Bamboo as a material for designing space making element

Bamboo as a material for designing space making element

Research Coursework

Shruti Patil Student’s code Under the guidance of

Ar. Yatin Moghe.

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Research Coursework submitted in partial fulfilment Of the Fourth Year Research Driven Interior design Course Conducted by SMEF’s Brick School of Interior Design 2019-20

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This is to certify that The Research Coursework of Diploma in Research Driven Interior Design titled

Is a Bonafide work of

And has been done under my Guidance.

Student: Shruti H. Patil

Guide: Ar. Yatin Moghe

Date:

2019

Seal

HOD -RDID

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Declaration I declare that this written submission represents my ideas in my own words and where other ideas and words have been included; I have adequately cited and referenced the original sources. I also declare that I have adhered to all principals of academic honesty and integrity and have not misrepresented or fabricated or falsified any idea/data/fact/source in my submission. I understand that any violation of the above will be cause for disciplinary action by the Institute and can also evoke penal action from the sources which have thus not been properly cited or from whom proper permission has not been taken when needed.

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(Signature)

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(Name of the student)

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(Date)

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Acknowledgement I would like to express my gratitude to all people who shared their knowledge throughout my journey, expressed interest in the subject of bamboo and shared knowledge that was very useful to me. I also want to express my gratitude to my thesis Guide Ar. Yatin Moghe, for his support and sincere interest in the subject, so thanks for the guidance and to help to keep my interest in constructing interior design elements. Also, say a big thank you to friends and my elder brother who have helped me directly indirectly throughout the process.

In addition, special thanks to the parents, who always encouraged me and for their great confidence in me.

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Abstract Bamboo is a natural interior design material that can be found in the tropical to mild temperate regions. It has been used from ancient times for its natural strength and flexibility.

Bamboo as an interior designing material has revitalized bamboo not only as a cheap material but also as a durable material. Bamboo has many environmental benefits which has made it a superior green interior design material.

This report deals with why and how bamboo is used as an interior design material, some of the main properties, joinery details and the major uses of bamboo in interior design. Also it will help to use eco-friendly materials and techniques, which are cost-effective and grown abundantly and focuses on sustainable interior design to fit into natural surroundings. By analysing the changes in interior design requirements and properties of bamboo material, the study explores the application of bamboo material in interior design in terms of the aesthetic characteristics, cultural characteristics, functional characteristics and sustainable design. This paper study how using bamboo as an interior design material can design A cost effective and affordable house interior.

Analysing how same material can give a character and property to particular elements. How design can help to improve the aesthetics as well as function of the elements. This study will also introduce possibilities of cost effective usage of bamboo in interior design elements. The space making elements proposed in this study are -Partition walls, walls, ceiling, the flooring and furniture. It can also help to understand how to work with bamboo as an interior design element through the stages of analysis, design and conclude.

The research method of this project is a combination of

literature reviews by other

researcher with the same interest, case study analysis for cost effective interior design ideas .Also this study is descriptive and analytical in nature, based on secondary data which has been collected from various research papers, journals, books, and internet to understand the importance of bamboo as an interior design material .

Key words: tropical, Flexibility, joinery, eco-friendly, cost effective, sustainable, space making Element

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Table of content Contents Declaration ..................................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgement ......................................................................................................................... iv Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... v Table of content ............................................................................................................................. vi List of Figure................................................................................................................................. vii List of table .................................................................................................................................... ix List of abbreviations ....................................................................................................................... x 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Introduction to the bamboo material...................................................................................... 1 1.2 Aim and objective .................................................................................................................. 2 1.3 Scope of the study .................................................................................................................. 2

2. Origin of bamboo as a sustainable material ................................................................................ 3 2.1 Origin of bamboo ................................................................................................................. 3 2.2 First usage of bamboo .......................................................................................................... 4 2.3 Bamboo nowadays ............................................................................................................... 4

3. Bamboo as a plant .................................................................................................................... 8 3.1 Features ................................................................................................................................ 8 3.2 Physical properties ............................................................................................................... 8 3.3 Treatment and De-structuring of bamboo canes ................................................................ 10

4. Bamboo manufacturing system .............................................................................................. 12 4.1 Requirements ...................................................................................................................... 12 4.2 Joinery techniques ............................................................................................................. 12

