecture in tropical countries. However, the intuitive designs as seen in Bali Greenschool are not in the spirit of modern context where efficiency and cost-effective being the primary concerns for the developers. Hence, in order to widen usage of bamboo in construction sector, this project adopts the concept of industrialization of bamboo material to render it a possible substitute to replace concrete and steel.
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Feasibility Studies An overview.
M ultiple design solutions had been proposed to study
their viability. From modularization to intuitive designs, wide ranges of design possibilities have been studied and documented; they were brought up for discussion within both studio groups or interim presention panel. Criticisms and complements received were equally important in paving the path for this project.
29 Process 1 First iteration explores how bamboo structure is able to form a modular system, which can later be assembled in multiple configurations to accommodate to variety of programs proposed. The modules are stacked up to form a multi-storey building with hybrid structure of bamboo and concrete.
Process 2 Second iteration is inspired by a competition entry for visionary bamboo skyscraper project in Singapore. Exploration was then conducted on modular system that can be replicated to form the entire structure. However, using purely bamboo structure for a high rise typology is not possible with the current technology. This project is not supposed to based on fantastical ideas but a more practical assumption.
Process 3 Third iteration was an exploration on a crafts marketplace that engages the local craftsman in constructing their own building. Whenever there are worn out parts requiring repair, orders can be sent to the marketplace for replacement by the craftsmen. On the other hand, bamboo waste generated by the crafts market can be processed using biomass generator to convert it into electricity to provide lighting.
Process 4 Attempt was made on detailing the residential module to facilitate ease of assembly and disassembly. The idea is similar to a plugin city concept, where one residential unit can be plugged out and replaced with new modules prefabricated at crafts market. However, the bamboo structure shares similar quality with conventional concrete housing. Bamboo has an organic nature that should be explored and manifested in spatial quality. Hence, further innovation is needed to rethink how bamboo shapes the spaces.
Process 5 Iteration 5 is the scheme presented for Interim Critique 3. This scheme is building on the previous concept of designing for replacement. Firstly, skilled craftsman and unskilled aboriginal groups will be employed and undergo training in building the crafts market; when there are any damaged parts, the orders can be sent to the craft market for craftsman to replace. Hence, this establishes an interdependent relationship between craftsman and bamboo building. In any production process, that will be waste, to be exact is 40 percent of waste in a bamboo craft industry. Recycling is difficult with steel and concrete material, but not with bamboo. This is because bamboo is a natural material which can be converted by microbial fuel cells to generate biomass energy. Upon preliminary calculation, the waste is able to provide for 2 hours of lighting for the marketplace daily. However, feedbacks received inform that the architecture appears to be a finished work with no rooms left for future addition of bamboo works to fulfill its purpose as an experimental structure. Perhaps, ‘iconicity’ of the project needs to be set aside to explore a temporary form that can be rebuilt over and over again, as a testing ground for promoting bamboo architecture in Johor Bahru.
31 Process 6 Iteration 6 was the moment of realization of the importance of understanding bamboo as a material for this project. The issue of site context had not been seriously dealt with which was raised as a concern by the critique panel. This was a crucial stage in deciding whether to take on the path as a maker or as a thinker. Hence, I have chosen to work with a maker project that requires structural testing and experiments to truly understand bamboo as a material.
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natural bamboo l inve s t iga t ing st a n d a rd ize d b a m b o o m o du le s
2.1 Arch Study ...................................................................... 36 2.2 Ground Interface Study ................................................... 56 2.3 Bundling Joint Study ....................................................... 62 2.4 Roof Interface Study ....................................................... 66
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chapter 2 l inve s t iga t ing st a n d a rd ize d b a m b o o m o du le s
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Arch Study
Case study - Eko’s ‘Stardust”
View from entrance to Admiralty Park.
Arch structure
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Arch was trimmed out and brought back to as base to conduct the study.
This serves as the starting point of the structural testing.
Process
1. Cutting 1 cm slit
2. Backview. Trimmed to one third of bamboo culm to bend it.
3. Bending is not great enough.
4. Approximately 170 degree bend.
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5. Cutting 2 cm slit
6. Backview.
7. Bending is much greater
8. Approximately 156 degree bend.
9. Making inner arch, cut at 23cm intervals.
10. Cutting 1cm slit.
11. Bending angle approximately 168 degree.
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12. Sketching out the required mechanical fixings for making the arch structure
13. Applied with wood glue to hold in place.
14. In this paper, the making of arch through cutting slit is not ideal as it undermines the structural integrity of the bamboo pole; the proper way of bending a bamboo is through bending the bamboo when heated up to 150 degree celsius, the bamboo will be fixed in shape once it cools down. Cutting slits is an alternative way of making arch in absence of proper tools and workplace for heating.
