Jack Baron Architecture - Timber Studies

re\source studio 22 LSBU PG(Dip) Architecture

EFFICIENT STRUCTURES STUDIES 2014/15

BAMBOO, CARDBOARD & PAPER

Book designer, author and editor - Jack Baron Š Jack Baron, 2015. All rights reserved.

Printed in United Kingdom.

CONTENTS:

Chapter 1: Bamboo in Architecture 1.1 Foreword 1.2 Introduction 1.3 Sustainability

3

Chapter 2: Bamboo Building Material 2.1 Preservation 2.2 Connection Detail 2.3 Scaffolding 2.4 Reinforced Concrete 2.5 Solar Screens

11

Chapter 3: Pioneering Architect 2.1 Architect Profile: Vo Trong Nghia 2.2 Examples of work

39

Chapter 4: Architectural Precedents

53

Chapter 5: Paper & Cardboard in Architecture 5.1 Foreword 5.2 Introduction 5.3 Sustainability

63

Chapter 6: Cardboard Building Material 6.1 Insulation 6.2 Internal Partitions 6.3 Furniture

75

Chapter 7: Pioneering Architect 7.1 Architect Profile: Shigeru Ban 7.2 Examples of work

83

Chapter 8: Architectural Precedents

103

Chapter 9: Summary 9.1 Temporary Structures 9.2 Connection Details 9.3: Bibliography

117

1

CHAPTER 1:

BAMBOO

IN ARCHITECTURE

FOREWORD:

“So why Bamboo? Bamboo is the future. It is the most beautiful, versatile, tallest and strongest material that we could possibly choose.

The rainforest is almost gone, plywood is mostly made from the rainforest and cement has a carbon load that is not going to help the future. That leaves bamboo and if children plant bamboo today in eight years they will have timber ready to go and they will get timber every year for the rest of their life to build anything they need” In 2007 John Hardy and his wife endowed a thrilling new project: the Green School in Bali. At the Green School, kids learn in open-air classrooms surrounded by acres of gardens that they tend; they learn to build with bamboo; and meanwhile they’re being prepared for traditional British school exams. The school is international - 20 percent of students are Bali locals, some on scholarship. The centrepiece of the campus is the spiralling Heart of School, which may be called Asia’s largest bamboo building.

John Hardy Green School co-founder.

Hardy has long been an advocate of the use of bamboo as an alternative to timber for building and reforestation. When running his company, Hardy pioneered a program of sustainable advertising that offset the carbon emissions associated with the yearly corporate print advertising by planting bamboo on the island of Nusa Penida in a cooperative plantation.

Cali Bamboo was founded upon the idea that promoting renewable materials can make a difference in the planet. So why bamboo? What about this woody grass makes it so sustainable?

Furthermore, what makes bamboo a viable alternative to traditional lumber? Green is great, but strength is what stands the test of time. Turns out, when up against other timbers, bamboo shoots above and beyond.

4

5

INTRODUCTION:

Saving the World’s Forests

31%

Earth’s land covered by forests.

22 million acres of forestland is lost every year.

1.6 billion people

Bamboo is a woody grass and grows differently to trees. Bamboo shoots emerge and grow longer like the grass in your backyard. Bamboo has been known to grow over 90cm in height within a 24hour period, that equates to approximately 3.8cm per hour. Bamboo can reach full maturity in 1 to 5 years, whereas hardwood trees take 30-40 years. It is therefore bamboo can keep up with the fast rate of human consumption and deforestation.

When a tree is cut down it will need to be replanted. In contrast, when bamboo is cut down it is not destroyed and does not need to be replanted. Bamboo can be continuously re-harvested every 3 years, without causing damage to the plant system and surrounding environment.

During the time it takes to regenerate, the bamboo plant’s root system stays intact so erosion is prevented. Continuous harvesting of this woody grass every 3-7 years, actually improves the overall health of the plant. Therefore Bamboo is completely renewable and sustainable.

depend on forests for their livelihoods.

There is evidence that the water use efficiency of bamboo is twice that of eucalyptus trees.

This could be because bamboo has a different and more efficient method for photosynthesis than trees. Bamboo has what is called C4 carbon fixation which makes them more able to handle conditions of drought, flood, and high temperatures than trees. The quick growing nature and versatility of Bamboo makes it an alternative to softwoods and endangered hardwoods. for a tree used for timber to grow to their Bamboo offers the opportunity to preserve our endangered hardwood rainforests. full mass.

30-50 years 3-7 years

Trees used for conventional wood take 30-50 years to regenerate to their full mass. In the meantime, there is less oxygen produced, less carbon dioxide consumed, and more soil runoff in the spot where the tree was harvested - all producing harmful environmental effects.

for a bamboo plant to regenerate to full mass before harvested.

Deforestation has dealt an especially heavy blow to Earth’s largest tree, the California redwood.

For almost 100 years, national and state parks in California have been working to protect 45% of the world’s remaining old-growth redwood trees. “Old-growth” refers to the forests that are considered ancient and tend to promote the most biodiversity because of their unique filtration of sunlight. of forest to build average family home from timber.

Along the California and Oregon coastlines a massive 96% of the original old-growth coast redwood trees have been logged for use in fences, furniture and construction. Many redwood 0.001 hectares lumber companies prefer using this old-growth wood because it is sturdier than the younger to build the same house from bamboo. trees and can be given a longer warranty. However, this requires chopping down trees that have been around since the Middle Ages! Unfortunately, a mere 4% of the original old-growth redwoods are still standing as a result of a relentless demand for lumber.

0.4 hectares

20 times

the earth’s surface area we can save by Most redwoods have a 500 to 700 year lifespan, but some can live over 2000 years! Imagine using bamboo to create our homes. destroying something that started growing in biblical times just to make a fence! In that same amount of time, one bamboo plant – which can be continually harvested every three years — could have been cut and re-grown over 650 times.

6

7

SUSTAINABILITY:

Bamboo has the potential to revolutionise building construction throughout the world. But that’s not all. As a raw material found predominantly in the developing world, without a preexisting industrial infrastructure built to skew things towards the rich world, bamboo has the potential to completely shift international economic relations.

The past century has seen an unprecedented transfer of products and predefined solutions – instead of capacity-building programs – from the rich countries to poor, under the rubric of “development aid”. The economic incentives for the former are obvious: when developed nations introduce, for example, their reinforced concrete technology to developing nations, those countries must also acquire the proper machinery, the technical expertise to maintain them, and the building materials suitable for those machines, and they must buy all of those things from the developed countries.

Opposite Page: World map showing areas bamboo is cultivated.

This divides our planet between those who produce goods and services, and those who are meant just to consume. Unless new materials, developed from the resources available in developing territories, enter the market, the system will remain the same. Bamboo could be the material which turns this relationship on its head.

For an example of the exploitative trade system currently in place, look no further than steel.

Steel-reinforced concrete is the most common building material in the world, and developing countries use close to 90% of the world’s cement and 80% of its steel. However, very few of these nations have the ability or resources to produce their own steel or cement, forcing them into an exploitative import relationship with the developed world. Out of 54 African nations, for instance, only two are serious steel producers. The other 52 countries all compete in the global marketplace for this ever-more-expensive, seemingly irreplaceable material.

Bamboo provides a natural material alternative, and it grows in the tropics, an area that coincides closely with the developing world. One of nature’s most versatile products, bamboo belongs to the botanical family of grasses and is extremely hard to tear apart. It’s strength comes from the way the grass evolved, adapting to natural forces. In contrast to wood, the bamboo culm or haulm – botanical terms for the stem of a grass – is thin and hollow. This allows it to move with the wind, unlike a tree, which tries to simply withstand any natural forces it is exposed to.

This adaptation for flexible movement required nature to come up with a very light but tensionresistant fibre in the bamboo culm which is able to bend in extreme ways without breaking.

Bamboo is harder to pull apart than timber or even reinforced steel.

Bamboo is a highly renewable and eco-friendly material. It grows much faster than wood, and is easy to obtain in great quantity. It is also known for its unrivalled capacity to capture carbon and could therefore play an important role in reducing carbon emissions worldwide – another advantage for developing nations in light of the trade in carbon emission certificates.

8

90%

world’s cement used by developing countries

80%

world’s steel used by developing countries

9

CHAPTER 2:

BAMBOO BUILDING MATERIAL

BAMBOO PROPERTIES Construction Properties

Advantages: - Strength - Bamboo is an extremely strong natural fibre, equal to standard hardwood which take years to grow.

- Flexible, Bamboo is highly flexible. During it’s growth it may be trained to grow in unconventional shapes. After harvested, it may be bent and utilised n archways and other curved areas.

- Earthquake-resistance - Bamboo has a great capcity for shock absorption, which makes it particular useful in earthquake-prone areas.

- Lightweight, therefore building with bamboo can be accomplished faster with simple tools.

Cranes and heavy machinary are rarely required.

Opposite Page: Tall bamboo growing.

- Cost-effective - Economical, especially in areas where it is cultivated and readily available.

Transporting costs is also much less then heavier, larger alternatives.

- Durability - When harvested and treated correctly, bamboo is very durable and long lasting.

Negatives: - Bamboo has got a round profile therefore creating connections with round profiles are lead to difficult geometric structures at the knot.

- Bamboo fibres only grow in longitudinal direction. Therefore bamboo is not suitable for loads in cross-direction, because there are no cross-fibres.