5. Case studies ............................................................................................................................. 16 5.1 Case study 1- Bamboo Symphony....................................................................................... 16 5.2 Case study 2- Blooming house ............................................................................................ 20 5.3 Case study 3- The 3modular solution .................................................................................. 26 5.5 Summary ............................................................................................................................. 30

References ..................................................................................................................................... 32

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List of Figure figure 1 Bamboo bed ..................................................................................................................... 4 figure 2 Bamboo flooring.............................................................................................................. 4 figure 3 Bamboo slats panelling sheet roll .................................................................................... 5 figure 4 Application of bamboo slats (panelling) ......................................................................... 5 figure 5 Bamboo rugs..................................................................................................................... 6 figure 6 Bamboo furniture ............................................................................................................. 6 figure 7 Bamboo blinds .................................................................................................................. 6 figure 8 Small indoor bamboo plants ............................................................................................. 6 figure 9 Tall indoor bamboo plants ............................................................................................... 6 figure 10 Bamboo wall lights ......................................................................................................... 7 figure 11 Handmade artifacts ......................................................................................................... 7 figure 12 Bamboo poles as a partition ............................................................................................ 7 figure 13 Bamboo poles decorative ceiling ................................................................................... 7 figure 14 Diagram of a bamboo plant ........................................................................................... 29 figure 15 Bamboo slitting technique ............................................................................................. 10 figure 16 Bamboo slitting tool ...................................................................................................... 10 figure 17 Bamboo beam joinery detail.......................................................................................... 12 figure 18 Double and quadraple beam support ............................................................................. 13 figure 19 Fixing Horizontal and Vertical members with pins and bolts ...................................... 13 figure 20 Bamboo wall designs..................................................................................................... 13 figure 21 Bamboo cutting and joinery techniques ........................................................................ 14 figure 22 Bamboo joinery techniques ........................................................................................... 14 figure 23 Bamboo joinery technique............................................................................................. 14 figure 24 Types of bamboo connection ........................................................................................ 14 figure 25 Bracket interlocking stud............................................................................................... 15 figure 26 How to make plug-in connector .................................................................................... 15 figure 27 Traditional poositive fitting connection ........................................................................ 15 figure 28 Positive fitting connection ............................................................................................. 15 figure 29 Night view of bamboo symphony ................................................................................. 16 figure 30 Detail site plan by Manasaram architects ...................................................................... 17 figure 31 Ceiling and workspace furniture in bamboo ................................................................. 18 figure 32 Bamboo partitions and furniture in discussion area ...................................................... 18 figure 33 Bamboo partitions, flooring, and furniture detail .......................................................... 18 vii

figure 34 Bamboo partition using slats and rings ......................................................................... 19 figure 35 Conference area bamboo furniture ............................................................................... 19 figure 36 Exploded building view and structure design ............................................................... 19 figure 37 Night view of the house................................................................................................. 20 figure 38 plan and elevation showing zoning ............................................................................... 21 figure 39 Types of bamboo joinery technique and view............................................................... 22 figure 40 Floor plan and detail elevation explaining the design ................................................... 22 figure 41 Wind flow and its effect on structure ............................................................................ 23 figure 42 Flexible uses of spaces .................................................................................................. 23 figure 43 Living area set aside for the plants ................................................................................ 24 figure 44 Living room view from mezzanine level ...................................................................... 24 figure 45 View of bamboo ceiling ................................................................................................ 24 figure 46 Multi-functional mezzanine floor .................................................................................. 24 figure 47 Exterior wall planters and Passage with the storage ..................................................... 24 figure 48 Study area ...................................................................................................................... 24 figure 49 Interior view of the bedroom and living room .............................................................. 25 figure 50Open air mezzanine floor and joinery detail of ceiling .................................................. 25 figure 51 Detail furniture layout ................................................................................................... 27 figure 52 Open structure for ventilation and visibility (front view) ............................................. 27 figure 53 Sectional elevation ........................................................................................................ 28 figure 54 Elevations ...................................................................................................................... 28 figure 55 Bedroom view ............................................................................................................... 28 figure 56 Interior view of the living room .................................................................................... 29 figure 57 Technical diagrams........................................................................................................ 29 figure 58 Exploded isomtric view ................................................................................................. 29 figure 59 Exterior view ................................................................................................................. 29 figure 60 Exterior view ................................................................................................................. 29

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List of table

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List of abbreviations IGBC - Indian Green Building Council ..................................................................................... 16 WC - Water Closet ..................................................................................................................... 20

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1. Introduction 1.1 Introduction to the bamboo material – Bamboo plays an important role not only in everyday life but also in art, literature and philosophy due to its structural and material properties, elegant shape and finish, practical utilizations and symbolic meanings, in most of the countries across the world. But in the automated industrial context today, this excellent natural material could not be utilized as in past because of its irregular form, inhomogeneous structure and variation of the material properties.

