Kawayahan: Bamboo Architecture in the Philippines

7/25/2019 Kawayahan: Bamboo Architecture in the Philippines

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KAWAHAYAN

Bamboo Architecture in the Philippines

Paulo P. Borres

March 2015


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CHAPTER 1

Introduction

Bamboos are large grasses. Bamboos are not trees, and their stems do

not get thicker with age. It is the fastest growing plant on the planet. tudies also

show that selecti!el" har!ested bamboo can se#uester more carbon than

comparable fast growing trees. It also showed potential as an option to be

included in afforestation or reforestation schemes because of its abilit" to grow in

denuded land.1$ccording to %arrel %eBoer, an architect practicing in $lameda,

&alifornia, and 'arl Bareis, cofounder of the International Bamboo $ssociation,

which is now the (orld Bamboo )rgani*ation, bamboo is notable for its strength,

hardness and rate of growth. In fact, studies show that it has greater

compressi!e strength than concrete and about the same strength+to+weight ratio

of steel in tension.2oda", designers and architects are constantl" e-perimenting

with new uses of bamboo, howe!er, and redisco!ering old uses of the material in

construction. ome of the prominent bamboo architects, locall" and globall", are

)scar idalgo, /o rong ghia, imon /ele*, rancisco Maosa and

3ncarnacion an.

Inno!ation in the construction sector should be done, following !arious

disaster preparedness programs, and thus to create a more sustainable

1 n.a. Bamboo and Rattan FAQs.International Network for Bamboo andRattan. 2015. Web. Retrieved March 1, 2015. aguna, i*al, Bulacan,

$klan, arlac, Palawan, Iloilo, $nti#ue and &api*.Aoda", different organi*ations

are now pushing for the re!i!al of using bamboo as a means of sustainable

construction material, most predominant in countries like in India, &hina,

/ietnam, &olombia and &osta ica.

Bamboo is an ideal construction material for man" reasons. $ccording to

the &hina Bamboo esearch &entre, the tensile strength of bamboo is 9 or @

times as high as steel. /arious structural engineering tests also showed that

bamboo has higher compressi!e strength than man" mi-tures of concrete. he

!er" dense fibres in each bamboo also gi!e the plant e-treme fle-ibilit", allowing

it to bend without snapping.DEules Eanssen, one of the most recogni*ed bamboo

e-perts in the world= propose that bamboo house is a good place to sta" during a

hurricane or an earth#uake, pro!ided the house has been built with proper care.

his attribute of bamboo is credited from its great capacit" for seismic shock

absorption, which makes it particularl" useful in earth#uake+prone areas.F

A ;an, R.. 100 ;hin#& /bo)t B)ildin# with Bamboo. n..2012. Book.

Retrieved March 1, 2015.

> *)t), ;. / t)d on the Mechanical tren#th 7roertie& of Bamboo tonhance It& iver&ication on It& ?tili=ation.International (o)rnal of Innovative

;echnolo# and lorin# n#ineerin# CI(I;D. 201-. (o)rnal. Retrieved March

1, 2015. < htt!""www.iEitee.or#"attachment&"9ile"v2i5"0+@00:2:1-.df '

@ (an&&en. (.(. e&i#nin# and B)ildin# with Bamboo. International Network for

Bamboo and Rattan. 2000. Book. Retrieved March 1, 2015. iterature re!iew of other researchers showed that most of

de!eloped countries are now more into bamboo than wood because of its man"

ad!antages o!er other materials and protot"pe which had been made shows that

bamboo deser!es to be used as an additional material to wood in Cimbabwe.

hrough !arious tests and research conducted, bamboo has pro!en as an

effecti!e material for construction through its strength to withstand tension like

most a!ailable material in the market.

9. Eanssen, E.$. %esigning and Building with Bamboo. International etwork forBamboo and attan 7IB8. 2000. Book. etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015. N

www.inbar.intGdownloadsGinbartechnicalreportno20.pdfKAc@2@b O

Bamboo


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!olume or the densit"8. teel is the best and bamboo the second best. In terms of

stiffness, the fourth place is for concrete, third for timber, second for steel and the

first place is for bamboo 7the darker bars in this diagram are calculated as the 3+

modulus di!ided b" the mass per !olume or the densit"8.