- Bamboo is hallow. There is no material to tighten the bamboo in the middle of the cane.

- Bamboo is a natural material, that varies in diameters, length and quality according to the climate.

12

13

BAMBOO PRESERVATION Boric Acid Treatment

There are three main species of bamboo which are used for construction; - Kawayan Tinik Bambusa Blumea - Buho Schizostachyun Lumompao - Bayag Bambusa Blumeana Luzonensis Bamboo contains a high levels of starch which attracts insects such as termites and powderpost Beatles. Bamboo therefore requires treatment, consisting of harvesting, curing, dyring and treatment techniques.

Boric Acid Preservation Treatment consists of; - Depending on the diameter of the bamboo, different sized drill bits are attached to a long steel rod which are used to drill into the centre of the bamboo canes throughout their whole length.

Bottom (Left): Kawayan Tinik Bambusa Blumea.

- Bamboo is then soaked in a pool of borax-boric acid solution (1:1:4) for 2 days to allow the mineral to penetrate all the nodes and diaphragms.

Bottom (Middle): Buho Schizostachyun Lumompao.

- Bamboo is removed and stacked vertically so the solution can drain and be reused.

Bottom (Right): Bayag Bambusa Blumeana Luzonensis.

- Bamboo poles are left to bask in the sub depending on the amount of sunlight.

Opposite Page: Rods of bamboo prior to soaking. Š Slideshare.net

14

- The bamboo are then left to dry slowly in a cool, dry place until they are used for construction.

- Preservative solution is recharged after four cycles by adding water and the chemicals.

15

BAMBOO STRUCTURAL CONNECTIONS

Friction Connections

Friction-tight rope connections are the traditional connecting method. The traditional natural materials use include; - Cocos / Sago Palm Fibre - Bast - Strips of Bamboo - Rattan Green bamboo fibres can be used. These are watered before tying them around the bamboo canes. While drying, the fibres shorten and the connection becomes stronger. In more modern times, other industrial materials are being used; - Iron wire (Zinc Coated) - Pastic tapes / ropes

Above: Friction connection using bamboo strips.

Below: Section detail of friction connection.

Opposite Page: Example of friction connection with rope. Š Slideshare.net

Bamboo Lashing Bamboo

16

Positive attributes; - It is easy to build and simple for bamboo manufacturing.

- It can be very strong with sufficient lashing techniques.

- It can almost serve all the circumstances we need in building with bamboo.

- It can drastically reduce the possibility of bamboo cracking because no notches or holes are in need in making such connections.

- It is easier for sealing because we can apply epoxy or other materials as a coating.

Negative attributes; - It will cost more bamboo materials.

- The choice of rope material is another critical consideration.

- The rope may be damaged by moisture, rot, insect, etc.

- It requires some skills in doing lashing work.

17

BAMBOO STRUCTURAL CONNECTIONS

Plugin / Bolt Connections

Taking advantage of a secondary interlocking element, this type of connection is widely used in context with rope connections. The bolts have to transfer tractive and compressive forces.

To make the plug-in bamboo connector, at first, we should drill on both sides of the vertical and horizontal bamboo poles; note that the vertical one which will be interlocked with a timber pin needs larger holes than the horizontal one. Second we use a timber pin (also can be made of bamboo) to connect the two bamboo poles, which is then followed by interlocking a bamboo wedge to strengthen the connection. At last we should cut the waste part of the wedge and make the connector surface smooth. And if it is necessary, we can also apply adhesive or rope to further strengthen the joints.

Positive attributes; - It can provide a prettier appearance of the connection.

- It does not need complicated lashing techniques.

- The connection can stand huge forces if use a bolt/metal mail appropriately.

Above: Timber pin to strengthen connection.

Below: Plug-in / Bolt connection section detail.

Opposite Page: Example of plug-in with lashing over to strengthen connection. Š Slideshare.net

Timber Pin Bamboo Wedge

18

Negative attributes; - Drilling or making a hole on bamboo poles can cause cracking and splitting.

- Other materials like timber pin/bolt are needed, which will increase the cost.

- The connection may be weak in tension in the vertical direction owing to shear problem.

- It increases the difficulty in manufacturing, i.e., drilling, making wedge, etc.

19

BAMBOO STRUCTURAL CONNECTIONS

Positive Fitting Connections

Positive fitting bamboo connections are widely used in traditional bamboo buildings and other products like bamboo ladders and furniture. The manufacturer cutting the extra wedge, which is one of the whole processes in making the positive fitting connection. There is another case of positive fitting connections, which use rope to keep the connector in place instead of using wedges.

Positive attributes; - It will create a prettier appearance for bamboo products.

- It can be easily combined with other construction techniques, such as plug-in technique, lashing technique.

- It is easy for sealing because small gaps can be found on the surfaces.

- It can reduce the cost of bamboo poles Negative attributes; - It requires two bamboo poles in different diameters.

- Making a hole on bamboo poles will drastically reduce its strength, and can cause cracking and splitting.

- It calls for skilful manufacturers and also profession equipments.

Above: Bracket interlocking stud.

Below: Positive connection created by timber wedge.

Opposite Page: Example of positive fitting connection. Š Slideshare.net

Timber Pin

20

21

BAMBOO STRUCTURAL CONNECTIONS

Interlocking Connections

Interlocking connections are achieved by gluing or shedding connection elements in or around the bamboo poles. We can apply either wood-core connection or metal anchor technique to build interlocking connection.

A wood-core connection is the most popular one that can be seen in interlocking connections.

We can apply different inner wood fitting parts according to various requirements, and employ glue to stick it to the inner surface of the bamboo. Two slots are needed in the bamboo cane to control cracking during the insertion of the wood cylinder. A combination connection of wood cane, a bolt and a metal ring can also be achieved as a stronger connection, an example of this is shown in the ‘Bamboo Pavilion’ for the Expo Shanghai.

Above: Isometric sketch of interlocking connection.

Below: Section detail of interlocking connection.

Opposite Page: Example of a wood-core connection. © www.detail-online.com

Steel Ring

Bolt

Wooden Plug

22

Positive attributes; - This type of connection can serve various circumstances.

- The connection may be stronger if use metal elements.

- When applying woodcore connection, we do not need to worry about using nails or other relevant techniques.

- It can be adjustable when using metal anchor techniques.

Negative attributes; - The connection will cost more due to the usage of other materials.

- It requires precise manufacturing skills and equipments.

- It is hard to seal.

23

BAMBOO SCAFFOLDING

Introduction & Statistics

The gleaming skyscrapers of Hong Kong rise higher than most, yet they are built with the help of the most traditional of scaffolding. The construction projects may be contemporary but the bamboo structures which help erect them have been around for centuries. Skilled workers build the scaffolding around buildings up to 1,000ft above the ground. The profession is believed to date back around 1,500 years - but has surged in popularity in modern times thanks to bamboo poles being considerably cheaper than metal ones.

Bamboo canes connection with lashing ties and a draw stick. With the help of the draw stick the lashing tie is tightened. Scaffold braces are bamboo canes which often are only fixed with lashing ties.

Bamboo scaffolding is particular popular in Hong Kong, with 5million bamboo poles imported for construction use each year in Hong Kong alone. When investigated the reasons why this traditional form of scaffolding remains, in comparison to the modern use of steel scaffolding, there appears to be many advantages; Above: Bamboo scaffolding lashing technique.

Opposite Page: Bamboo scaffolding example in Hong Kong.

6% cost of bamboo pole, compared to similar length of steel.

6x faster than metal scaffolding to assemble.

12x faster then metal scaffolding to dismantle.

Bamboo scaffolds have been used in building construction in China for thousands of years.

Bamboo scaffolds are commonly employed in building construction to provide temporary access and working platforms for construction workers and supervisory staff.

Owing to their high adaptability, speediness and low construction cost, bamboo scaffolds can be constructed in any layout to follow various irregular architectural features of a building

13% mixed

36%

51%

29%

time saving

bamboo

metal

20% safety

Usage of various types of scaffolding systems in Hong Kong.

24

51%

cost effectiveness

Merits of bamboo scaffolding in Hong Kong.

25

BAMBOO SCAFFOLDING

Peter Steinhauer - Photography

Peter Steinhauer is an artist photographer who has been living and working in Asia since 1993.

His photography focuses on architecture within urban landscape, natural landscape, Asian faces and man made structure. His fine crafted prints are exhibited in galleries and museums internationally, and are in private collections of the Carnegie Museum of Art and the Hong Kong Heritage Museum.

This photographer captures incredible architectural structures rising above the dense city of Hong Kong. In particular, he has great images of the almighty bamboo scaffolding and brightly coloured netting which surrounds the increasingly construction of high-rise towers an appropriate way to characterise the architectural sites as they undergo their own structural renovations. These ‘cocoon’ compositions are similar to that found within nature, as like the casing that wraps some insects during the stages of metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly.

Even though the bamboo scaffolding is only a means of construction, Steinhauer captures the art of this secondary structure and is most often more beautiful then the main tower under construction.

Above: Peter Steinhauer.

Below: Example of Peter’s photographic images.

Opposite Page: High-rise tower constructed using traditional Bamboo scaffolding. © www.petersteinhauer.com

26

27

BAMBOO REINFORCED CONCRETE

Viable Alternative to Steel?

Below: Failure of reinforced concrete with bamboo.