Sustainable, environmentally friendly use of bamboo material is an important goal of green interior design. Amongst the sustainable interior materials that researchers have focused on, bamboo is known to be the most distinctive material in its role in interior design. Because of its high growth rate and easy processing, bamboo is a renewable resource which could potentially replace slow growing hardwood. Bamboo’s good mechanical properties, low costs, abundant availability in developing countries, and potential use in a multiple applications shows the potential of this versatile material interior design.

The bamboo plant is an eminent means to start up reforestation, as a plant often has appositive effect on groundwater level and soil improvement through the nutrients in the plant debris. Recently bamboo has been hailed as a new material, which can be use variety of purpose in interior design. Bamboo also has the ability to absorb large amount of carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas which helps poor people to make money. The role of the bamboo is changing.

This study would like to emphasize the application of bamboo materials to interior components, such as ceiling, walls, flooring, and furniture. With the superior feature, bamboo deserves to be a material that needs to be incorporated into the interior design.

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1.2 Aim – The aim of this research is to study bamboo as an interior design material and design sustainable and cost effective interior design.

Objective – 

To learn about the technologies which are appropriate for use of bamboo in interior design elements, realizing the potential of the material, method to design sustainable interior design.

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To explore the possibilities to be more environment-friendly and create a green interior design elements.

1.3 Scope of the Study The research envelope consists of studying bamboo as a material in interior design. Methods of using and protecting the material. A detailed study of different techniques of bamboo and it’s to be used and study of several bamboo joinery and their properties to give an idea to rethink in creating sustainable and cost effective interiors.

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2. Origin of bamboo as a sustainable material 2.1 Origin of bambooThe plant known as bamboo for all over the world is a tribe of flowering evergreen plants in the grass family Phocaea. It appears in Asian culture for centuries and nowadays it expands to western continents. The plant which was once call the symbol of orient now is becoming sustainable grass with features of hardwood.

It is noted that there are about 10 genera into about 1,450 species, which grow in diverse climate.

It occur from East Asia through Northern Australia to West India and Himalayas. We can also find same species in sub-Saharan Africa and mid-Atlantic United States, Argentina and Chile.

Unfortunately, there are no native species of bamboo found in Europe. We know bamboo origin is dated about 5000 years ago in ancient China, when this plant appears significant in Asian history.

The plant is capable of consuming carbon dioxide at a higher rate than most hardwood plants. It is also able to produce more oxygen than most hardwood plants. The specialty of bamboo as an eco-friendly material is reinforced by the fact that it is not a tree. Bamboo is a grass and hence, it can be renewed endlessly. Because of this reason, cutting it does not have a tremendous impact on the environment.

It takes a bamboo shoot only five years to reach complete maturity. It is also renewable as it does not need to be planted again after harvesting. A new plant develops from the pre-existing remains of the shoot. Bamboo shoots take an average of 60 days to be replaced, whereas hardwood trees like oak take nearly 60 years. Bamboo is stronger than oak and does not expand or shrink like wood obtained from most hardwood trees. One of the most antiquated and versatile uses of bamboo are in the form of material used for flooring. The primary demand for flooring material is that it should be unaffected by environmental conditions such as expansion and contraction.

Bamboo possesses all these properties. Even hardwood floors are prone to climate changes. Hence it is perfect for the construction of floors and home furnishing such as furniture and wall decor.

Bamboo also had a tensile strength that is greater than that of steel. This is the reason why bamboo is used to construct houses in earthquake-prone areas.

