Bamboo Building
Design to Construction A-Z
by Bamboo Joj
Construction
Live Project
Construction Begins
Bamboo Toolbox
This Project was a 'Live Construction' in multiple ways.
Bamboo itself and it's natural, irregular form, heavily dictates the ways in which elements interconnect. We accounted for flexibility within our initial Design Phase, to allow room for adaptability on site.
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Every day therefore required Engineering Judgment to overcome levelling, bearing and material capacity requirements.
Our Construction began with a Tilt-Up Construction.
This involved creating the geometry of the 5 main frames flat on the ground before craning these into place.
Following this, a lot of concurrent activity began in order infill our restaurant. ​​
These construction videos demonstrate how we created certain connections, added specific design features and document the entire process (In a digestible video format that's easy to follow along). ​​
Follow through chronologically or select a section from the Page Menu above if you're looking for something specific.
Working with Bamboo requires a surprisingly small amount of hand tools. The Bamboo knife it the most important tool in the arsenal for carving and trimming edges. Coupled with a tape measure and a pen you could easily create something structurally substantial with just these tools outlined above.
5 Key Frames
The 5 key Frames (as outline in the Complete Design section), form the skeleton of our structure.
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The frames were constructed flat on the ground to suit the dimensions of our rebar locations in our concrete foundation. With our Bamboo culms being prepared and labelled in the pre-construction phase.
​It's important that the measurements and angle of inclination are correct as these govern the form for the whole building.​
In this section we introduce you to a number of different splice connection types that will be used throughout the entirety of the construction.
We then take you through the craning, propping and shoring process to bring the Frames into place.
Setting out the Frames
Splice Connections
Union Splice Connection
Bamboo Pins
Tilt- up construction meant that we first needed to construct the frames on the ground. Before the build began, during the harvest and treatment phase. some of the material was prepared and labelled to ensure the construction process was more streamline. This allowed us to correlate with our site model and visually communicate with our workers
For the species used on our primary framework, 9m is the constraint length we utilised of the lower culm. After this the structural properties likely fluctuate too much from our design values. For longer spans we therefore needed a way to connect two elements together. There are a variety of joinery methods which require different carpentry skill levels Sketch reference: https://www.guaduabamboo.com/blog/joining-bamboo
To achieve our longer span columns and ties we needed to connect multiple culms yet wanted to maintain a flush ‘invisible’ connection. Union splice connections provide an internal support member with a minimum 90mm tie. For additional strength, splices can also be externally clamped with pinned larger bamboo or a composite fastening
Bamboo Pins help us hold it all together. A part of traditional Bamboo construction, when paired with an appropriate adhesive matrix they provide strong connections that help hold vertically loaded elements and fasten members together.
Threaded Rods
Bamboo Construction begins
Night Shift
Crane Day
Threaded rod connections are a quick and simple method for joining Bamboo Elements together. These can later be strengthened with additional supporting members to reduce the shear loads on the rods, or even injected with mortar, depending on the imposed loading requirements of the respective elements.
Our Bamboo Construction began by building the frames flat on the ground. Using the tools and methods previously discussed. Each frame had unique dimensions, and it was necessary to stack these for construction due to the large scale and restricted space on site.
You’ll be pleased to know this was one of the only Vlogs I’ll post, because my phone storage started getting really full and I realised doing voice overs would probably be more efficient. But after several days of making the frames, we had one final push over the finish line with a nightshift, to finish off any final bits of work and ensure we were prepared for the cranes arrival in the morning
Crane Day!!! I was very excited to erect the first Frame and see the building start to take shape. We used the 6m horizontal beam to attach the crane hook, in order to create a similar tension in both ties and ease the lifting process. Maintaining the column spacing to match the rebar (reinforcement bar) locations, in our foundation was critical.