Opposite: Reinforced Concrete Example. © Future Cities Laboratory (FCL)

Developing countries have the highest demand for steel-reinforced concrete, but often do not have the means to produce the steel to meet that demand. Rather than put themselves at the mercy of a global market dominated by developed countries, Singapore’s Future Cities Laboratory suggests an alternative to this manufactured rarity: bamboo. Abundant, sustainable, and extremely resilient, bamboo has potential in the future to become an ideal replacement in places where steel cannot easily be produced.

In trials of tensile strength, bamboo outperforms most other materials, reinforcement steel included. It achieves this strength through its hollow, tubular structure, evolved over millennia to resist wind forces in its natural habitat. This lightweight structure also makes it easy to harvest and transport. Due to its incredibly rapid growth cycle and the variety of areas in which it is able to grow, bamboo is also extremely cheap. Such rapid growth plant growth requires the grass to absorb large quantities of CO2, meaning that its cultivation as a building material would help reduce the rate of climate change. These factors alone are incentive for investment in developing bamboo as reinforcement.

Indeed, despite these benefits, there is still work to do in overcoming bamboo’s limitations.

Contraction and expansion is one such limitation, caused by both temperature changes and water absorption. The grass is also susceptible to structural weakness caused by fungus and simple biodegradation. Ironically, many of the countries that would benefit from bamboo reinforcement also lack the resources to develop it as a viable alternative to the steel on which they currently rely. The Future Cities Laboratory is currently conducting research to determine the full gamut of applications that bamboo has as a construction material. Their experimentation in this field has earned them a Zumtobel Group Award.

Newly developed bamboo composite materials as reinforcement systems in structural concrete have the potential to revolutionize the concrete building sector. This innovative green material can replace expensive and environmentally unfriendly produced steel. Its advantages over steel are immense; higher tensile capacity, much lower production costs, lighter weight, anti-corrosion and natural renewability (no re-planting necessary). It has the capacity to bind large amounts of CO2 due to bamboos fast growth; it is also easy accessible and available for production in developing territories, resulting in reduced energy consumption during production.

Steel-reinforced concrete is the most common building material in the world. While cement industries can be found almost everywhere around the globe, few developing countries have the ability to produce steel. Naturally processed bamboo fibres and adhesive together form a water-resistant, non-swelling and extremely durable composite material, which can be used as a replacement of steel in concrete constructions. Bamboo belongs to the botanical family of grasses, it is extremely resistant to tensile stress and one of nature’s most versatile products. In its ability to withstand tensile forces, bamboo is superior to timber and even to reinforced steel.

At ETH Singapore’s Future Cities Laboratory (FCL), a team of researchers is tapping into bamboo’s potential by exploring new types of composite bamboo materials. Bamboo fiber is extracted and mixed with biological based adhesives. With the help of a hot press, a new material can be produced, which can have desired shape. It is water resistant, repellent to any insect or fungi attacks and the mechanical properties such as thermal extension or ductility can be controlled. It can be used for specific applications that best take advantage of the material’s tensile strength, such as reinforcement systems in concrete or beams for ceilings and roof structures.

28

29

LAMINATED STRUCTURAL BEAMS

Bamboo Structural Beam

Within recent years, bamboo has been structurally engineers to create high-performance Laminated Veneer Bamboo (LVB), which removes all the of limitations of using natural bamboo canes within the modern building industry. This product can achieve greater strengths, longer spans, and extreme durability. This product can create glu-lam beams of any size, only practically limited by transportation restrictions.

Timber laminated beams have been around for some time now, however the use of bamboo replaces the use of hardwood, which as we know takes a lot longer to grow and cultivate.

Therefore LVB is a more sustainable solution.

However as with timber laminated beams, the laminating process consists of the use of adhesives which have a negative impact on the environment. The process of manufacture also requires a high level of energy. Therefore a more sustainable solution compared to other systems, but not as eco-friendly as the use of natural bamboo.

Above: Laminated bamboo beam connection.

Below: Laminated structural beams.

Opposite Page: Example of laminated beams in roof structure. Š www.lamboo.com

30

31

BAMBOO SCREENING: CARABANCHEL HOUSING

Foreign Office Architects, 2007

The site is a parallelogram oriented north-south and limiting on the west with a new urban park and on the north, east and south with similar housing blocks, located into a new development in the south of Madrid. The residential units are opened to two different gardens on each orientation, and are fully glazed in the façades. Each side of the building is provided with a 1.5m wide terrace along the full façade that will make possible a semi-exterior type of use during certain seasons. These terraces are enclosed with bamboo louvers mounted on folding frames that will provide with the necessary protection from the strong East-West sun exposure, provide security to the units and open entirely to the side gardens when desired.

These sort of developments usually absorb substantial resources in this sort of cosmetic contortions sometimes at the expense of quality of detail and quality of space. The experiment with this project of low-cost residences was to provide the maximum amount of space, flexibility and quality to the residences, and to erase the visibility of the units and their differences into a single volume with a homogeneous skin able to incorporate some gradation of differences not dependent on the architect’s vision, but on each inhabitants desires.

Above: Bamboo shutter section detail.

Below: Front elevation showing open shutters.

Opposite Page: Close-up view of screens shielding balconies. © Foreign Office Architects.

32

33

BAMBOO SCREENING: PASSIVEHAUS, FRANCE

Karawitz Architecture, 2009

One of the key elements of Passivhaus design has been the use of generous south-facing glazing for passive solar gain. That’s great in winter, but you can have too much of a good thing in summer. Some designers install trellises and bris de soleil to cut the summer sun, but Karawitz Architecture goes a step further with an exterior skin of bamboo screens, that can be opened and closed to adjust the amount of solar gain.

Above: Bamboo shutter detail.

Below: South facing elevation of dwelling.

Opposite Page: Inside view of balcony with bamboo shutters. Š www.treehugger.com

34

35

BAMBOO SCREENING: COMMERCIAL OFFICES

Monica Donati Architect, 2010

Paris-based architect Monica Donati has designed a three-phase office complex that occupies the liminal area between city, garden and countryside. Built perpendicular to the line d’eau, a tranquil canal in the lush lieusaint region, The ‘immeuble bambou’ is remarkable in its use of repetitive building systems to seamlessly weave the architecture into the landscape. Formally, the building exploits concepts of interstitial space by boldly bifurcating angled masses and then linking them with generous glazing, alternately translucent or clear. Black mullions delineate constructivist patterns across horizontal bands of windows.

The bamboo facade is the primary method by which the architecture fractures light and form, and additionally multiplies views of the water-scape and expansive greenery. The gently twisting lines of the bamboo create a sun-shielding envelope, while at night, the durable cladding becomes a lantern. Each building is equipped with distinctly colourful loggia which afford optimal views of the canal at a height rendered impossible by the existing promenade.

The architectonic language looks toward the developed areas of carré sénart and simultaneously pulls nature into its atrium through visual accessibility and extraordinary cladding.

Above: Exterior view of office building.

Below: Detailed view of bamboo facade.

Opposite Page: Internal elevation showing operable bamboo facade to allow ventilation. © Monica Donati Architects.

36

37

CHAPTER 3:

PIONEER ARCHITECT

PIONEERING ARCHITECT:

Vo Trong Nghia Architect

“I think bamboo and laminated bamboo will replace other materials and become the ‘green steel’ of the 21st century, I hope many architects realise the potential of the material and build with bamboo more and more.

Bamboo is very low cost material in Vietnam. One bamboo stalk costs just 1USD, although its price has started to rise. Bamboo building is suitable to create open spaces or semi-outdoor spaces. Bamboo building is suitable in climates such as Vietnam, where no winter exists.

Traditionally, bamboo is used in Vietnam to create baskets, tableware and furniture. When I was young, I helped my family to make bamboo tableware. I learned the property of bamboo from this experience.

Some architects realise the unique properties and advantages of bamboo, while some just use it in a fashionable manner. In any case, I hope many architects realise the potential of the material and build with bamboo more and more.

Above: Vo Trong Nghia Architect Opposite Page: Milan Expo 2015 Pavilion © www.votrongnghia.com

Bamboo is suitable to create open spaces surrounded by nature, for instance cafes, bars, restaurants, resorts and conference halls. Our Bamboo Wing and Dailai Conference Hall near Hanoi airport are typical examples. In addition, bamboo building is also appropriate for pavilions, such as Expo pavilions. We had experience in Shanghai 2010, and soon in Milan 2015.

Bamboo has own characters, which result in unique structures and spaces. It is not easy to create beautiful spaces by using bamboo, because it is uneven material. We try to control the accuracy of the construction by applying unit-frame prefabrication.”

Vo Trong Nghia - Interview with Dezeen Magazine.

40

41

WIND & WATER BAR

Vo Trong Nghia, 2007

Above: Sectional detail drawing.

Below: External view of structure.

Opposite Page: Close-up view of bamboo columns. Š www.votrongnghia.com

Vietnamese architects Vo Trong Nghia have constructed a thatched bamboo dome at the centre of a lake in Binh Duong Province. Stepping stones lead across the water and inside the Wind and Water Bar, which is used as a venue for music performances, local meetings and other events. The wooden structure of the building is assembled from lengths of bamboo, which are bound together and bent into arches. Materials using for the roof covering are the sheets that made from the leaves having the high resistance in fire. Bamboo trees are popularly growing in many places in Vietnam. The construction site is located in the man-made lake, using the natural wind energy together with the cool water from the lake to make the natural air-ventilation. On the top of roof, there is a hole with diameter of 1.5m having the function to intake the hot air inside the bar to go outside.