15. Laying out to study connection
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16. The interface tends to move about due to the curvilinear geometry.
17. Cutting into the bamboo provides better jointing, but might affect structure integrity. Hence, the strength was tested later on to study the viability.
Strength test Without hole
1. Clamping bamboo pole
2. Tightening the clamp bar to the maximum, clamping handle level is marked.
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Strength test With hole
1. Cutting into the bamboo provides better jointing, but might affect structure integrity. Hence, the strength was tested later on to study the viability.
2. Handle bar level is higher, meaning it is more compressed with hole. However, the structure stays intact.
Assembling bamboo arch.
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Completed arch. Center part appears to be weak due to the slit cut on the bamboo; hence, there is limitation in verying the structural integrity.
Structural Test No. 1
Studying bamboo arch taken from Eko’s ‘Stardust’ Arts Exhibition
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Strength Test No. 2
Revised arch design. Structural test conducted to identify weakness to be improved.
Study sketch
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Strength Test No. 3
Added one more layer at the lower and upper part to withstand transferred load from above.
Part section of 1:1 bamboo arch
1. Preparing material for 1:1 arch connection.
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Completed 1:1 section detail study.
Arch study.
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Ground Interface Study
Single bamboo pole + concrete base Process
1. Tried out ground interface. Material: 40cm long bamboo pole, 10x10x10cm cube, bolt as steel bar
2. Sealed mold with silicone sealant. To mix concrete: one part cement + 2 parts sand + water
3. Finished setting up 10x10x10 cm concrete block with steel bar inserted. To be collected 24 hours later. Material used: Approx 500 cement and 1000 sand (ml)
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4. Cured after a day.
5. Internode was filled with grout to secure connection between bamboo and concrete base. Observation: The structure appears to be wobbly although didnt fell apart when force was exerted. The joint detail was adopted to conduct test on connection between a bundle of bamboo pole and a concrete base, which is a revised design that would enhance the rigidity of the joint.
Bundle of bamboo pole + concrete base Process
1. Preparing ground connection with a bundle of bamboo culms as per design.
2. Setting up concrete base with rebar inserted.
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3. Joining bamboo bundles to the base.
4. Fill grout to secure the joint.
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Appears to be much more stable compared to the previous model.
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Bundling Joint Study
Process 1. Working out bamboo intersection with study sketch and preliminary layout.
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Completed 1:1 section detail study.
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Bundling joint study.
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Roof Interface Study
T-junction joint Process
1. The geometry of bamboo culm makes it difficult for connection. ‘fish-mouth’ joint (right) was developed to provide better jointing details.
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2. Filling internode with grout to secure bolt.
3. Top piece was fastened with nut and T-joint was completed; adopted for complex jointing in the next study.
T-junction joint 2 Process
1. Setting up joinery for roof junction.
2. Measuring length required for bolt.
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3. Study sketch.
4. Making recessed for interlocking joint.
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5. Filled internode with 500ml cement and inserted bolt.
Roof and ceiling layers Process
1. Laying out roofing layers.
2. Study sketch.
3. Interlocking split bamboo as roof layers.
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3. Completed roof layer.
4. Ceiling layer.
5. Completed roof joint.
Roof interface study.
