Building a Curved Structure Using Heat Bent Bamboo

We familiarized ourselves with the project and its processes, as well as discussed our goals for the coming days. We were very excited to explore this new technique whilst continuing to discover alongside our students the wonderful potential of bamboo as a construction material. At the heat bending station, the team prepared some of the main arches for the structure. We witnessed how the bamboo changes color when exposed to high temperatures and with the help of a thermal camera, we were able to measure the exact temperature of the bamboo before reaching its breaking point. This was fascinating data that helped us continue with our experiment.

At the construction station, the team built the main skeleton of the project using the Thyrsostachys siamensis bundles. This day was all about learning and observation. Despite having an overall work plan, it was crucial to understanding the behavior of the structure to make decisions for the next steps.

By the end of the day, we successfully set the main structural heat-bent arches in place. It gave us a lot of satisfaction to start seeing how the building was taking shape!

On day two, we made significant progress. Orin instructed the team on how to mix epoxy resin and hardener to use as a strong adhesive. This mixture was applied to the rebars on the foundations, and later on, we punctured the nodes of the Thyrsostachys siamensis poles to fix the main arches of the structure, ensuring stability at the base. Jörg Stamm provided a valuable suggestion by proposing placing a large X on the main arches to locate the midpoint. This helped us obey the structure's geometry and bring us closer to the desired shape.

Another crucial step we began was installing the laminated split arches that eventually will work as support for the main structure, complementing the cross bracings. These secondary arches will facilitate the process of installing bamboo shingles or locally know as  for the roofing.

On this day we worked all together to assemble a 25-meter-long lidi bundle, which will serve as the roof's eave. Pak Wahoe and Pak Putu Abang taught us the lashing technique for the lidi bundle with metal wire first and then bamboo tali (Gigantochola apus) rope. We worked together to finish this bundle in a record time while the other part of the team fixed the laminated split arches to the structure. At the end of the day we installed the lidi bundle and shared exciting discoveries made at the heat bending station.

Day 4 was all about placing the horizontal battens perpendicular to the laminated split arches. Although it was a time-consuming task, the outcome was very rewarding. It was a repetitive process: drill the holes at an angle, place the bamboo pin with glue, and then cut the excess with a chisel and wood mallet. This sequence was repeated the whole day.

With the help of our carpenters, we fixed two heat-bent arches on the top of the structure which were later used as the base and support for the skylight. At the end of the day, our carpenters demonstrated the traditional Indonesian technique of Sirap roofing, showcasing how to install bamboo shingles. The assembly process of the shingles is quite interesting. They have a slot on the outside of the bamboo that attaches to the horizontal battens. They are installed upside down, with the silica facing upwards (convex side), to prevent water from flowing sideways and creating weak spots that could lead to leaks over time. Furthermore, the shingle acts as a natural pipe that causes the water to flow directly down