Bamboo can compete b" means stiffness and strength b" !olume against

other construction materials. urthermore, it is also a good material to mitigate

the impact of climate change and other natural disaster like earth#uake and

hurricane.

@. Riao, S., Inoue M., Paudel .'. Modern Bamboo tructuresL Proceedings ofthe irstInternational &onference. a"lor rancis. 200D. Book. etrie!edebruar" 15, 2015. N bambucapacitaciones*uar#.me-.tlGdl51F0.htmlO

Bamboo for constructions are eas" to build, resilient to wind and

earth#uakes, and readil" repairable in the e!ent of damage. %espite of this,

bamboo has been largel" restricted to temporar" structures and lower grades

buildings due to limited natural durabilit", difficulties in ?oining, a lack of structural

design data and e-clusion from building codes. he ma?orit" of bamboo

construction relates to rural communit" needs in de!eloping countries. $s such,


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domestic housing predominates and, in accordance with their rural origins, these

buildings are often simple in design and construction rel"ing on a li!ing tradition

of local skills and methods. Bamboo housing is not a new concept. It is estimated

that more than a billion people li!e in bamboo houses mostl" in de!eloping

worlds. /arious species of bamboo re!ealed that it is strong enough to be used

as a building material. $nother important character eristic of bamboo is, because

of its strong fibres, it first cracks unlike timber which breaks of bending fails. his

#ualit" gi!es an opportunit" to repair or replace failure part of house. Its elasticit"

is better than wood for seismic resistant housing and as has been pro!ed in the

case of se!eral small houses.

%espite the a!ailabilit" of bamboo for construction, factors still e-ists that

#uestions the capacit" of it, like cultural and technical problems. Set, bamboo has

still pro!en itself worth" as it is seismic resistant due to its strong fibers.

5. 'akkad, M.%. Comparati$e Study o Bamboo '"(ra) Housing System withModern Construction Practices. Birla /ish!akarma Maha!id"ala"a3ngineering &ollege. 2011. (eb. etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015.Nwww.researchgate.netG publictopics.PublicPostile>oader.htmlKidO

3arth#uakes are not common phenomena in most parts of the world.

owe!er, where earth#uakes are common, people ha!e incorporated the critical

elements of #uake resistance in their indigenous construction method. It seems

that indigenous organic materials for construction like timber or bamboo might be

safer in large earth#uakes than new structures of reinforced concrete, which

pro!en itself alread" in a number of recent earth#uakes, including the I*mit and

%T*ce 3arth#uakes in urke" of 1FFF, the Bhu? earth#uake in India of 2001, and


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the 'ashmir earth#uake in Pakistan of 2005. $s bamboo is !er" fle-ible material

and also light weight material, the seismic force in bamboo s"stem is !er" less

compared to modern housing s"stems. eismic force on the bamboo housing

s"stem is 12.FAH and 11.A2H of reinforced brick masonr" and confined brick

masonr" s"stems respecti!el".

esearch shows that bamboo is used as main structural element because

bamboo is ductile material its performance is impro!ed under earth#uake

e!ent, tested b" real life scenarios.

. Minke, :. BirkhUuser :eneralstandingorder L Building with BambooL %esignand echnolog" of a ustainable $rchitecture. BirkhUuser. 2012. Book.etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015.

he construction of Ceri Pa!ilion at the (orld 3-po 2000 in ano!er and

the (orld 3-po 2010 in hanghai, designed b" imon /ele*, marked a turning

point that attracts 3uropean engineers and architects to the e-cellent

construction properties of bamboo. It demonstrate that bamboo is slowl" making

its wa" to be recogni*ed around the world as a high performance building

material that is suitable for sustainable building with a small ecological footprint.