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bamboo composite l pus hing b o u n d a ries o f b a m b o o m a te rial
Test 1 - Bamboo Stick + Cornstarch 3.1 Chemical test - 5x5x5cm module ......................... 80 3.2 Structural test - 10x10x30cm module .................. 90 Test 2 - Split Bamboo + Cornstarch 3.3 Chemical test - 10x10x10cm module ...................100 3.4 Structural test - 10x10x150cm beam ...................104 Test 3 - Split Bamboo + Cornstarch + Sand 3.5 Chemical test - 5x5x5cm module .........................110 3.6 Structural test - 10x10x10cm module ..................116 3.7 Structural test - 9x16x130cm beam .....................120 Test 4 - Split Bamboo + Cornstarch + Cement 3.8 Chemical test - 10x10x10cm module ...................126 3.9 Structural test - 9x60x130cm panel ....................128 3.10 Structural test - 30x40x8cm panel .....................136
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chapter 3 l pus hing b o u n d a rie s o f b a m b o o m a te ri al
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Test 1 - Bamboo Stick + Cornstarch
Chemical test - 5x5x5cm module
Step 1: Prepare 5 by 5 cube
Step 2: Peel 5 x bamboo sticks into pieces, prepare a bag of corn flour (400g)
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Step 3: Fill 5cm cube with 9 x bamboo sticks
Step 4: Fill 5cm cube with 130ml water and 120ml corn starch (approx 1:1 ratio), at 4.45pm. check at 12 hour interval
Step 5: Observe after an hour
Step 6: Added one more specimen at 6.10pm, 90ml water, 170ml corn starch (approx. 1:2 ratio) bamboo stick kept constant (9sticks)
Step 7: Added control at 6.30pm water to starch 1:1 ratio, same as 1st specimen
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Step 8: Added specimen C, water-starch 1:1.5 ratio, 60ml water and 90ml starch.
Step 9: Redo sepecimen A at 6pm
Tabulation of data After an Hour Specimen A: water-starch 1:3 Observation: milky, solid texture, no layer of water floating on surface
Specimen B: water-starch 1:2 Observation: one layer of water is floating on the surface, solid texture, not fully cured.
Specimen C: water-starch 1:1.5 Observation: one layer of water on surface, texture not solid,
Control: water-starch 1:1 Observation: a very thin layer of water on the surface, solid texture, not fully cured.
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After 3 Hours Specimen A: water-starch 1:3 Observation: milky, solid texture, dried
Specimen B: water-starch 1:2 Observation: thick layer of water on the surface, solid texture.
Specimen C: water-starch 1:1.5 Observation: thick layer of water, texture semi solid.
Control: water-starch 1:1 Observation: thick layer of water on the surface, solid texture, not cured yet
After 24 Hour Specimen A: water-starch 1:3 Observation: dried, cured, solid.
Specimen B: water-starch 1:2 Observation: cured, solid.
Specimen C: water-starch 1:1.5 Observation: cured, solid.
Control: water-starch 1:1 Observation: cured, solid
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Discussion Top to bottom: Specimen A, B, C and control. Discussion: specimen A appear to be more solid and the mix of flour and water appear to be well mixed. unlike the rest, which water tends to float on top of the surface when left to be dried.
Initial test done. Right to left: specimen A, B, C and Control.
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Test 1 - Bamboo Stick + Cornstarch
Structural test - 10x10x30cm module
1. Filling up mould with 200 x 30cm bamboo sticks.
2. Failed at first due to leaking after pouring in corn starch.
3. Resetting the process with better sealed formwork.
4. Using waste material as fertiliser for plants
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Additional information
To prevent leaking: Glue formwork properly first.
Masking taping, followed by black tape to hold pieces firmly
Material needed: 4 x 240ml water + 12x240ml flour. One 400g bag of flour can fill 2.5x240ml container, need 5 bags to fill the 10x30cm container mould.
Tabulation of data After an Hour Observation: very thin layer of water on surface. liquid texture.
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After 6 Hours Observation: dried, rubber texture, not fully cured.
After 24 Hours Observation: dry. solid texture, underside still wet.
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After 48 Hours Observation: Fully dried, fixed in shape.
After 5 days
Fungus grows on cornstarch
Manage to remove with mold remover
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Strength test
Conducted structural test with 70kg weight. Corn starch is unable to hold bamboo sticks in place.
Structural test on 10x10x30cm module with 70kg load
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Test 2 - Split Bamboo + Cornstarch
Chemical test - 10x10x10cm module
1. one 80cm bamboo culm x 30cm was obtained.
2. Splitting bamboo culm into 22 strips
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3. laying out bamboo fibre, able to fill 10cm x10cm box with 11 bamboo strips obtained previously.
4. pour in mixed cornstarch.
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Result After 16 Hours Observation: solid texture, feels stronger than the previous trials.
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Test 2 - Split Bamboo + Cornstarch
Structural test - 10x10x150cm beam
1. Obtaining 150cm length bamboo culm
2. Split into two
3. Further splitting into 19 strips
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4. Laying bamboo strip in formwork.