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2.2 First usage of bamboo First species of bamboo evolved from prehistoric grasses around 30-40 million years ago, long after the dinosaur extinction. Then it was used as a food for herbivores and this usage is till cultivated nowadays. Over 5,000 years ago, Chinese people used bamboo to construct treehouses, beginning its legacy as a sturdy interior design material. From around 200 BCE to 200 CE, bamboo created paper and books. With that came the classification of over 60 documented plant varieties in China between the third to fifth centuries. The more individuals discovered about this plant, the more they wanted to use it. Bamboo came inside for use as an interior design material with the Ming Dynasty starting in the 1300s. Individuals used the plant to create bedding and flooring for their homes. This use further established bamboo as an interior design material for indoor and outdoor use alike. Beginning in the 600s, the Tang Dynasty developed bamboo musical instruments. The material established an even stronger cultural legacy with this bamboo application. Other cultural uses of bamboo include inspiration for art, poetry and music, as well as use in cultural dishes and meals. In the late 1990s, inventors in China developed a treatment that made bamboo look and feel like hardwood. By cutting and planning the bamboo stalks into planks, manufacturers created a durable alternative to hardwood flooring and boards. Before the 20th century, China and Japan used laminated bamboo for flooring. Since its initial use, bamboo became more refined as an interior design material.

Figure 2 Bamboo flooring

Figure 1 Bamboo bedding

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2.3 Bamboo nowadays With its history, including the construction of a palace during the Han Dynasty, bamboo carries rustic and tropical associations. Many designers use it today to provide an island feel to an interior space. They use the material in some surprising ways to achieve these aesthetics, some of which call back to bamboo's history.

Using bamboo for functional applications has its roots in history. From flooring to the lamp and partitions. From irrigation systems, manufacturers created pipes for different purposes. Bamboo has its place throughout every stage of the construction process, just as it did in the past. While those serve structural and practical purposes, many designers use bamboo for decorative reasons.

Some bamboo applications in interior design process include: 

Flooring

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Partition

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Ceiling

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Furniture

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Aesthetics

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Acoustics

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Building interior elements like staircase, etc.

1. Panelling or slats: Add texture to your walls or ceiling with bamboo panels. While this is a more modern use of bamboo, it owes its origin to historical bamboo structures. Get the same look inside by attaching bamboo slats to existing walls. It also gives the benefits of modern construction with the look of the classic interior design material. This call back to those first bamboo treehouses with the appearance of bamboo walls and ceilings.

Figure 3 Bamboo slats panelling sheet roll

Figure 4 Application of bamboo slats (panelling)

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1.

Rugs: Use bamboo for area rugs, runners, accent rugs and others. Evoke the rich history of bamboo's early days as an interior design material with decorative accents throughout home. Bamboo rugs are sturdy and beautiful.

They add interest to a space, protect your floors and define areas of a room.

Figure 5 Bamboo rugs

2. Furniture: As a versatile material, bamboo can create any furniture you can think of or need. Style meets function in pieces like bamboo shelves, storage and other furniture. From benches and chairs to tables and nightstands, bamboo furnishings give an island feel to any room because of the material's historical association.

Figure 6Bamboo furniture

3. Blinds: Keep out the sun in style. Choose from rustic, contemporary or other bamboo blinds to suit your space and give visitors some shade. Use them inside in traditional ways, or get creative with outdoor and other applications.

Figure 7 bamboo blinds

4. Decorations: Shorter bamboo plants make great indoor additions to your space. Instead of standard house plants, choose small species of bamboo to add a touch of history and a tropical vibe to any room. If you'd like bamboo outside, be sure to keep it in a planter instead of planting it directly in the ground, since it can spread quickly enough to take over your yard.

Figure 8 Small indoor bamboo plants

Figure 9 Tall bamboo indoor plant

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5. Art: It also use to create bamboo sculptures and wall art, but use of bamboo doesn't have to be all physical. It call back to the historical art associated with bamboo by hanging artwork of the plant. It gives guests, customers and visitors a clue about what bamboo material they'll see throughout the space and honours traditional bamboo art.

Figure 10 Bamboo wall lights

Figure 11 Handmade artefacts

6. Poles: Bamboo poles have helped to construct all sorts of objects and furniture. It can use to create almost anything with this material, and it goes together in the same way wood builds do. Use nails or glue to construct whatever bamboo creations we want to desire for a modern twist on the historic interior design material.

Figure 12 Bamboo poles as a partition

Figure 13 Bamboo poles decorative ceiling

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3. Bamboo as a plant 3.1 Features: Bamboo can reach up to 35 m high it is not considered as a tree or bush, but rather the fastest growing grass in the world. Being over 1.450 species this plant appears in every various climate (from cold mountains to hot tropical regions) of any continent except arctic Antarctica and Europe.

Before going to bamboo’s incredible features, first step is to introduce its natural structure.

