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— Photos: S. Mahinsha

Sustainable architecture: Daniel Borg, British sculptor, at work on a bamboo pagoda. The joineries made of bamboo splits and coir lend strength to the hexagonal structure;

Designers everywhere are finding new uses for the graceful plant with a long stem and thin leaves. Exceedingly strong for its weight, it can be used both as a structural element and as a decorative material. Emerging uses include flooring and construction of temporary, environment-friendly structures, such as pagodas and cottages.

“Bamboo is a good construction material, structurally comparable with modern building materials,” says Daniel Borg from the U.K., a sculptor interested in natural building techniques. Mr. Borg, who is currently involved in a research project with the Habitat Technology Group here, is delving into the traditional methods of construction using bamboo.

“Joinery is a major challenge in building with bamboo. With the right kind of joinery for load support, bamboo can be used to build any kind of structure,” he says.

To prove his point, Mr. Borg came up with a four-metre-high pagoda built entirely of local bamboo and coir rope. Using local labour, the structure was erected on the premises of the VJT Hall in the city during a lifestyle expo recently organised by the Centre for Cane and Bamboo, a city-based research and advocacy agency.

The hexagonal structure, built in two tiers, uses small pieces of bamboo to hold the crossbeams in place. To prevent slipping, the rope is threaded through holes in the joineries and at the end of the pillars and crossbeams. The nails are also made of bamboo.

“The traditional methods of building with bamboo are informative. During my research into the subject, I found that pegs and ropes were commonly used in Southeast Asia for bamboo structures. The hexagonal design was adopted for its inherent strength.”

The entire pagoda was designed to rest on small wooden plates placed on the ground without burrowing into the soil. The roof was made of bamboo mats. Mr. Borg claims that the structure could be built in about 12 hours and dismantled in less than half the time. “It can be used as a cottage in tourist resorts or beaches or as a garden pagoda,” he says.

Mr. Borg points out that maintenance is a limitation when bamboo is used outdoors.

“It needs treatment, both for weather- proofing and protection from insects.”

The strength of bamboo comes from its integral structure. Botanically classified as a grass, bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants on earth and easy to harvest. Studies have proved that bamboo is comparable to steel in strength. Built with the proper connection techniques and design, it is capable of withstanding earthquakes. With proper joinery, it can be used to create incredible spans.

As a lightweight material, bamboo is easy to transport and work with. The city-based Centre Of Science and Technology For Rural Development (Costford) set up by Laurie Baker, the illustrious pioneer of low-cost building technology, has used bamboo to reinforce concrete steps and to replace steel rods in slabs. Bamboo stalks are used for foundation piling in coastal areas where steel rods tend to rust in the saline environment and for reinforcement of surface beams in foundations.

A completed pagoda blends well with the natural settings.

Some of the recent applications of bamboo include staircase railings, balustrades and slanted windows in houses.

There are few materials that are as flexible enough to be used for a variety of applications, such as flooring, furniture, building structures and decorative materials. Another advantage of bamboo is that it goes well with the traditional style of architecture and imparts an ethnic touch to any type of room decor.

M.R. Anilkumar, managing director, Kerala State Bamboo Corporation, says, “All over the world, bamboo is today accepted as an eco-friendly substitute to synthetic building materials and in interior decor. High-end uses range from furniture, panel boards, flooring tiles and structural elements in housing.”

The corporation is planning to launch interlocking floor tiles made of flattened bamboo boards. The technology will be sourced from China.

“The booming global demand for bamboo products represents an opportunity for Kerala. With the right kind of design and technology inputs and artisan support schemes, the State can emerge as a major player in this sector,” says C.P.John, director of the Centre for Cane and Bamboo.

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