5. Strengthning formwork with bracing.
6. Pour in cornstarch.
6. Cured 48 hours later
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Strength test
Before testing
Applying load of 70kg
Revert to original position after load was removed
Cornstarch fell to pieces as its binding ability is not strong enough
Structural test on 10x10x150cm module with 70kg load
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Test 3 - Split Bamboo + Cornstarch + Sand
Chemical test - 5x5x5cm module
1. Prepare 5 by 5 cube
2. Mix cornstarch with sand in 1:1 ratio.
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3. Three specimens were set up with constarch to sand ratio as follow: Specimen A: 1:1 Specimen B: 1:2 Specimen C: 1:3
Tabulation of data After 6 Hours Specimen A: sand-starch 1:1 Observation: well bonded and sollid
Specimen B: sand-starch 1:2 Observation: well bonded and solid
Specimen C: sand-starch 1:3 Observation: not well bonded
Specimens appear to be well bonded and solid except Specimen C. Hence, Specimen A and B were proceeded with tensile strength test.
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Strength test Specimen A: sand-starch 1:1 Observation: exhibit greater bonding strength
Specimen B: sand-starch 1:2 Observation: exhibit weaker bonding strength
Tensile strength test is performed by attempting to pull apart the cubes with hands. Specimen A (Left) appear to be more bonding strength. The reason might due to the higher level of corn starch. Specimen A was chosen to proceed with subsequent test (10x10x10cm cube)
Specimens with different starch-sand ratio
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Test 3 - Split Bamboo + Cornstarch + Sand
Structural test - 10x10x10cm module
1. 10x10x10cm cube is filled with thinner (approx.15mm width) bamboo strips, which densifies the bamboo in relation to bioresin (to be added.)
2. Sand hardens the mixture; hence requires pouring by layers - one layer of binder, one layer of bamboo. Material used: 400ml of constarch, 400ml of sand, 1:1 ratio
3. Collected after 16 hours. Not fully dried yet, harder to cure compared to cornstarch. Proceeded with strength test.
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Strength test Strength test conducted by applying weight of 70kg. The structure fails due to the outward thrust which the bioresin (cornstarch+sand) was unable to withstand.
4. Retested using criscross bamboo layout
5. ...with assumption that arranging the bamboo unilaterally fails to resist shear force. Arranging in criscross manner allows the load to transfer down, instead of thrusting the structure sideways which in the end fails the structure.
6. Observed after 16 hours, still not fully dried. The specimen was collected only after a week when fully cured.
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Strength test Remain intact after applying load of 70kg.
Fell apart when dropped to ground from height of 1m.
The tested product exhibits significant improvement in terms of compression strength; hence, was used to proceed with 90x160x1300 beam profile.
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Test 3 - Split Bamboo + Cornstarch + Sand
Structural test - 9x16x130cm beam
1. Preparing for 9x16x130cm formwork.
2. 10x1.3m split bamboo to fill one layer in crisscross layout.
3. Finished setting up. Used 14 packs of 400gram cornstarch.
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4. Cured after a week.
5. After lacquered and left for a week. Surfaces peeled off suggesting insufficient bonding strength of the composite.
Strength test - compressive
Able to withstand compressive strength of 70kg load.
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Strength test - tensile
Before testing
Applied load of 70kg
Structure cracked and deflected downwards
Observed after load released. The structure failed to achieve structural integrity
Structural test on 10x10x150cm module with 70kg load
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Test 4 - Split Bamboo + Cornstarch + Cement
Chemical test - 10x10x10cm module
1. Test out cornstarch-cement mix with 100ml cement to 600g (1.5 bags) of cornstarch; approximately 10 percent of cement to 90 percent cornstarch.
2. Cured the next day. Solid texture.
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3. The product is very solid, able to withstand 70kg load without any bamboo strengthening. The mixture is then proceeded with panel test in the next step.
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Test 4 - Split Bamboo + Cornstarch + Cement
Structural test - 9x60x130cm panel
1. Preparing for 9x60x130cm formwork.
2. One layer spacer at the bottom before starting to lay split bamboo.
3. Finished setting up in a crisscross manner.
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4. Split bamboo tends to float on cornstarch composite, loads were used to press them down.
Observation
24 hours. Not cured yet.
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48 hours. Rubber texture. Not fully cured.
Collected after a week. Panel cracks and fell off.
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48 hours. Rubber texture. Not fully cured.
Panel material continuously broke into smaller pieces and fell.
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Fell into pieces when attempting to take it out of formwork.