The wNw bar has been built by local workers in duration of 3 months (from October 2007 to January 2008). By using materials, manpower and construction method as above mentioned, the wNw bar becomes friendly not only to the environment but also to the local residents.

42

43

CAFETERIA, VIETNAM

Vo Trong Nghia Architects, 2013

Fifteen conical bamboo columns support the roof of this waterside cafe designed by Vo Trong Nghia Architects at a hotel in central Vietnam.

Referencing the shapes of typical Vietnamese fishing baskets, the top-heavy bamboo structures form a grid between the tables of the open-air dining room, which functions as the restaurant and banqueting hall for the Kontum Indochine Hotel.

This design purposely means there are no walls required, therefore allowing uninterrupted views across the surrounding shallow pools of water, and beyond that towards the neighbouring river and distant mountains.

All of the fixings for the columns are made from bamboo rather than steel and were constructed using traditional techniques, such as smoke-drying and the use of bamboo nails. These are exposed for viewing.

Above: Sectional detail drawing.

Below: External view of structure.

Opposite Page: Close-up view of bamboo columns. Š www.votrongnghia.com

44

45

SON LA RESTAURANT

Vo Trong Nghia Architects, 2013

Located in North of Vietnam, Son La province, the restaurant in Son La Complex in one of the most potential economic areas of Son La province requires meeting demand for function, local culture and unique architecture as well. And the investor needs an economical project, architects have to find a solution of structure and construction materials to decrease construction cost for this project.

The restaurant is designed with main natural local materials such as stone, bamboo, “vot” to 8 separate blocks with different height with open view to natural garden restaurant, to meet demand to be cool in summer but warm in winter. The common space and the private spaces are connected with each other by large thatched roof “vot” with the main “luong” structure.

The 80-10mm diameter “luong” are tightening as column and the main beams are composed of 5 interlocking bamboos.

Above: Sectional detail drawing.

Below: External view of structure.

Opposite Page: Close-up view of bamboo columns. © www.votrongnghia.com

46

47

BAMBOO DOMES

Vo Trong Nghia Architects, 2014

Below: Bamboo dome structure.

Opposite Page: Bamboo dome grid shell structure. Š www.votrongnghia.com

Two intricate bamboo domes form part of this community centre under construction in Ho Chi Minh City, by Vietnamese firm and bamboo exponent Vo Trong Nghia Architects.

Located on an artificial islet in the east of the city, the Diamond Island Community Hall will eventually comprise eight bamboo domes, designed by Vo Trong Nhia Architects to provide flexible events spaces for local residents. The community centre will accommodate conferences, meetings, children’s activities and parties. Part of the complex will also function as a restaurant.

So far two of the 24 metre wide domes have their structural framework in place, creating a woven lattice made up of clusters of bamboo stalks.

48

49

LOW COST HOUSING

Vo Trong Nghia Architects, 2014

The aim of this project is to propose a prototype house for low-income classes in the Mekong Delta area. By minimizing the functions of the house and using low cost materials throughout, the construction cost of a house can be brought down to as little as about 3200USD. Living expenses will also be reduced by using natural resources and energies.

On the assumption that the bathroom and kitchen are placed outside and shared with several families, the house has minimum space for living, eating and sleeping. The plan was designed to be adjustable toward the longitudinal direction, allowing for future expansion of family members and functions. Its interior is a simple one-room space, articulated by curtains and differences in level of the floor. The floor rises higher in part, creating minimum furniture such as a desk.

In order to reduce the construction cost, dwellers are encouraged to participate in the construction process. The structure of the prototype house is, therefore, a lightweight steel frame, which is easy to assemble without the use of machines, nor special techniques. Considering the recyclability of materials, wet joints are avoided as possible. The roof is supported by truss-beams composed of steel bars, which minimize steel material and give ideal pitch for waterproofing.

Above: Close-up view of bamboo wall structure.

Below: Exterior view of dwelling.

Opposite Page: Interior view within dwelling. Š www.votrongnghia.com

50

The envelope of the house is composed of a polycarbonate panel wall and corrugated FRP panel roof, and bamboo louvers are set inside of it. Both materials are available everywhere in Vietnam and are cheap, light and replaceable. Bamboo is rapid-growing and therefore the eco-friendly material.

Translucent envelope and bamboo louvers filter harsh direct sunshine in the tropical climate.

The interior is filled with diffused light and reduces the need for artificial lighting, dramatically reducing electricity consumption. There is also a gap between the roof and the wall, which has the function of evacuating the hot air. As the whole space is naturally ventilated there is no need for an air conditioner to be installed in this house. A pent roof was designed to collect rain water for daily use in the dry season.

51

CHAPTER 4:

ARCHITECTURAL

PRECEDENTS

BLOSSOM GATE Penda, 2013

Below: Model of proposal showing staircase seating.

Opposite Page (Top): View from inside the bamboo structure.

Opposite Page (Bottom): External view of the gateway structure. © Penda Studio.

“Translating the beauty of a brushstroke into an architectural landmark”. ”Some might see it as a symbol of a flower, others might interpret it as wings, a traditional Chinese mask or a heart.”

This sculptural bamboo entrance designed for a Chinese flower garden was the first-ever project by architecture studio Penda. Penda founders Dayong Sun and Chris Precht won a design competition in 2013 with their Blossom Gate proposal, which is designed as the gateway to the largest myrtle flower garden in the city of Xiangyiang, Hubei Province.

The architects wanted the structure to do more than simply provide an entrance. They sought to reinvent the gate as an architectural landmark of its own, offering a gathering place for visitors. The most striking feature of the design is the sweeping bamboo form, which was based on both the smooth lines of Chinese calligraphy and the petals of a blossoming myrtle flower. Overlapping lengths of bamboo would create the outlines of the two large petal shapes, concealing a zigzagging internal framework. Staircases at the base of the structure would double up as seating areas, allowing the gate to be used for talks, performances or as a cinema.

Penda also suggested hosting a Sunday market underneath.

54

“As a typology, the main function of a gate is a dividing one, separating the inside from the outside. On the other hand, a gate is also a connecting element, guiding people to a point where the inside and the outside get unified�Sun and Precht.

55

CITY IN THE SKY

Chinese Students, 2010

Above: Sectional detail drawing.

Below: External view of structure.

Opposite Page: Close-up view of bamboo columns. © Vo Trong Nghia Architects.

56

Nearly 40 young students who participated in a three month building project in Wuhan, China had a chance to experiment with living bamboo as a vital construction material. Led by architects Mu Wei, Sam Cho and Yu Hui for Natur Organic Life, the ‘City in Sky’ workshop was designed to steer the architectural conversation away from concrete and steel, and back towards a more organic approach that dominated Asian architecture for eons.

‘City in Sky’ is comprised of a platform elevated on stout bamboo poles, a series of small huts, and two living, growing open air bamboo structures. These are made with live bamboo that were planted and then held in place with string in order to explore the relationship between nature and architecture. Instead of chopping down trees or extracting material in a destructive way, this building method works more harmoniously with nature, though it remains to be seen whether it will be reliable over the long term. The workshop organizers sought to remedy a rigorous and rote educational model deprives many Chinese children of a hands-on relationship with the natural environment, and their parents were able to attend as well. Although the architects were on hand to guide the process, the workshop participants were involved with sketching, modeling and construction.

57

BAMBOO MICRO HOMES

Affect-T, 2014

Hong Kong studio Affect-T has come up with a proposed solution for the city’s housing crisis – a series of bamboo micro homes that could be installed inside abandoned factory buildings.

With a population of over 7 million living within a 400-square-mile radius, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated cities in the world and one of the most expensive place to live.

As a result, thousands of residents are left without permanent homes.

Affect-T founder Dylan Baker-Rice believes this issue could be solved by building sustainable housing communities inside vacant industrial buildings, taking advantage of changes to city zoning regulations. The result is Bamboo Micro-Housing – a system of modular units containing all the basic features of a standard dwelling.

Units could be grouped together to create communities of up to 50 homes in a single building, with some serving as communal facilities. Electricity and water supplies could also be grouped together to help reduce costs, as could waste disposal.

Above: Sectional detail drawing.

Below: Internal view inside the bamboo structure.

Opposite Page: External view of portable structure. © fastcompany.net

58

“Currently there are around 280,000 residents of the city who live in illegal structures such as rooftop houses, cage homes, and subdivided flats. They are generally unsafe, lacking proper fresh water supply, waste disposal, access to light, ventilation, etc...

Our proposal is to use the vacant industrial spaces within the city and convert them to transitional communities for those who cannot afford housing. Residents would live in these houses for six months to seven years, which is the waiting time for public housing in the city.�

Dylan Baker-Rice, Affect-T Founder.

59

BAMBOO COURTYARD TEAHOUSE

HWCD Associates, 2013

This floating tea house in Yangzhou, by Chinese architects HWCD Associates, features brick rooms linked by louvred bamboo corridors and brises soleil. Situated in the ShiQiao garden in Yangzhou, a city to the northwest of Shanghai, the tea house is organised in asymmetric cubes on a lake.

Tall rows of bamboo create corridors along the outdoor walkway. The bamboo is arranged vertically and horizontally to produce “interesting depth” and visual effects as you walk around, the architects told Dezeen. Lights are inset into the door frames, providing a glowing pathway between the grey brick buildings.