Propping & Shoring
Frame 2 - Temporary stability
Bamboo Temporary Tie
Bamboo Frames Erected
Before we added the next Frames, it was necessary to temporarily prop and shore the first Frame, to make sure it was structurally able to stand, whilst the Crane was used for Frame 2. Bamboo was used to achieve this, in addition to fabricated scaffolding.
Frame 2 was erected with the crane, in the same way as the first Frame. These were then laterally bound together to allow for a temporary stability system until the rest of the Framework was tied.
Temporary Bamboo Ties are critical to Bamboo construction, allowing us to secure members in place before we add permanent connections. They’re also used to erect temporary scaffolding and platforms to allow workers access
Frames 3,4 & 5 were then craned into place to complete the skeleton and see the structural form begin to take shape.
Main Restaurant
Once the key frames were constructed, concurrent activity began to add additional support members.
We introduce our Fishmouth Connections and outline how we lay the joists and add our corbels and tie beams to create our open plan 2 storey-space.
We create our pelupuh ( Flattened Bamboo) which is used for all our ceiling panels in this project. Laid between all our roof and floor beams, the cracks in the Bamboo sheets allow for beautiful light refraction.
The peripheral awnings are then constructed to protect our primary elements and accentuate the distinct curvature of the building.
We demonstrate how we create our footings, essential anchorage to tie down the building and resist wind loading.
Concurrent Activity
Fishmouth Connection
Fish Mouth Demo
Joists
There is so much Concurrent Activity ongoing for our Bamboo Construction. Over the next series of videos I break down the processes so they’re easy to follow, understand and emulate.
Once the skeleton of all 5 frames were erect, we added additional structural members needed to achieve the required capacity for our imposed loadings. This included doubling or tripling beams or column members. Fishmouth Connections are a traditional joinery and critical to most Bamboo Construction. When executed correctly, these allow members to visually slot together and provide an even load distribution.
FishMouth Demonstration. Bamboo carpentry is a skill that’s honed over time and with lots of practice, to be able to efficiently carve the fibres and create these smooth joints. The Fishmouth should perfectly ‘bite’ the radial shape of the members they are connecting, in order to provide an even contact surface and subsequent load distribution. This is an iterative process: ✅ Draw the approximate radial curvature of the beam ✅ Saw off the triangulation ✅ Using a Bamboo knife, carve and smooth out the joint
There are multiple ways to lay joists. Traditional lashings are aesthetic and environmental, but are labour intensive. Bamboo pins serve as a quick construction method, that does not require skilled labour – (see earlier video for how we pre-drill and install these pins to prevent cracking). Generally we want to keep our joist spacing relatively small in order to minimise the load on each individual member and reduce their physical deflection. From an aesthetic viewpoint, having a small spacing also looks visually impressive from below, where the joists make up the exposed ceiling.
Corbel & Tie Beams
Pelupuh
(Flattened Bamboo)
Awning
Anchorage
T-shaped corbels were created to provide a bearing for our perimeter tie beams. Allowing multiple beams to connect into our column locations within the same horizonal plane. This was necessary to ensure that our primary floor beams and perimeters were levelled on this site, so that our joists can sit on top of these for an even finish.
Pelupuh (which has different regional/colloquial synonyms, depending where you are in the world) is our flattened Bamboo. This is used for all our ceiling panels in this project, the cracks in the Bamboo sheets allowing beautiful light refraction which varies at different times of day, reminiscent of walking beneath tree canopies in the jungle.
Our awning and skirting provide the visual curvature to our building profile and act as the threshold barrier when customers enter the space. Practically, these increase the durability of the building by protecting the primary elements. Our non-structural Ringbeam- (which is Demod in 03. Lattice Roof section), will provide the fascia to create this curved edge. Our roof purlins will then be trimmed to suit this outline.
Anchorage is one of the most critical aspects of any Bamboo construction, due to the lightweight nature of the material. This is even more pertinent for this building, with 2 storeys and a large roof canopy, which is going to capture a high wind load and create uplift. To resist this we have designed Steel-Reinforced Concrete Anchorage as outlined in this video.
