Crafting a Bamboo Screen Divider

By Craig Madgwick | January 27, 2023 | Alumni - Projects -

Follow Craig’s journey of crafting a decorative room divider made of bamboo in just three days.

During the 11 Day Bamboo Build and Design Course in Bali, we dedicate the second part of the course for students to either immerse in a full-scale bamboo structure or to work with master carpenters and a resident designer to fulfill a prototype for a small-scale bamboo object or furniture piece. In so doing, it is our aim that working hands-on with bamboo will give students a deeper understanding of bamboo as a building material.

Last August 2022, Craig joined us from Australia to reconnect with nature and his love of design and hands-on construction. Craig spent the second half of the 11 Day Bamboo Build and Design Course at the design and carpentry station working on the design and build of a room divider.

Designing and Crafting the Decorative Screen

The outer edge of the screen was cut into curves using the rup rup technique. This is a process where v-shaped cuts are made along the axis of the bamboo pole, the closer the cuts the more pronounced the curve will be. The curved rim was then connected with bamboo split panels which were woven to create a criss cross pattern. Local black bamboo called bamboo Bono, was used. The panels were hinged together using raw hide, an Ethiopian method shared by Jörg Stamm which created a functional and beautiful finish to the product.

The outer edge of the screen was cut into curves using the rup rup technique. This is a process where v-shaped cuts are made along the axis of the bamboo pole, the closer the cuts the more pronounced the curve will be. The curved rim was then connected with bamboo split panels which were woven to create a crisscross pattern. Local black bamboo called bamboo Bono, was used. The panels were hinged together using rawhide, an Ethiopian method shared by Jörg Stamm which created a functional and beautiful finish to the product.

Since we started having a Design & Carpentry Station during our Bamboo 11-Day Build and Design Course, it has been a hub of innovation and creativity in bamboo furniture and product design. The bamboo projects mentioned above are only a handful of examples amongst the many dozens that have been designed during the course.

We are really looking forward to hosting more creative people to see designs like these flourish in-person. The new 11-day course starts in March 2023, find out more about the course here.