Why bamboo called as a grass but not a tree? It is because of its extensive underground network. Like a regular grass in our lawns, when bamboo is being cut, this underground roots (rhizomes) can grow to another stem which professionally is called a clum. It can never happen to any kind of tree. Having hollow and strong inner cylinder can grow to its maturity up to 3 years and then it is ready for harvesting. Interesting fact is that this plant is monocarpic, which means that it flowers and gives fruits once in their lifetime and then dies.

Figure 14 Diagram of a bamboo plant

3.2 Physical properties of bamboo: Bamboo is a viable alternative for steel, concrete and masonry, it is so because of its properties which are clearly mention below.

1. Tensile strength: Bamboo is able to resist more tension than compression. The fibres of bamboo run axially are of highly elastic vascular bundle that has a high tensile strength.

The tensile strength of these fibres is higher than that of steel, but it’s not possible to construct connections that can transfer this tensile strength. Slimmer tubes are superior in this aspect too.

2. Compressive strength: Compared to the bigger tubes, slimmer ones have got, in relation to their cross-section, a higher compressive strength value. The slimmer tubes possess better material properties due to the fact that bigger tubes have got a minor part of the outer skin, which is very resistant in tension. The portion of lignin inside the culms affects compressive strength, whereas the high portion of cellulose influences the buckling and the tensile strength as it represents the building substance of the bamboo fibres.

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3. Elastic modulus: The accumulation of highly strong fibres in the outer parts of the tube wall also work positive in connection with the elastic modulus like it does for the tension, shear and bending strength. The higher the elastic modulus, the higher is the quality of the bamboo. Enormous elasticity makes it a very useful interior design material in areas with very high risks of earthquakes.

4. Shrinkage: Bamboo shrinks more than wood when it loses water. The canes can tear apart at the nodes. Bamboo shrinks in a cross section of 10-16 % and a wall thickness of 15-17 %. Therefore it is necessary to take necessary measures to prevent water loss when used as an interior design material.

5. Fire resistance: The fire resistance is very good because of the high content of silicate acid. Filled up with water, it can stand a temperature of 400° C while the water cooks inside.

6. Good composition: This is also one of the good advantage of interior design with bamboo is, that it can be used in combination with other types of construction materials, like reinforcing materials for foundations.

7. Light weight: Its circular form and hollow sections make bamboo a light interior design material, which is easy to handle, transport and store. Therefore, interior design with bamboo saves time.

8. Colour: Bamboo is green when cut and yellow to brown when it dried. Black colour in bamboo indicates fungal decay. Engineered bamboo wood is often very yellow to the point that it is almost white. From the base of white it can be stained to any colour.

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3.3 Material treatment- de-structuring the bamboo canes – 

Treatment: Untreated bamboo have life expectancy no more than 5 years and can be attacked by fungi and insects. Moreover it can cause high risk of fire spread when internodes in the clum can burst and collapse. That makes bamboo not very impressive building material, but as every product it has to come across well prepared carbohydrates that attracts fungi and insects. The solution for this issue is to inject water soluble salts into bamboo cells.

When water evaporates it removes starch and leave salt inside the fibres. This process is not toxic and makes bamboo poles fire retardant and allow application in structures.

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De-structuring the bamboo canes:

1. Splitting: Cutting the bamboo culm with one longitudinal cut and then breaking the whole culm longitudinally, the bamboo can be worked from a tube into a plank.

Figure 15 Bamboo splitting technique

Figure 16 Bamboo Splitting tool

2. Cutting: Strips Laths: To get bamboo strips or laths the bamboo needs to be cut longitudinally several times. There is a special knife for cutting a cane into 8 pieces of small strips. With this kind of knife the cut can be more efficient and precise.

3. Scratching: After cutting the bamboo into strips it often needs scratching the surface to get rid of the sharp edges and to get a glazed surface.

4. Drilling and scorch drilling: The way of getting a hole in the bamboo cane is drilling.

Different from drilling holes in wood, drilling holes in bamboo cane is much more difficult.

Due to bamboo’s strong axial structure, it is easy to split the bamboo cane by drilling.

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Scorch drilling is a more useful way to make a hole. The hot blade of the drill helps making holes easier and will not split the cane.

5. Filing: Using a file can bring the edges and holes into a precise shape. Owing to their hard surface finishing files are mostly used in the work, whereas rasps are seldom used.