Lattice Roof
Our Lattice Roof structure provides the main building profile and forms it's uniquely distinct shape. It's what will be first seen from a distance in the approach and draws our attention upwards to showcase the structural build-up and the Bamboo in all it's glory .
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The non-loadbearing ring beams are what create the curvature in our awning and roof fascia. Their flexibility allows us to bend the Bamboo and create the malleable and less rigid shape to trim our purlins and rafters to.
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We then demonstrate our roof cladding build-up.
Lattice Roof Design
Longspan Roof Beams
(Trial & Error)
External Lapping Splice
Ring Beam
Our Lattice Roof structure provides the main building profile and forms it’s uniquely distinct shape. It’s what will be first seen from a distance in the approach, and therefore what outlines the visual and spatial flow of the space, by drawing our attention upwards and showcasing the structural buildup. Bamboo construction is unique in that the Structural Engineering IS the Architecture. The Lattice Roof being the pinnacle of this showcase.
Given the scale of our roof structure and the need to span over 17m in one direction, multiple splice connections were required to join several culms for each beam. It was critical that these were not too rigid and were able to bend to the roof curvature, therefore through trial and error we created a hybrid connection solution that was easily assembled.
The External Lapping Splice Demo. Consisting of a 3 bolted connection either side of the splice. These were partially constructed and then secured once the beams were positioned and aligned insitu, to prevent cracking during installation. As with the Awnings, these beams will later be trimmed to suit the curvature of the fascia ring beams.
The Non-Loadbearing Ring Beams serve to create our distinctive curvature in our awning and roof fascia. Their flexibility allows us to bend the Bamboo and create the malleable and less rigid shape to trim our purlins and rafters to. These beams will be fastened to the top and bottom of each roof element with temporary cable ties during construction, and are later replaced with coated//weather resistant permanent ties.
Roof Cladding
Our roof cladding will be made up of our Pelupuh, as outlined in the earlier video. This is seen from below and forms our light-refracting ceiling panels. It is necessary however to add an additional polycarbonate waterproofing layer to protect this Pelupuh from water ingress and provide long term durability. We have used a corrugated transparent waterproofing that runs in the direction of the roof rafters and overhangs. This allows the Pelupuh to be exposed and visible at a distance.
Enclosed Kitchen
The kitchen is single storey and visually enclosed to allow for staff privacy during food preparation. Comprised of a separate hot kitchen, pantry and bakery.
The structure is Bamboo framed with hung cement board that is clad with a variety of Bamboo weaving patterns. A yin and yang inspired design was adopted to pay homage to the clients familial history. ​
Complete Fishmouth Connection
Kitchen Framework
Kitchen Cladding
Bamboo Weaving
A Complete Fish Mouth Connection is another critical connection within Bamboo construction, these are a further adaptation to the carved fishmouth demo from our earlier video. With an additional union member securing and strengthening the connection. These allow for wall-to-column connections within the same plane. If executed correctly, they provide beautiful and well hidden connections, however do require a level of skilled and practiced carpentry. Again these joints can be further strengthened by injecting non-shrinkable grout if the load requirements are greater.
Time to construct the Kitchen Framework, which has an apron roof composed of a series of Bamboo Trusses at 600mm c/c. Beyond this, the roof structure splays. This kitchen roof structure is visible from the upper floor of the resturant and acts as a visual centrepiece in showcasing the structural build-up. The external walls and partitions were supported with whole culms, with a 450mm ventilation gap at the top of walls to allow air flow to pass and mitigate the risk of fire as outlined in our earlier design video.
Once the Bamboo framework was in place, we infilled our walls with a masonry upstand, Bamboo-cladded cementboard and proprietary products which were framed out to allow for orthoganal door frames and windows within our bamboo curvature. The gaps between these will later be sealed with Bamboo Infill and ероху.
