Creating a Suspended Camping Chair with Local Bamboo Species

Hi! My name is Devid and I am a junior architect from Manado, North Sulawesi in Indonesia. During the 11-Day Bamboo Build and Design Course in Bali, I spent some time at the Design and Carpentry Station where I made a Camping Chair. The chair can support itself or it can be hung up like a swing.

Related: An Elegant Balcony Chair Made from Bamboo Rings

I created the Camping Chair because I really enjoy going camping and I wanted to create a portable, swing seat that is easy to take anywhere. This would increase its potential for being used by anyone, which is important when it comes to design. To make the process even more fun, I made it out of different types of bamboo, using species that are native to my home country of Indonesia.

The inspiration for this project came on Day 3 of the 11-Day course, which was Model-Making Day. We spent time at Green Camp (the old Bamboo U campus) and when we were spending time at the Dapur Naga building, it really felt like we were going camping.

There were also some swings on the campus near Bamboo Hall, and I remember a funny moment when Michelle said that the swings were not for us to use, but rather for small children. These moments at Green Camp inspired me to make a chair that can turn into a swing and can be used by everyone.

Related: The Process of Designing a Beautiful Calla Lily-Inspired Chair

To create the chair, I used 2 varieties of Dendrocalamus asper bamboo, which is called Bambu Petung here in Indonesia. I used the blonde Petung to make the laminated ring, which makes the structural frame of the chair. To do this, I made a circle of laminated bamboo with epoxy glue. Seeing this part come together was the most impressive moment for me! Then, I used splits of the black Petung (called Petung Hitam) to make the seat of the swing. Then everything was held together using rope and bolts.

My main takeaway from the last few days at the carpentry station was that it’s ok for your project not to be perfect. I kept wanting my project to be exactly how I planned and designed, but through the process and with the stories shared by the carpenters, I realized that the bamboo is imperfect because it is a natural material. It is these qualities that make bamboo beautiful (and fun!) to work with.

Now it’s your turn to get hands-on! Sign up for our upcoming 11-Day Build and Design Course to bring your ideas to life! Tap HERE to enroll.