So, Day 1 of our Emergency Shelter Exhibition prototype. VDD, herestudio, and team.
Quite a time-consuming process, but many hands make light (and social) work.
We reflect, that if you want to build without processed- industrial materials and tools, it takes a lot of labour!
Our prototyping day started early at 11am in Kensington. The trains were replaced with buses so we had an audience every 20 minutes! It was a cool, quiet morning. We were at Mary Ann's house - out on the nature strip.
11:31 This is out worksite from across the road.
11:34 First, we had to split the bamboo into strips so that we could lash laminated beams. Here is Munir, Katherine and Nicole splitting the bamboo with a special tool against a tree.
Video:
11:50 This step is to strip the edges with a blade so that the cut is smooth for construction - and occupation. Both green and flesh sides. Here is Michelle, Soledad, Marjan, Katherine, Munir, Nicole stripping the bamboo. Jim is across the road cheating with the angle-grinder to remove the inside bump of the nodes.
11:52 Munir Michelle Muhammad (Kamil) trying to understand the drawings
11:55 Rouging in the shape - Kamil and Munir sketched out the arc on the grass with spray paint.12:15 Michelle sat in the space to check the size. We are thinking that it's looking a bit small and the scale should change.
12:16 Marjan and Soledad - the bamboo stripping continues
12:33 Kamil and Munir finish pegging in guides for the bamboo to bend inside. There will be 12 bamboo strips in one beam. Munir made a centre point to draw in a radius and marked the level of the floor.
12:45 We then decided to stand it up to make it clearer. Michelle pretends to be one of the kids in the space. We bring in the palettes from Bowens Hardware and dry bamboo from Melbourne Uni FabLab that Katherine and Nicole just picked up in the car. It looks better standing up- much clear and looks bigger, but it still is a bit small maybe, especially with the palette depth included.
12:54 That was looking good, standing it up. So we decided to build it in full to have a look - standing up vertically. 12 strips clamped together, many hands holding it above the palette.
here's a video
13:02 A natural catenary structure formed itself, almost by accident. Nicely, it solved the issue of the low height, instead of a circular form, we ended up with something parabolic, therefore slightly taller and thinner. It gave a nice sense - almost gothic, of human occupation.
13:05 The issue we wondered about, was how to connect the arch to the palettes. Because it was 12 strips thick the inner strips were longer then the outer ones - and hence the base was stepped. We called Shaina (ARUP), who assured us that the downwards force wasn't important, it was just important to tie the structure down well. With only a couple of strips touching, we should tie the lashing down to the base.
13:21 We discussed if for half an hour..
13:47 So, after a fair bit of deliberation, we decided we were happy and roughed out the parabola on the grass. And pegged out the jig.
14:31 AND then it was time for lunch. Mary Ann cooked amazing burritos, fresh salads, sauces. We blogged on our phones.
14:47 Back to work Michelle gets the splitter tool out again to split some more bamboo.
14:58 All in place, the 12 strips with nodes all staggered and ends steps are arranged in the jig. Because the bamboo has a top and a bottom (it grows vertically!) we had to alternate thick and thin ends so that the arch was balanced. We staggered them slightly so that the nodes of the bamboo didn't align.
15:42 Here we are a third of the way through the tedious task of lashing. As well as lashing with natural twine, we drilled a hole with a drill and pegged in a bamboo chopstick each lash to act as a dowel. The chopsticks kept breaking but we eventually got them all in one by one with a developing method. The chopsticks we chose were oblong to lock longitudinally into the bamboo. We used clove hitch knots and simply lashed 20-30cm width of twine each time, sometimes with multiple lengths of twine. We decided to soak the twine in water first so it would stretch and then tighten when it dries.
The twine was tricky to use as it kept fraying apart and breaking. We had to be careful to learn how tight to pull it, and remember to twist it each time we lashed it around the bamboo. Jim found a towel to kneel on, and so that the twine didn't get dirty. The best procedure was with two people, one on each side pulling the twine tight and under the propped up arch.
16:04 Katherine still getting over the halfway mark.
16:43 The last lash is started.. It's tricky to keep the clamp on for the bottom lashes.
17:01 And with a lot of excitement, we finally stand it up! Note the rope at the bottom to hold it into shape. We will keep it tied so that the bamboo does not push out and loosen the lashings as it dries.
17:04 Mary-Ann comes out to get a photo too, with Kamil.
17:08 Michelle orders a few more bamboo poles to be split. Aren't the poles beautiful!
17:13 Pack up time!
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