6. Sanding: Sanding can make smooth edges and surfaces. It is a useful finishing process for fine objects such as furniture, artwork and music instruments. It is an important preparation for painting the surface because the silicified outer layer of the cane is difficult to paint with colors.

7. Peeling: Even though the silicified outer layer is the hardest part of the of bamboo cane and very good against any outside invasion, it has also the disadvantage when the bamboo cane or slips need to be attached to or by other materials. So it is often necessary to peel this layer for further treatment such as painting.

8. Cold bending: The fresh small and freshly cut bamboo cane or split laths can be easily bended with some simple form molds. This process is often used in furniture making.

9. Warm bending: Warm bending is used for more complicated form making. For building bamboo furniture this is often used. The bamboo will be heated over fire to get an equal temperature and then can be formed into different shapes as desired. This process can shape a more precise form with the help of a mold.

10. Shavings: Bamboo laths can be further worked into small and thin shavings and then can be sewed together to make very fine artwork like fans. This control of weaving shavings can create different patterns. This is similar to silk sewing.

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4. Bamboo manufacturing system 4.2 Requirements – Before bamboo culm can be used in interior design as an element it has to go through certain processes, starting from harvesting and grading selected steams to treatment and application. 

Bamboo culms cannot be harvested when they are younger than 3 years.

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Cannot be cut lower than second node or higher then 30mm above the ground.

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All bamboo culms should be as straight as possible.

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Changes in diameter over length should be kept minimum. Maximum taper of 10mm per meter is acceptable for length up to 3m.

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Columns and roof members should be a minimum of 70-100mm in diameter at thin ends

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Wall thickness not less than 10-12mm

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Distance between nodes should not exceed 300-600mm (they are the strongest points in the culm) to dry for around 2-3 months to evaporate 90% of its natural moisture content.

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There should be non-toxic treatment applied

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It is better not to use nails and screw to the danger of splintering between longitudinal fibres

Once we have material prepared, we can start use it in interiors.

4.2 Bamboo Joinery Techniques Making good and aesthetically pleasing bamboo joints is rather complicated because bamboo is hollow, tapered, has nodes at varying distances, and it is not perfectly circular. It is important to keep all these constraints in mind when designing a bamboo joint.

Given below some examples and illustrations of traditional bamboo joinery techniques.

Joining horizontal with vertical elements

Figure 17 Bamboo beam joinery detail

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Detail No. 1

Detail No. 2

Detail No. 3

Detail No. 4

Figure 18Double and Quadruple beam-support

Figure 19 Fixing Horizontal and Vertical members with pins and bolts

Figure 20 bamboo wall designs

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Figure 21 Bamboo cutting and joinery techniques

Figure 12 bamboo joinery techniques

Friction – tight rope connections: The Friction – Tight rope connection is the most common way

to connect bamboo. Originally used natural materials, such as strips of bamboo, rattan / hemp and palm fibre from coconut / sago, are used as a rope for connecting bamboo poles. At present, iron wire and plastic straps / ropes are also used for connection with friction.

Figure 23 joinery technique

Figure 24 Types of bamboo connection

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Plug – In / Bolt Connection Taking advantage of a secondary interlocking element, this type of connection is widely used in context with rope connections.

Figure 25Bracket interlocking stud

Figure 26 How to make the plug-in connector

Positive fitting connection – This compound has found wide application in traditional bamboo interiors, often used in the design of stairs and furniture. Fig. 25 shows how an additional wedge is cut; this is one of the processes when creating a positive fitting. Fig. 26 shows how to use the rope when connecting to save the connector instead of using wedges.

Positive Fitting connection creates a beautiful view of the bamboo in the design. The connection can be combined with other connections, such as plug-in technology, attachment technique. A big plus of compound is that you can reduce the cost of bamboo pillars. In addition, when small gaps are detected on the surface, the assembly can be easily sealed and fixed.

However, it is necessary to consider the connection of two bamboos, when constructing a construction, the diameters of bamboos should be different. In addition, when creating a hole on the bamboo poles, the work of experienced masters is important, as if not working correctly, the strength may decrease and may cause cracking and splitting.

Figure 27Traditional positive fitting connection

Figure 28 positive fitting connection

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5. Case studies 5.1 Case study 1 Name of the project. – Bamboo Symphony.

Location- Bangalore.

Designer- Manasaram architects Type of building: Office Climate: Moderate.