10 l Test 4 - Split Bamboo + Cornstarch + Sand Structural test - 30x40x8cm panel
1. Setting up formwork, ready for casting.
2. Cast with cornstarch and sand in 1:1 ratio.
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3. Completed after lacquering over. The mixture is proved to be more feasible than the previous trial which mixed cement with cornstarch. However, the surface material still scattered off a little which suggests the insufficiency in bonding strength.
Panel study.
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bamboo l f ive p o in t s o f a rc h i t ectu re
4.1 Scaffolding Facade............................................................146 4.2 In-between Space.............................................................152 4.3 Structural Distributors.......................................................158 4.4 Community Engagement..................................................164 4.5 Recyclable Material...........................................................172
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Designer’s words ‘Bamboo Five points of Architecture’ took reference from Le Corbusier’s five points of architecture for reinforced concrete. Architecture took so much influence from material invention to the extent that reinforced concrete has been shaping the way we live for decades. This thesis had been worked on with huge focus on bamboo as a material, which would in turn transform into architecture that paints different colours and contours on the city skyline. Hence, this chapter proposes the visions for bamboo architecture, suggests ways on how this natural material could provide us a moment to rethink our work and live environment.
chapter 4 l 5 p o in t s o f a rc h i t ectu re
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scaffolding facade l five points of architecture
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Scaffolding Facade
Villa Savoye: Clean facade with stretch of ribbon windows
Ribbon Window Concrete offers a different language of post and beam; hence, allows for the facade to be lined with continuous openings that provide views to the interior.
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Scaffolding facade as the tropical architectural expression
Scaffolding facade The wide usage of bamboo scaffolding in Hongkong inspired the idea of leaving the last layer of scaffolding unremoved, which eventually becomes the facade that functions as a climatic shield against sun, yet allowing natural ventilation within the building. The functional scaffolding facade is then proposed as the new architectural aesthetics in the tropics.
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in-between space l five points of architecture
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In-between Space
Domino house
Free plan Le Corbusier proposed that the column beam structural logic allows for flexible design of the ground floor, known as the ‘free plan’. In domino house, such idea is clear as it was suggested to be an architectural model for the builders to follow. Despite the cleverness in the idea, decades of implementation of the idea of domino house has eroded the architecture of the place. Hence, in the era of sustainability and awareness of architectural identity, there are calls for improvement to such architecture.
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Veranda
In-between space The naming of the space suggests a semi-open space that allows users to enjoy the comfort of outdoor environment yet shield from the climate such as rain and harsh sunlight. This resembles the ‘Veranda’ of the vernacular Malay house architecture. With creation of the ‘in-between spaces’, it is anticipated that there will be externalization of the inner programs; people starts reading at the front yard, chitchatting at the corridor, cooking together at community kitchen, thus forming a close community reminiscent of the kampung spirit in the past.
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structural distributors l five points of architecture
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Structural Distributors
Form follows materiality
Waterloo station Showcase of the strength of steel members in large span structure.
Villa Savoye Column and beam structural logic of concrete material gives a clean expression.
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Multiple structural distributors
Bugdome Nestlike dome with interlocking bamboo structure suggests the language of bamboo architecture.
Bamboo gains strength by bundling and interlocking which are also the ways to achieve standardized structural module. Hence, this project proposes such characteristics could define the new aesthetics of architecture with bamboo material, hence forming the expression of a network of verticle structures as if a walk through the rainforest.
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community engagement l five points of architecture
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Community Engagement
Cement production
Cement production involves a series of complex processes that are conducted by professionals. The heating process at stage ‘D’ releases huge amount of greenhouse gases, which is the main reason construction sector being the prime contributor to atmospheric carbon dioxide content, thus global warming.
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Bamboo production
On the other hand, working with bamboo is much easier. It can be harvested right at the front yard, and processed into durable material for making furniture or even simple structure by the people. Furthermore, bamboo absorbs 3 times the amount of carbon dioxide than tree does, and releases much greater oxygen into the atmosphere as well.
Establishing local bamboo workers network
City development has given rise to gentrification which shifted the aboriginal groups away from the coast, where the fishermen and farmers’ livelihood depended on. With low literacy and educational qualification of the villagers, it is difficult for them to land a job in modern industrial sector. As result, the percentage of “no permanent work� has increased significantly for Head of House, from 5.5 percent in 2005, to 23 percent in 2010, suggesting more villagers have to depend on ad hoc parttime job opportunities to sustain their family.