Above: Sectional detail drawing.

Below: External view of structure.

Opposite Page: Close-up view of bamboo columns. © Vo Trong Nghia Architects.

60

61

CHAPTER 5:

PAPER & CARDBOARD

IN ARCHITECTURE

FOREWORD

Historical Background

Historically Japan has a rich tradition in the use of paper in architecture, even to the present day the Japanese architect Shigeru Ban is the best known architect when it comes to the use of cardboard as a building material. Paper and wood for him form a direct line, one evolves from the other. Therefore he sometimes uses the term ‘evolved wood’ when referring to cardboard.

The Eastern culture historically drink tea. It was the result of this that glass had not been invented until very late in comparison to the rest of the world, as the Japanese and Chinese people were content with the use of China for their cups and bowls. It was this lack of glass and large resource of trees which is a practical reason why the use of paper is dominant in Japanese architecture.

More importantly, the use of paper in architecture went hand-in-hand with the Eastern way of thinking that the home should be open to it’s natural surroundings, rather then the Western way of thinking is to build a castle, completely isolated from the outside world. It is therefore the use of semi-translucent screen partitions and paper sliding doors (Shoji and Fusuma) is strongly associated with Japanese architecture.

Above: Fusuma, internal paper screen partition.

Below: Shoji - external translucent paper screens.

Opposite Page: Historical photograph of Japanese Shoji. © www.tatami.com

64

65

FOREWORD:

Corrugated board is over 150 years old. The first information about “paper or other material corrugating” may be found in a British patent by Edwarda G. Healyho and Edwarda E. Allena (1856). The manufacturing of corrugated board was patented in 1871 in US by Albert Jones.

Rumor has it that the first corrugating machine was made from old cannon barrels from the Civil War. The inspiration was gained from pleated women skirts. His goal was to find an elegant and safe way to package glass bottles. Oliver Long improved his patent three years later by adding a solid board to the corrugated one - getting a two-ply board. In 1883 in London the first European corrugated board factory began operating. The 20th century brought the development of new machinery and techniques for making corrugated board.

The image of Cardboard still remains that of a packaging material, but in the last few years an increasing number of architectural projects have been constructed from cardboard. This part of the book aims to provide a study of these projects and investigate how this material can be used in the future of architecture.

Opposite Page: Facts of cardboard as a packaging material.

Information via www.bitlw.com/bundles

Cardboard is lightweight, cheap and environmentally positive material. The packaging industry has a lot of knowledge on cardbaord as a packaging material, however in the building industry it is still largely unknown. To accquire a significant role in architecture, the mechanical and phyiscal properties will have to be fully determined. In principle, the fire and damp resistance problems could be overcome.

Corrugated board is made up of one or more layers of corrugated paper. These corrugated layers are glued together with layers of straight paper. Corrugated board brings up the pros of solid boards and at the same time eliminates the cons. Physical characteristics of individual types of corrugated boards are defined based on requirements for the material. Corrugated board is fairly impact resistant because the impact tends to infract the corrugated parts and therefore minimizes the chances of destroying the packaged goods. The main attributes observed on boards are mainly so called bursting, disruptive breakdown and edge breaking point (the bigger the edge breaking point - the more you can stack the board - meaning you can stack higher volumes of boxes on each other).

Board is one of the most widely used materials in the packaging industry - around 75 % of all packages is made out of board. If the board isn’t treated than the disadvantage is definitely its low resistance to water and weight absorbing capabilitie Corrugated board is over 150 years old. The first information about “paper or other material corrugating” may be found in a British patent by Edwarda G. Healyho and Edwarda E. Allena (1856). The manufacturing of corrugated board was patented in 1871 in US by Albert Jones.

Rumor has it that the first corrugating machine was made from old cannon barrels from the Civil War. The inspiration was gained from pleated women skirts. His goal was to find an elegant and safe way to package glass bottles. Oliver Long improved his patent three years later by adding a solid board to the corrugated one - getting a two-ply board. In 1883 in London the first European corrugated board factory began operating. The 20th century brought the development of new machinery and techniques for making corrugated board.

66

400

million tons

90%

of items in U.S. in cardboard

paper & cardboard produced worldwide

24.1

million tons

paper & cardboard wasted worldwide

BIGGEST

manufactured product in the waste stream.

67

INTRODUCTION:

Advantages: - Strength - Corrugated board exhibits excellent strength at a low basis weight (175 g/m²). It is very good at absorbing pressure and impact loads and corrugated board is thus used as a material for shipping cartons and for padding fragile goods. Even heavy vehicle parts, such as gearboxes, are transported in high strength corrugated board cartons with an integrated pallet.

- Lightweight, therefore easy to move around and transport.

- Cost-effective - Very economical and readily available. Transporting costs is also much less then heavier, larger alternatives.

Negatives: - Humidity - Corrugated board must be protected from all moisture, such as rain, snow, condensation water, seawater, extremely high levels of relative humidity or damp stacking surfaces. Optimum relative humidity is 50% in a tropical climate and 65% in a temperate climate.

- As corrugated board is mainly made from vegetable fibers, it is hygroscopic and has a tendency to swell. Improper storage or care of the cargo may result in dimensional changes (swelling), distortion (waviness) and reduced strength (tearing). This damage is irreversible, since drying leads to warping due to inner tensions and to staining (drying rings) or to bursting/cracking of the rolls.

68

69

SUSTAINABILITY:

Cardboard is the perfect utilitarian material—cheap, predictable, sturdy, dependable—which explains why it’s as ubiquitous as concrete. More important, it’s one of the few manufactured products that are inherently sustainable.

Today, 95% of all products in the U.S. are shipped in prefabricated corrugated boxes. It is truly amazing that cardboard maintains its dominance after more than a century of accelerated material advances.

Opposite Page: Sustainability facts of cardboard.

Information via www.triplepundit.com

70

Cardboard is easily recyclable. Most cardboard boxes are made from about 35% recycled fiber, but recycled content can be as high as 100%. Nearly three-fourths of all corrugated boxes produced in the U.S. are recycled. Grocery stores alone recycle 6 million tons of old corrugated boxes each year. Old corrugated cardboard (known as OCC to distinguish it from chemically treated board) is an excellent source of fiber for recycling. It can be compressed and baled for easy transport to anywhere wood fiber is needed for making paper or packaging, particularly in developing nations without access to sustainable sources of wood fiber. (According to TriplePundit, a sustainable-business Web site, trees raised specifically for pulp production account for 42% of world pulp production; old-growth forests account for 9%; and forests of second, third, and more generations account for the rest.)

Corrugated Cardboard has best recycling record from any packaging material...

55%

91%

1993

2011

Recycling 1 ton of cardboard saves...

9

cubic yards of

landfill space

700 gallons of water

46 gallons of oil

71

PRODUCTION PROCESS:

To make cardboard, you start with trees — typically de-barked pine trees that have been recently harvested. These trees go though a chipper and the chips end up in a big pressurized tank. In this tank, the chips will undergo the Kraft process. The chips mix with chemicals like sodium hydroxide (aka lye), which breaks down the glue (lignin) holding the wood fibers together. Once the process is complete, this unbleached wood pulp is formed into huge rolls of Kraft paper. The rolls can weigh several tons each, and they head off to the cardboard factory.

At the factory, the process of making flat sheets of cardboard is straightforward. The cardboard is made of two flat sheets of paper (the liners) with a corrugated sheet (the medium) glued in between. The glue is made of corn starch mixed with water. It is easy to visualize this machine — three rolls of paper feed in three sheets. One sheet goes through a set of corrugating rollers. Glue gets applied, and the two liner sheets get glued to the medium. Once the glue sets, you have a rigid sheet of cardboard.

The next step typically slices or die-cuts the cardboard into the shape of a box blank, and this blank gets folded and glued appropriately. These finished boxes are left flat for shipping and are assembled when they are needed.

The production process of corrugated board can be divided into several phases: - creating ribs and rib gluing - marouflage - drying The basic machinery for production of corrugated board is the corrugator to which two belts of paper are fed. Paper intended for corrugating goes through a set of fluted valves (upper and lower fluted valve). These valves are heated to 180°C. Immediately after the corrugation process starch glue is applied to the ribs. Afterwards the corrugated paper is gently pressed with another layer of solid paper. This way one gets a two-ply corrugated board suitable for further conversion.

Marouflage is a technique in which an upper treatment from a different material than the base material is applied. When the ribs are firmly connected to the solid base the lower part is marouflaged and glued to the other side of the board. This way single-ply or multi-ply boards are made. The drying process causes the starch to become a gel - this glues firmly together all layers.

72

73

CHAPTER 6:

CARDBOARD BUILDING MATERIAL

CELLULOSE INSULATION

Recycled Paper Building Insulation

75-85%

recycled waste newsprint.

By taking post-consumer waste newspaper and recycling it into cellulose fibre, this can be used to create an eco-friendly insulation for the complete building fabric - lofts, roofs and walls.

Manufactured from recycled newsprint, this is sequestering thousands of tonnes of carbon which would otherwise be released as methane gas at landfill. This represents a significant effort in reducing industry’s carbon footprint. Cellulose is composed of 75-85% recycled paper fiber, usually waste newsprint. The other 15% is a fire retardant such as boric acid or ammonium sulphate. Cellulose has the highest recycled content of any insulation available. For example, fiberglass has a maximum amount of 50% recycled content.

