THE BAMBOO BOTTLES BARGE THE BAMBOO BOTTLES BARGE

from LARCH 414: Design Activism Studio [English]

Afterward

Existing Conditions

Injuries from Falls: ~74% of residents report falling on the floating path. Rainy weather amplifies slipping risks.

Trash Pollution: Collected from upstream, the city, and the neighborhood, this increases disease transmission and reduces the aesthetic quality of life.

Waterborne Pathogens: Contaminated water (particularly from fecal matter) increases prevalence of cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and polio.

Proposed Prototype

Bamboo: Used for increased scarcity of Topas

Safety Edge Fencing: Found in community

Twine: Tying (rope, belts, etc.) common way of securing; sealed with wax for durability

Plastic Bottles: Abundance of trash (upstream and city)

Low River Season High River Season ~60cm

1. TRASH COLLECTION 2. FRAME CONSTRUCTION

Construction does not require the use of power tools. Instead, fishmouth cuts are paired with combinations of cross joints, lateral joints, and corner joints, and bound together with clove hitch knots, square, and cross lashing.

Storage Access

Upstream collection of trash using fishing nets and Camu Camu trees during high river season, in addition to community collection during Mingas. x 2

3. WALKWAY

For a 1m pathway segment, both sides together hold ~500 plastic bottles.

Bamboo has a tensile strength of ~60 pounds per meter. The direction of the split bamboo (perpendicular to foot traffic) and a guard rail mitigate slipping and falling risks.