There are many different types of Bamboo Weaving and cladding, used for both structural and non-structural purposes. Varied patterns and weavetypes can be adopted according to personal taste and indigenous vernacular in the locality. For this project we will showcase multiple weaving types, used for our Rainwater barrier and also applied to our External Kitchen Cladding. A yin and yang inspired design was adopted to pay homage to the clients familial history.
Staircase & Balustrade
Bamboo act as the framework for the entire bespoke staircase, including the stringer beams, bearings and tread support beams.
The Balustrade is installed along the staircase railing and the upper balcony perimiter edges. This will be at a minimum of 1.1m height to be compliant with Eurocode Building standards. The Balustrade is infilled with Bamboo Bone - which showcases the natural internal structure of individual Bamboo Culms.
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Creating the Bamboo Bone is a very labour intensive process. Due to supply issues, we had to create our own onsite, again using trail and error to perfect a consistent bone depth with a smooth finish.
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Bespoke Staircase
Balustrade
Bamboo Bone Creation
Bamboo act as the framework for the entire staircase, including the stringer beams, bearings and tread support beams. The treads themselves with bed th created using a hardwood that matches the finishes on the Upper Deck Flooring. The staircase is bespoke in design to suit the specific Bamboo Column locations and our building curvature, with a half landing platform at 1.5 m height.
The Balustrade is installed along the upper balcony edges around the entire perimeter of the building, in addition to the staircase railing. This will be at a minimum of 1.1m height and is infilled with Bamboo Bone - which showcases the natural internal structure of individual Bamboo Culms, to give a visually varied and natural finish
Creating the Bamboo Bone is a very labour intensive process. Due to supply issues, we had to create our own onsite, again using trail and error to perfect a consistent bone depth with a smooth finish. We introduced a new Bamboo species: Dendrocalamus Asper, which is commonly used for structural purposes due to it’s Culm Wall Thickness. Once each Bamboo Bone was prepared, the elements were boiled and treated before being installed to create the Balustrade.
Finishes
Once all the Structural Elements were complete, the building was nearly ready to open to the public!
There were some final amendments and aesthetic finishes required.
Structural Adjustments​
Exposing Kitchen Roof
A number of key adaptations and additional members were introduced to ensure overall Structural Stability. This included horizontal ties to laterally stabilise the roof, and adding secondary beams to the first floor framework.
A key alteration to our design was keeping the kitchen roof structure visible from the upper deck. During construction, we were able to see straight across the apron roof, allowing a close-up perspective on all the bamboo elements. It seemed a huge shame to cover this with a solid wall, as had been initially designed. Instead, we chose to implement our semi-transparent glass and utilise some back lighting, which would give the option of exposing and displaying the structural build-up as an aesthetic feature.
Bamboo Cracking
It’s imperative that preventative measures are taken during the treatment and drying process; to minimise the cracking experienced in culms. Protected storage of materials is also important to minimise rain and UV exposure during the construction phase. Some cracking is however inevitable and unavoidable. An epoxy and sawdust mix is utilised to restore some of the mechanical properties to an adequate degree where required. Elements that are too damaged however should not be utilised. Sealing the cracks between culms, frames and masonry in the kitchen structure is required for visual and thermal enclosure.
Capping Culms
We cap the ends of our Bamboo culms in order to prevent animals burrowing and nesting within the internodes. Capping also reduces moisture absorption and increases long term durability. Bolt caps serve to visually disguise our threaded rod connections and provide visual synergy.
Non-structural Finishes
​The Final Finishes included:​
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Adding the Concrete Floor finish downstairs.
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Installing the Bar and downstairs counter.
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Installing Semi-transparent glass in openings.
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Bamboo Weaving applied to external kitchen wall cladding
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Paint with UV protection - long term durability and aesthetic.
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Wire up M&E (Mechanical & Electrical services) .
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Adding kitchen appliance.
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Creating bespoke Bamboo Furniture. ​​​
To view a walkthrough of the Complete Project, access our Project Gallery Case Study