This ‘Better than Zero Carbon’ status makes it ideal for those targeting Code for Sustainable Homes, BREEAM standards or even PassivHaus, and combined with its low material cost, ease of installation and other benefits (fire resistance, acoustic insulation, complete void fill etc) creates one of the best choice insulation for modern construction.

Below: Recycled paper collection.

Opposite Page: Cellulose Insulation into walls. © www.cellulose.org

76

77

INTERNAL ROOM DIVIDERS

Sander Architecten / Mio Nomad System

Amsterdam studio Sander Architecten designed cardboard meeting rooms inside a bank in the Netherlands. Giant cylinders of cardboard and paper enclose meeting rooms inside the headquarters for financial services advisor Rabobank. The multi-ply cardboard is layered to create textured patterns on the surface of one cylinder. Translucent Japanese paper covers a second cylinder, as well as the springy lanterns that surround circular skylights.

‘Nomad’ is a different modular architectural system that can be assembled into freestanding, temporary partitions without hardware, tools or damage to existing structures. Made from recycled, double-wall cardboard they are available in ten colors in packs of 24 modules (sheets).

Each box contains 14 square foot sections of wall when assembled in the closed configuration or 20 square feet in the open configuration. The modules can be arranged into open or closed configurations creating private environments or light and airy room dividers. The Nomad System can also be configured to create doorways and corners, easily adjusting to any indoor space, including lofts, basements or even office spaces.

Above: Intersecting cardboard piece. © www.mioculture.com Below: View of completed partition system. © www.mioculture.com Opposite Page: View of layered cardboard partition. © Sander Architecten.

78

79

‘EASY EDGES’ FURNITURE

Frank Gehry, 1968

The ‘Wiggle’ Chair was designed by notable Pritzker Prize-winning architect Frank O. Gehry in the period between 1968 to 1972. Frank Gehry was one of the first designers to create functional furniture by sticking together layers of corrugated cardboard: the material he uses to make his sculptural architectural models.

In the 1960s a trend for cost-efficient and lightweight materials led to experiments with using cardboard in furniture design. Designer and architect Frank Gehry developed a cardboard material called ‘edge board’ that used multiple layers of corrugated cardboard glued together to make it strong enough to be practical. A layer of hardboard with the same profile is attached on each side to compact the layers of what Gehry named “edge board” and create a more durable surface.

The design is one of a series of cardboard furniture pieces designed by Gehry for his ‘Easy Edges’ collection, which features 14 products built in the same way as a low-cost furniture solution. Frank Gehry named it the ‘Easy Edges’ furniture line because of its smooth and attractive curves. The chair is named after the shape of the seat, which loops back and forth to resemble loose folds. The form straightens out at the top to create the chair’s back.

Above: Stool designed by Architect Frank Gehry.

Below: Other furniture designed as part of the ‘Easy Edges’ collection.

Opposite Page: The Wiggle Chair designed by Architect Frank Gehry. © www.stardust.com

80

The range gained Gehry an international reputation as a furniture designer, but the Canadianborn architect decided that it wasn’t his calling. “I started to feel threatened. I closed myself off for weeks at a time in a room to rethink my life. I decided that I was an architect, not a furniture designer... and I simply stopped doing it,” said Gehry in a catalogue for a retrospective exhibition at the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, in 1989.

81

CHAPTER 7:

PIONEER ARCHITECT

SHIGERU BAN Architect Profile

Long before sustainability was a buzzword, Pritzker Prize-winning architect Shigeru Ban had begun his experiments with ecologically sound building materials such as cardboard tubes. His remarkable structures are often intended as temporary housing for disaster-struck nations such as Haiti, Rwanda, Japan. Yet often the buildings remain a beloved part of the landscape long after they have served their intended purpose.

Shigeru Ban’s architecture redefines aesthetics, space, structure and even the idea of permanence.

In 1986, for the Alvar Aalto Exhibition near Tokyo, Ban experimented with constructing a building from long paper tubes, the kind found at textile factories. The tubes ended up being much stronger than he had imagined, and were easier to waterproof and fireproof than he had guessed. Ban created many experimental buildings in this vein -- from the Japanese Pavilion at Expo 2000 in Germany, which was meant to be recycled upon demolition, to an office for himself and his students set atop the Pompidou Centre in Paris, where they worked for six years.

Above (Top): Shigeru Ban - Architect.

Above (Left): Ban speaking in TED Talk.

Opposite Page: The studio on the rooftop setting of the Pompidou Centre. © Shigeru Ban Architects.

84

But Ban’s cardboard tube designs have found another use - as emergency shelters for those who have lost their homes in disasters and wars. In 1994, Ban created shelters for refugees in Rwanda. The next year, after an earthquake in Japan, he rebuilt a local church out of paper tubes that became a local fixture for 10 years. His designs - both low-cost, and dignity-building - have housed people affected by disasters in Taiwan, China, Haiti, Turkey and Sri Lanka. He helped develop a shelter system after the Japanese earthquake and tsunami of 2011.

“Although, now, people think I am an environmentally friendly architect, when I started nobody was talking about the environment. I was interested in cheap materials.�

Shigeru Ban - Architect

85

EMERGENCY REFUGEE SHELTERS

Rwanda, 1994

Shigeru Ban had gone to Rwanda to design and build a new kind of shelter, to help the millions of refugees during crisis in 1999. It was his first of many projects for the homeless and displaced, and was certainly a first for an inventive architect to participate in such an effort to find better ways to house people in such catastrophic circumstances.

Between February and September this year, 50 examples of Ban’s paper tube structures were built. Measuring 1.7m high, 3.5m wide and 4m long, these shelters aim to improve on the plastic sheets and hatches initially provided by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). There were concerns bout local deforestation led to the acceptance of Ban’s paper tube proposal, which were both readily usable and unlikely to be resold or stolen.

The paper tube structures were thoroughly tested in relation to their durability, cost and resistance to termites. A number of medical relief organisations also analysed the safety related to the use of simple machinery for on-site construction.

Above: Drawings to show how to assemble shelters.

Below: Assembling the simple paper tube structures.

Opposite Page: Shelters inhabited by refugees. © Shigeru Ban Architects.

86

87

PAPER HOUSE Japan, 1995

“The living area in the large circle is represented as a universal space with no furnishings other than an isolated kitchen counter, sliding doors, and movable closets” The 100sq.m house was designed by Ban in 1994 for his own use. A total of 110 paper tubes 2.7m high are arranged in a S-shape that defines the spaces of the house, and form an interior living space with gallery area containing a 123cm paper tube column for the toilet.

Given the strict building regulations in Japan, the authorisation of paper tubes as a permanent building material was no small accomplishment. The vertical loads on the house are supported by 10 paper tubes, while 80 interior tubes carry the lateral stress of the structure.

The paper columns are protected by adverse weather conditions by large fully-glazed sliding doors which form a rectangle surrounding the organic curved formation of the paper columns.

Above: An exploded axonometric reveals layout.

Below: Paper tubes enclosing interior space.

Opposite Page: View of the house within the natural forest setting. © Shigeru Ban Architects.

88

“This project was the first in which paper tubes were authorised to be utilised as a structural material in a permanent building.�

Shigeru Ban.

89

PAPER LOG HOUSE

Japan / Turkey / India - 1995/1998/2001

“The design criteria called for a cheap structure that could be built by anyone, with reasonable insulated properties that was acceptably attractive in appearance. The solution was a foundation of sand-filled beer cases, walls of paper tubes (diameter 108mm / 4mm thick), and with a ceiling and roof made of membrane material. The design was a kind of log-cabin. The beer cases were rented from the manufacturer and were also used to form steps during the construction process.”

This single-storey temporary residence has a total floor area of 16sq.m. Designed in June 1995, the year of the Great Hanshin earthquake in Kobe, the house was inspired by the plight of a group of Vietnamese churchgoers who were still living in plastic-sheet tents months after the January 1995 earthquake.

Above: Front elevation drawing.

Below: Internal view of dwelling.

Opposite Page: External view of house, showing card tube walls and beer case foundation. © Shigeru Ban Architects.

90

91

PAPER CHURCH Japan, 1995/1999

This single-storey 168sq.m paper tube structure was designed between March and July 1995 and was built by 160 volunteer students during the same year. The structure was to provide a temporary community hall and church following the former Takatori Church destroyed on the same site by an earthquake, which hit a few months before the same year.

Corrugated polycarbonate sheeting was used as a protective skin, and 58 card tubes placed in an elliptical pattern formed the internal space. Glazed screens were used to create a protective facade when closed, but could be fully operable to create a continuous space between the outside and interior.

The design of the structure had to allow for easily assembly by non-skilled volunteers. This means the structure could be carefully taken apart and transported to another disaster site as required. The structure lasted for 10 years until it was dismantled and rebuilt in Taiwan in 2008.

They were so impressed with Ban’s temporary church, he was instructed to design a more substantial Takatori Church.

Above: Exploded axonometric drawing to show internal oval within the external rectangle.

Right: View of church illuminated at night.

Opposite Page: Internal view showing the paper tube enclosed worship space. Š Shigeru Ban Architects.

92

93

CARDBOARD CATHEDRAL

New Zealand, 2013

The Christchurch Cathedral is one of Ban’s most ambitious piece of ‘emergency architecture.’