Figure 29 Night time View of bamboo symphony

Design aspects: The building redefines the designing of an office space by creating an atmosphere that is in connects with nature. It is sustainable interior design using variety of local bamboo material. 

Bamboo has been used majorly for interiors.

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The furniture such as chairs and tables are made up of bamboos with the help of simple joinery techniques.

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Bamboo partitions are used to enlarge the function of the space. Bamboo partitions are partially transparent.

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Recycled doors from old buildings and mild steel sections from the windows are used.

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The flooring is combination of yellow oxide and terrazzo with bamboo rings and waste marble pieces have been used. Conference room has bamboo flooring.

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The open plan off office brings in natural light from all directions throughout the day.

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Eligible for IGBC Platinum Rating. (The office is a part of a residence cum office project and hence has shared services. The rating is on hold as it is planned to be carried out for the entire site which is a housing layout.)

Ventilation and Thermal comfort: Office orientation and roof form allow for strong North-East and South-West winds to blow over the structure, without any strong drafts inside the building despite it being fully open on the South side. The building is thermally comfortable throughout the year and is aided by below ground level construction.

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Availability of materials: They have used natural materials like Bamboo, mud, stone and waste etc. All are reusable locally available and ecofriendly materials.

Finishes: 

Lime wash for Mud block walls

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Touchwood coating for Bamboos

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Silicon Waterproof coating for Stone masonry and interior of bathroom and pantry walls

Cost effective: As the materials as the technique used to construct the building was very simple and native. The construction was very cost effective. 

The approx. Cost of project was 16 lacks in 2011.

Year of completion: 2011

Figure 30 Detail site plan explaining design by Manasaram architects

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Figure 31 Ceiling and workspace furniture in bamboo

Figure 32 Bamboo partitions and furniture in discussion area

Figure 23 Bamboo partitions, flooring, and furniture detail

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Figure 34Bamboo Partition using bamboo slits and rings

Figure 35 Conference area bamboo furniture

Figure 36 Exploded building view and structure design

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5.2 Case study 2 Name of the project. – Blooming house.

Location- Vietnam.

Designer- H & P architects Type of building: Bamboo house Area: 3.3 x 6.6m Design aspects:

Figure 37 Night time perspective of the house

In a response to the often severe natural disasters in Vietnam, designers have designed this flood resistant ‘blooming bamboo home’. 

The interior of the building works as a multi-functional space – house, educational, medical and community centre are all possible options.

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The structure’s framework is made from small bamboo pieces, fibreboard and coconut leafs, which can be finished with cladding that suits its local climate and regional materials.

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The flexible design is able to be mass produced and can be constructed by its users in just 25 days, the design offers an affordable solution for housing.

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The structure is built from the locally available bamboo material.

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The material’s high tensile strength enables the house to withstand strong winds and earthquakes, while a foundation of salvaged plastic drums will allow it to endure floods of up to 1.5 meters (4.9 feet).

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Bamboo poles ranging in diameter from 8 to 10 cm are tied or bolted together to create the building frame, followed by smaller lengths that are tied onto the walls or lined on the floors as finishes, and sealed with bitumen to prevent water infiltration.

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With an open floor plan and simple structural system, the house is designed to be built in modules of square rooms quickly and inexpensively

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The ground floor features a living room, bedroom, bathroom, WC, and kitchen, while an additional multi-function upper floor is accessible via ladder

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Blooming Bamboo's facade allows ample natural light and ventilation, and the property also includes rainwater collection facilities with integrated filtration system

Availability of material: All the materials were locally available and ecofriendly.

Cost effective: The approx. Cost of project was 19Lakh in September, 2013.

Figure 38 Plan and elevation showing zoning

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Figure 39 Types of bamboo joinery technique and view

Figure 40 Floor plan and detail elevations explaining the design

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Figure 41 Wind flow and its effect on structure

Figure 42 Flexible use of spaces

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Figure 43 Living area set aside for the plants

Figure44 Living room view from mezzanine level

Figure 45 View of Bamboo Ceiling

Figure 36Multi-functional mezzanine floor

Figure 47 Exterior wall planters and Passage with the storage

Figure 48 Study area

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Figure 49 interior view of the bedroom and living room

Figure 50 open air Mezzanine floor and joinery detail of ceiling

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5.3 Case study 3 Project name: The 3modular solution – Bamboo home Designing team: Kristian Savov, Blagovesta Dimencheva, Iva Smilkova Location: Nepal Type of structure: Residence Design aspects: The design uses vernacular materials and a modular arrangement that can be multiplied and combined into units of various sizes. 