This project targets at establishing a standard bamboo manual that could empower the targeted group (primarily aboriginal people) with bamboo making skills, which then forms a group of professional bamboo workers to initiate bamboo industry in Johor Bahru.
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Inspiration from Dr. Milinda
The idea of engaging the locals into making is not without precedent; similar effort had been conducted by Dr. Milinda, who had reintegrated former Colombo solidier into the society by imparting constructing skills to them. Building parts were standardized into simple manual, the skills were then imparted to the retired soldiers; subsequently forming a team of skilled construction workers to build in Colombo.
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recyclable material l five points of architecture
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Recyclable Material
Cement production generates waste
Cement production is a non-cyclical production process. The waste generated is non-recyclable. Moreover, unlike bamboo production which does not involve increment of atmospheric carbon content; with every tonne of cement production, one tonne of CO2 is released into the atmosphere.
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Close-loop production process
On the contrary, bamboo provides opportunity for a close-loop production approach. Used material can be converted into bamboo sticks which has high demand among food industry; it can also be disposed into biomass converter to generate electricity for lighting supply. 21st century is the era of sustainability; the awareness on bamboo as potential alternative construction material arrives at the right time. This project then suggests a possible approach involves industrialization and modernization, as means to go forward with this natural material.
Plantation at Pekan Nanas
Gunung Pulai has an area of 8000 hectare, proposed as potential bamboo plantation.
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Quantifying bamboo plantation To simplify the calculation, 10 hectares (330x330m) of bamboo plantation (gigantochloa scortechinii) at pekan nenas is used for the first calculation.
10 hectares plantation can produce 3800 culms per hectare, 15m height average 1440culm(bamboo building) / 38000culm(10 hectares plantation) x 100% = 3.8% 8000 hectare plantation: 1440culm / 3040000culm(8000 hectare) x 100% = 0.04% Conclusion To generate the whole building, only takes 0.04 percent of the 8000 hectare plantation. In other words, a 10 hectares bamboo plantation is able to produce 2111 bamboo buildings of similar scale to this project in a year.
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A preliminary calculation is done to study the feasibility of biomass energy. Assuming 2 hectare of plantation area will be used for the proposed crafts market, meaning 44,000 kg of bamboo is dedicated to the proposed project. Among 44,000 kg of bamboo, 40% will be waste material for generating electricity =17,600 kg = 17,600kwh of energy annually Assuming 300 light bulbs at ground floor, you need 300 x 0.06 kwh for an hour lighting, = 18 kwh needed for an hour lighting at crafts market. 17,600kwh/ 18kwh =977 hours of lighting can be provided annually. 977hours / 365 days = 2.7 hours of lighting provided daily. Conclusion 2.7 hours of lighting can be provided daily, with 2 hectare of bamboo plantation servicing the craft market. It is a significant figure which helps to close up the bamboo production cycle, with waste generated from the crafts industry converted into electricity and feed back to the building system.
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Designer’s words In a nutshell, this bamboo recipe I am writing is one that opens up possibilities for further research; which would be written as a standard bamboo manual, subsequently imparted to the recruited workers to initiate bamboo industry in Johor Bahru, as effort towards creating a sustainable future for the city.
the end.
Acknowledgement This project can never be done without my parents. I am grateful for their love, care and support throughout my seven years of architectural studies. Being able to work on a thesis topic that excites me so much was a blessing to me; and the person who made it possible was Tomohisa Miyauchi, my studio master, who had brought this project to an altitude I could never imagine. Moreover, I would like to express my gratitude to my fellow studiomates, include Yuheng (TA), Wessie, Shichan, Esther and Alvin who had created a studio environment full of joy and laughters. I would also like to express special thanks to: Crit tutors, include Mr. Fong, Prof. Teckiam, Adrian and bamboo expertise Mr. Aurel and Dr. Ali; who have provided timely feedback during the process; Mr. Neo Seihwa, whose feedback were so crucial in bringing this project back on track in Semester 1; Mr. Sai, who I got my free bamboo supply from, this maker project could never progress without his generousity; Ms. Eleena Jamil, who selflessly shared her bamboo drawings and works with me which greatly broadens my views and knowlege on the material. My past years’ tutors, include Prof. Joseph, Prof. Abel, Seihwa, Prof. Teh, Wenyi, Tess and Madam June. This project is a product of all your teachings, I hope you are proud of it as much as I do.
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