The temporary church has anticipated life of 50 years, with the Anglican Church planning to use it as a cathedral for at least a decade while they build a permanent replacement for the late 19th-century building lost in New Zealand’s catastrophic earthquake in 2011. At which point, the 20ft cardboard tubes will be dismantled and recycled.

Built from 600-millimetre diameter cardboard tubes coated with waterproof polyurethane and flame retardants, the cathedral is a simple A-frame structure that can hold 700 people. One end of the cathedral has been filled with stained glass to flood natural light into the interior.

There has been some damage when a sodden when a torrential downpour hit the roof before it was fully complete. However, one benefit of this building material is it is easy to maintain. The affected sections of cardboard were swiftly cut out and replaced.

Above: Sketch drawings of design process.

Below: Interior of the church, showing coloured glazing to allow natural light to flood in.

Opposite Page: Internal view of building, showing card tubes. © Shigeru Ban Architects.

94

95

PAPER TEMPORARY STUDIO

France, 2004

Shigeru Ban’s explains in one of his ‘TED Talks’ how he could not afford to have an expensive studio in the centre of Paris whilst carrying out the design for the Centre Pompidou-Metz (Metz, France, 2007-10), therefore needed a solution. He jokeingly suggested to the president of the Centre Pompidou in Paris that he would not be able to carry out the project for the agreed design fee unless he could place a temporary studio on a terrace of the celebrated Piano & Rogers building. This remark soon turned into reality.

In 2004, Ban designed his own 155sq.m temporary office; a paper tube structure with some timber reinforcing joints and steel cables. The structure was covered with a titanium dioxide PTFE membrane to protect the interior from the adverse weather. Local architecture students alongside Ban’s Japanese students carried out construction.

Being located above all the temporary exhibitions galleries in the Centre, assures this may well be Shigeru Ban’s most frequently viewed work. Working within one of his own temporary buildings makes this a great pioneer example for cardboard structures.

Above: Drawings to showing structure framework.

Below: Front entrance of proposed structure.

Opposite Page: The studio on the rooftop setting of the Pompidou Centre. © Shigeru Ban Architects.

96

“The tubular form of the structure is obviously related to the design of the Centre Pompidou itself, but that also happens to be the most efficient shape. In the original design of Piano & Rogers, they proposed to have some temporary structure in or around the building - on the parvis for example. It was necessary to get the permission of Renzo Piano for this design and he accepted it quite happily.�

Shigeru Ban.

97

HUALIN TEMPORARY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

China, 2008

A devastating earthquake occurred on the 12th May 2008, in the Sichuan province of China, causing the death of 68,000 people. Students from Banlab (the research centre of Shigeru Ban) and the Hironori Matsubara Lab at Keio University used cardboard tubes to construct three temporary school buildings in Chengdu, with the collaboration of the Jiaotong University in that city.

Each of the buildings had a 6x30m footprint, and divided into three, to provide a total of nine classrooms. The structure framework was made using paper tubes. Plywood with polycarbonate as insulation was employed for the roof. Students from Japan and China worked on the project over a 40-day period beginning in August 2008.

Above: Construction image showing simple structure.

Below: Students working together to construct the paper tube framework.

Opposite Page: Internal view of completed classroom. Š Shigeru Ban Architects.

98

99

EXPO JAPANESE PAVILION

Germany, 2000

The structure consisted of a lattice-grid shell of cardboard tubes. The end walls are in a cabletensioned cardboard honeycomb construction, while the roof skin consists of a five-layer fireand waterproof ­paper membrane. Even the sand-filled steel foundations can be removed and used again later. Extensive trials were necessary to obtain planning approval, however. The structure had to be reinforced with curved timber ladder gir­ders, which, together with the steel stays, form the real load-bearing elements; and the paper membrane had to be covered with an additional PVC fabric.

The Pavilions has been a great leap forward in the field of paper architecture. The main theme of the Hanover Expo was the environment and the basic concept behind the Japan Pavilion was to create a structure that would produce as little industrial waste as possible when it was dismantled. The goal was either to recycle or reuse almost all of the materials that went into the building. The first structural idea was for a tunnel arch of paper tubes, similar to the Paper Dome. However, the Paper Dome was limited by the high cost of wooden joints. I proposed a grid shell using lengthy paper tubing and without joints to my collaborator, Frei Otto. The tunnel arch would be about 73.8m long, 25m wide, and 15.9m high. The most critical factor was lateral strain along the long side, so instead of a simple arch I chose a grid shell of three-dimensional curved lines with indentations in the height and width directions, which are stronger when it comes to lateral strain.

Above: Grid-shell form of the structure.

Below: Exterior view of the pavilion with fabric external skin.

Opposite Page: Internal view of the hall and exposed paper tube grid-shell construction. © Shigeru Ban Architects.

100

101

CHAPTER 8:

ARCHITECTURAL

PRECEDENTS

PRIMARY SCHOOL EXTENSION

Cotterell & Vermeulen, 2002

The Cardboard Building at Westcliff Primary School was designed by Cottrell & Vermeulen Architecture, as a detached activity space that showcases the potential of cardboard as a sustainable construction material. The building has attracted international attention and won the RIBA Journal Sustainability Award in 2002.

The building 15 metres (49’) by 6 metres (20’) is designed to act as an after-school clubhouse and spare classroom and anticipated to serve 20 useful years. The Cardboard Building is the latest project providing a multipurpose space benefiting both the school and social needs of the community. This is a small building with excellent sustainable credentials made of cardboard and timber with a high proportion of it being cardboard, and where 90% of the materials have been recycled. Remarkably it meets fire and waterproofing standards as well. It is hoped that the project will promote the use of cardboard as a sustainable building material.

Above: Children playing inside cardboard extension.

Below: Internal view inside cardboard structure.

Opposite Page: External view of structure, showing circular windows and laminated cladding. © www.cv-arch.co.uk

104

The school community was involved with the project from the outset. The children collected card for recycling, helped design and develop the building, and took part in a live BBC broadcast. This engagement with the production process of their new classroom fostered a sense of ownership and pride in their environment within the school and this extended to the local community.

One of the reasons the school embarked on the project was “because it helps the children to learn - because its fun to do something unusual.” Response from the kids? Well, according to the BBC Sophie, 11, sure got the message about recycling: “We put cardboard and old newspapers in a skip and it came back as little slabs that were put together”.

“We were completely won over by The Cardboard Building for Westborough Primary School. It is Europe’s first permanent cardboard structure, providing a much needed educational and community space as well as an inspiring structure that works with the properties of the material.”

The Judges - The RIBA Journal Sustainability Award.

105

THE CARDBOARD HOUSE

Stutchbury & Pape and University of Sydney, 2004

Stutchbury & Pape in 2004, in association with the Ian Buchan Fell Housing Research Unit at University of Sydney.

“The Cardboard House is a direct challenge to the housing industry to reduce housing and environmental costs.” So says architects Stutchbury and Pape, and the Ian Buchan Fell Housing Research Unit at University of Sydney. This partnership designed and constructed one of 6 pre-fabricated homes for an exhibition entitled “The House of the Future” to celebrate The Year of the Built Environment. It is made from recycled cardboard, with a waterproof HDPE plastic roof. This material is also used for the flexible under-floor water tanks and the novel kitchen and bathroom ‘pods’.

Similar to a piece of IKEA furniture, the Cardboard House was conceived as a kit of parts, comprising a flat pack of frames, and infill floor and wall panels. It uses minimal fixings: nylon wing nuts, hand-tightened polyster tape stays and Velcro fastenings. Two people can assemble it, given a spare 6 hours.

Above: Detailed section through structure.

Bottom Page: External view of cardboard structure.

Opposite Page: Waterproof plastic sheeting over structure. © University of Sydney

106

The roof covering is a lightweight material that is as transportable as the structure. Similar to a tent fly, the roof fabric assists in holding down the building, providing a diffuse light in the day and a glowing box at night. Water is collected in bladders underneath the floor which double as ballast to hold down the lightweight building. A composting toilet system produces nutrient-rich water for gardening. Low-voltage lighting can be powered using a 12-volt car battery or small photovoltaic cells mounted on the roof framing. It is made from 85% recycled materials, with all materials being 100% recycleable. If it was recycled, the house would save 12 cubic metres of landfill, 39 trees and 30,000 litres of water. Priced at $35,000 AUD.

“We are able to recycle 100% of the building components at extremely low cost. The Cardboard House is a direct challenge to reduce housing and environmental costs.�

So says architects Stutchbury and Pape.

107

HOCKEY & TENNIS CLUB EXTENSION

Nils Eekhout, 2010

A multifunctional extension for the Hockey & Tennis Club Ring Pass which also houses social services like day care. The extension consists of a space frame supported by steel columns.

This space frame is made of cardboard tubes and re-used Tuballs: steel balls used from recycled old projects. It is not the first time Octatube applied cardboard tubes. Octatube developed and produced as early as 2003 space frames and structures with cardboard tubes. But this is the first of a permanent nature. It’s a big step towards a fully recyclable building or structure.

Important for the structural integrity of the cardboard tubes is not to be damp. To prevent the tubes absorb moisture, the tubes are coated with a layer of polyethylene just below the outer winding. There is also placed a rubber seal between the flange plate and the cylinder.

The choice of cardboard tubes is motivated by the desire to build sustainably. If the material would be applied more frequently, the construction is cheaper than a comparable steel structure.