A singular housing unit is comprised of three different functions of living, cleansing and resting.

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The 3×6m modular system can be freely rearranged, or expanded, while preserving the light quality and the natural ventilation of the interior space.

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The partition walls function as a core inside the open space of the house.

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The finishing materials are specified as steel sheets and bamboo woven walls, which are familiar and typical for Nepal.

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The rigid frame of the bamboo structure is divided into triangles to make the unit flexible enough to withstand the lateral forces of earthquakes.

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The use of bamboo is selected due to the abundance of the material in Nepal, India and Peru, and the local proficiency in using it for construction.

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It is also lightweight and flexible, making it easily transported and financially feasible

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Bamboo slats are used for interior partition wall and furniture.

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The use of glass is greatly encouraged for the fenestration and the creation of better ambiance within the housing unit, but can also be avoided and replaced by the locally wide spread nets and light textile curtains.

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The suggested solution is using a uniform structural framework that provides both the residential and the public space and responds to the local culture through the ability to bring colour or local finishing techniques to the units.

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Within the uniform structural shell aided by minimal partitioning elements, the function is separated into living room area, kitchen and bathroom, and bedroom along the 3x6 modular system.

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

The enclosure sets back for the building fenestration and thus the slit through is fully transparent. Perpendicular to the line of windows are the openings for ventilation. The facade becomes a porous membrane of vertical bamboo sticks. These openings are directly surrounding the kitchen and respond to the local culture of bringing the cooking space outside of the house

Availability of material: All the materials were locally available and ecofriendly.

Cost effective: The structure is cost effective, 2019.

Figure 51 Detail furniture layout

Figure 52 open structure for ventilation and visibility (front view)

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Figure 53 Sectional elevation

Figure 54 elevations

Figure 55 bedroom view

Figure 56 Interior view of the living room

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Figure 57Technical diagrams

Figure 49 Exterior view

Figure 58exploded isometric view

Figure 50 Exterior view

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5.4 Summary: From all the above case studies we wanted to analysis how bamboo can be used in various ways and how we can do variations into designs just by adapting there natural properties. And how it can provide a language to the interior spaces.

Which eventually lead our understanding to know the properties of materials. And then implementation into the reality.

And the recent era it’s more important that our design should more of climate orientated rather than forms and aesthetics. Sustainability is the need of future and being and interior designer it should be always reflected in our design.

This are the some aspects which we noticed from the case studies:

Case study 1- Bamboo symphony The project has inspire me in various design aspects: 

It has shown how we can inculcate waste product into through recycled interior design materials.

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They have been used all the materials significantly which indulge to use minimalistic approach in the design.

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Also the use of recycled materials in different composition to gives new ideas to understand the material property and composition.

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How we can design climate responsive interior just by doing small implementations.

Case study 2 – Blooming house This project inspires me in varies directions while thinking about the material used in designed. 

It shows how we can design sustainable, cost effective interior by using single material, its advantage of various properties

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How light weight furniture gives exposure to design multifunctional interior design space.

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How to keep the space naturally ventilated throughout the day with window and door elements design.

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Case study 3 – The 3modular solution This project shows: 

How the spaces can be segregated

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How modularity in unit can create the whole design.

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How functionality of the space can be oriented.

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How small space interior can be design sustainably with low cost material.

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How simple application of material can make the natural and sustainable impact on interior design.

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References

https://www.inbar.int/ http://www.fao.org/home/en/ https://www.asian-bamboo.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ https://www.researchgate.net/deref/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.greenfurniture.com%2Fbambooofficefurniture.html https://www.researchgate.net/deref/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.finewoodworking.com %2Fitem%2F27432%2Fhow-to-use-bamboo-for-fine-furniture https://www.researchgate.net/deref/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bambootech.org%2Ffil es%2Fmechanicaltesting%2520report.pdf https://www.researchgate.net/deref/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sabaiideco.com%2F https://issuu.com/divyachand/docs/final_report_divya_chand http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/tagalog/singkil.htm http://www.bambooman.com/bamboo_organ.php http://www.likha.org/galleries/tinikling.asp http://www.bioversityinternational.org/fileadmin/bioversity/publications/Web_vers ion/572/ch30.htm#

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