The facades are built up with insulating glass panels with a neutral suncoating and are strong enough to withstand flying hockey balls. The glass panels used in this project meet the contemporary requirements.

Above: View through triangular grid form.

Below: External view of card structure behind glazing.

Opposite Page (Top): Internal view inside extension.

Opposite Page (Bottom): Innovative beam connection detail. Š www.archello.com

108

109

‘PACKED’

Min-Chieh Chen, Dominik Zausinger and Michele Leidi, 2010

Below: External view of cardboard structure.

Opposite Page: View inside of cardboard structure. © packed-pavilion.blogspot.com

Design students Min-Chieh Chen, Dominik Zausinger and Michele Leidi of the ETH Zurich, Switzerland, have sent us some images of a pavilion made of cardboard hoops. Called ‘Packed,’ the digitally designed pavilion is made up of 409 cylinders of different diameters and thicknesses, connected together with ties to create a dome-shaped grid of circles.

The students used computer technology to implement the manufacture of the components of the pavilion and also its packing and shipping. The aim of the project is to show how CAAD (Computer Aided Architectural Design) can be exploited, not only to create designs but also to optimise the entire design processes including production and logistics.

The pavilion was on show as part of the 3D paperArt exhibition at the Shanghai Museum of Arts and Crafts in November 2010, as part of the Shanghai Expo 2010.

110

111

‘SUBDIVISION’

Michael Hansmeyer, 2014

Below: Student touching the textile nature of columns.

Opposite Page: Front view of paper column. © Michael Hansmeyer.

This work by Michael Hansmeyer is outstandingly complex and the seemingly delicacy of his work appears mindblowing. Educated as an architect and computer programmer, Hansmeyer intends to create a new kind of architectural expression using the mathematics of algorithms.

“On the one hand, their [algorithms] computational power can address processes with a scale and complexity that precludes a manual approach. On the other hand, algorithms can generate endless permutations of a scheme. A slight tweaking of either the input or the process leads to an instant adaptation of output. When combined with an evaluative function, they can be used to recursively optimize output on both a functional and aesthetic level,” explained Hansmeyer.

His Subdivision project features geometrically intricate surfaces that create an artistically articulated variety of columns. The 2.7 meter high columns are fabricated as a layered model with sheets 1mm thick. The individual cut sheets are stacked and held together by poles that run through a common core. To cut the sheets, the astonishing 6 million faces of the 3D model are intersected with a plane representing the sheet.

112

“This step generates a series of individual line segments that are tested for self-intersection and subsequently combined to form polygons. Next, a polygon-in-polygon test deletes interior polygons. A series of filters then ensures that convex polygons with peninsulas maintain a minimum isthmus width. In a final step, an interior offset is calculated with the aim of hollowing out the slice to reduce weight. While the mean diameter of the column is 50cm, the circumference as measured by the cutting path can reach up to 8 meters due to jaggedness and frequent reversals of curvature.�

Michael Hansmeyer,

113

‘COCOON’ - PORTABLE HOMELESS SHELTER

Hwang Kim, 2010

Korean product designer Hwang Kim seeks to help the homeless population by distributing a folding portable urban shelter made from cardboard. The project entitled ‘cocoon’ is made from pre-folded single ply cardboard with plastic buttons that can be reduced to a smaller, flattened and more transport friendly shape. The ‘cocoon’ project is a practical solution to providing a basic human need that comes from kim’s philosophical backing in universal design: valuing people first and creating products that enable people to live a better life. The private shelter aims to give a little pleasure while facing the hash conditions of being homeless.

The cocoon is a covering used in a phase of growth by a larva of moths. Outwardly, it seems to take a rest, but actually, its tissues and organs continue to mature. One of the wonders of nature is a beautiful butterfly coming into being out of the dark and narrow cocoon. The homeless issue has been a long standing problem of our civilization, which still remains unresolved. The cocoon should metaphorically show there is hope at the end of despair.

Above (Left): View of ‘cocoon’ within street setting.

Above (Right): Assembly instructions.

Opposite Page: Plan and view of the temporary shelter. © Studio Hwang Kim.

114

115

CHAPTER 9:

SUMMARY

SUMMARY:

Bamboo & Cardboard in Architecture

Below (Left): Paper log house - Japan, Turkey, India 1995-2001. © Shigeru Ban Architects.

In conclusion, the research has revealed the evolution regarding the use of both bamboo and cardboard as an alternative sustainable building material within architecture in the modern world.

Below (Right): Low cost housing, 2014. © www.votrongnghia.com

Bamboo canes are commonly hollowed out to create a tube-like structure. Cardboard is often manufactured within the packaging industry to create a tube-like form. This common property of both materials means they share similar connection methods as a building material. Both of these hollow structures work well with ‘plug-in’ connections, usually made from a more versatile material (such as steel), to create large spans and enclosures.

Opposite Page (Top): Plug-in bamboo connection detail on German Chinese pavilion at World Expo Shanghai Expo, 2010. © MUDI Architects.

Opposite Page (Bottom): Plug-in cardboard connection detail on Sports Club Extension by Nils Eekhout, 2010. © www.archello.com

118

Both of these materials are often used within temporary structures. As well as the tube-like form, both of these materials are also made from tree fibres (whether grown naturally or manufactured). It is this property that makes them respond to humidity and moisture. It is therefore why both of these materials have a limited life-span if used externally, unless protected by the use of lamination or preservation methods.

119

120

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Acknowledgements

Book designer, author and editor - Jack Baron © Jack Baron, 2015. All rights reserved.

Printed in United Kingdom.

- ‘Cardboard in Architecture: Research in Architectural Engineering.’

Edited by Mick Eekhout, Fons Verheijen and Ronald Visser. (Printed 2008).

- ‘Shigeru Ban’ by Philip Jodidio. (Printed 2012).

- ‘A Sustainable Scaffolding Alternative – Bamboo Scaffolding’

By Aiyin Jiang, Ph.D., CPC University Of Cincinnati, Ohio.

- ‘Scaffolding on High-Rise Buildings’ By: Soliman Khudeira, American Society Of Civil Engineering, (2009).

- Chung, K. F. and Siu, Y. C. (1999), Erection of Bamboo Scaffolds, Hong Kong Polytechnic University and International Network for Bamboo and Rattan, Hong Kong, 1999, p. 6.

- Tong, A. I. (2002), Bamboo scaffolding – practical application, Bamboo scaffolds in building construction - an alternative and supplement to metal scaffolds, Proceedings of international seminar, May 11, 2002, Hong Kong.

- Ong, C, 2006 ‘Can Bamboo Replace Thirsty Trees?’ www.worldagroforestrycentre.org - Urban Bamboo Farms – Winners of Chicago sustainable awards www.bamboo-insights.com - Ong, C, A , 2004 ‘Giant Solution to a Giant Problem’ www.worldagroforestry.org - Rayne-Oakes, S & SRO, 2007, S4 Sustainability Trends in Fashion - http://www.inbar.int - http://www.bamboocentral.org - http://www.eco-web.com - http://www.bamboobotanicals.ca/html/about-bamboo

121

engage with.

CATEGORIES: Tall wood - building high Floating - timber in marine uses Lighter than air - timber in aviation etc.

Timber - types, species Timber gridhells & lightweight structures Fire & timber Heavy timber buildings- traditional Sources of timber Manufacturing timber products Contemporary uses inc. CLT Bamboo, cardboard & paper Bridges/Long Span Timber as an intermediate structure (formwork etc.)

The environmental issues

http://parametricwood2011.wordpress.com

Efficient structures already exist abundantly in nature - it is a fundamental principle in allowing living th to evolve.

Often Architects adopt a ‘style’ in their approach to practice. Even within the so called ‘green movement’ ap proaches are fairly easily indentified as a particular approach such as the ‘high tech’ or at the other end the ecological low impact ways of making buildings ( Rural, often earth based).

However, the purpose of this study is NOT to engage with any particular ‘green doctrines’ where particular tions are almost given. The issue is how to develop ways of approaching design with a clear awareness of h the choices made in design impact on the environment.

A key issue is about efficiency and effectiveness. Unfortunately, many commonly used structural systems ar used as ‘default’ solutions because trades and industries have established and embedded themselves in the profession in we practice. There are however, systems which are far more effective and inspiring, and this p aims to explore these, in advance of your following design projects.

re\source studio 22

Shigeru Ban, cardboard market place STRUCTURES STUDIES 2014/15 CotterellEFFICIENT & Vermeulen, cardboard school

BAMBOO, CARDBOARD & PAPER

InOften doing the studies some of the issues you should consider include: we, as designers, focus on an obviously renewable materials - such as timber - as ‘green’ building materials. Yet we often overlook how the design of these materials can (though naturally, this depends on your study) be used in more effective way. This study is not necessarily material dependent, and many studies should explore using a variety of materials in its structure (eg. arches & gridshells). The variety of studies is very wide and often not traditionally thought of as being ‘architectural’. This is deliberate, to stimulate a broader conception of possible architectural solutions for, hopefully, ambitious alternative solutions to dealing with some of the environmental issues we obviously need to engage with.

1. Has the material used required the environment (physical or social) to be damaged in it’s production and/ manufacture.

2. How much energy is required in it’s manufacture and transport (embodied energy), and is that the by-prod of that energy damaging the environment (carbon emissions)