Its light and forms structures that ha!e a low mass+to+fle-ibilit" ratio compared

with those of wood makes bamboo a good material for construction, and the

reason wh" it offers earth#uake+resistant solutions. he e-ternal la"er of the shell

offers !er" high resistance to tension e#ualling than that of steel. It grows rapidl"

and is usable as a construction material after 9+ "ears. $ccording to the

regulations I) 2215 and I) 2215A+2, In &offee riangle of &olombia, AD.9

tons of bamboo is produced each "ear per hectare= compared with onl" 1A.5 tons


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per hectare of woods. In dr" material, 9 tons of bamboo is produced, compared

with onl" 10.D tons of wood. $s a result, bamboo "ield is 9.9 times than that of

wood. But one should take note that structural beha!iour of bamboo can !ar"

greatl", depending on the species, the growing site, its age, the moisture content

and the part of the stalk that is used. It is also sensiti!e to attack from insects and

fungus and must be impregnated or treated against them. Its round section and

its tendenc" to crack also complicate the e-ecution of ?oints and supports. It is

ad!isable to use bamboo that grow in high altitudes and with drier soil because

the" normall" ha!e nodes and spaced more closel" together and are therefore

stronger. o a!oid fungal attack, the relati!e moisture content must not be o!er

20H.

Because of its fast growth, competiti!eness against other materials, eco+

friendl" implications, and with proper treatment, bamboo made itself climb as one

of the top contemporar" building material in the world. It also has been used in

different architectural creation for world e!ents.

A. ussain Mir= . 4Bamboo as a &ost effecti!e tructural Material in Buildings6.International Eournal of 3ngineering and echnical esearch.2019.(eb.etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015. N httpLGGwww.tn.go!.inGtsunamiGdigitallibrar"Gebooks+ webG9H20BambooH20$H20MaterialH20orH20&ostH20eff.pdf O

)ne third of the world urban population li!es in slums. earl" 25 percent

of the world population cannot afford to ha!e their own homes due to a !er" low

income. ;se of bamboo in building construction working can reduce raw material

costs to a huge e-tent. It is not onl" suitable for low cost housing but also


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mitigate climate change implications. Bamboo >i!ing omes surpass the

toughest hurricane codes in the ;$, and in 1FF5 withstood three back to back

hurricanes with 1A9mph winds. )n another instance, in $pril 1FF1, twent"

bamboo houses built for the ational Bamboo oundation in &osta ica suffered

no structural damage from a A.5 ichter scale earth#uake, despite being directl"

o!er the epicentre. It has been the backbone of much of the worldVs rural life and

will remain so as the population increases. Bamboo will continue to pla" an

important part in the de!elopment of enterprises and the transformation of rural

en!ironments, in all regions of the de!eloping world where it grows. he stud"

also suggests that if toda" "ou plant three or four structural bamboo plants, then

in four or fi!e "ears later "ou will ha!e mature clumps, and in eight "ears "ou will

ha!e enough mature material to build a comfortable, low cost house.

$ stud" suggests that bamboo might offer the solution for low cost housing

for rural areas without sacrificing the #ualit" of li!ing and safet" against natural

catastrophes.

D. >aw, /. *roup sends bamboo homes to China+s ,ua(e &one. he &hristiancience Monitor. 200D. (eb. etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015.N httpLGGwww.csmonitor.comG 3n!ironmentG>i!ing+:reenG200DG052FGgroup+sends+bamboo+homes+to+china+#uake+*oneO

$ Bei?ing+based nongo!ernmental organi*ation, the International etwork

for Bamboo and attan 7IB$8, is pushing a home+grown, #uake+resistant

housing solutionL bamboo, also to re!i!e this ine-pensi!e, en!ironmentall"

friendl", #uake+resistant nati!e material. Building e-perts in &hina who ha!e

been testing bamboo gi!e it the seal of appro!al for building in the seismic *one.


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In Che?iang Pro!ince, where bamboo is plentiful, local officials ha!e been

encouraging architects to design recreational infrastructure using bamboo. &hen

Ru, formerl" a &hinese $cadem" of orestr" researcher, who tested the bamboo

panels used in the IB$ models, sa"s that bamboo can be an e-cellent

engineering material. he technolog" is mature. e belie!es the bamboo and

pl"wood with a steel frame should be good for earth#uakes. $nother proof of the

resilienc" of bamboo houses against earth#uakes happened in 1FF1 &osta ica.

&oncrete structures crumbled in the earth#uake that registered A.A on the ichter

scale, but the 20 or so bamboo houses nearb" remained standing and

undamaged.

%ifferent organi*ations throughout the world alread" ha!e begun pushing

towards the use bamboo for housing and recreational infrastructure pro?ects,

especiall" in natural disaster prone areas like that of in &osta ica and in &hina.

F. n.a. Bamboo -will replace other materials+ in architecture says o /rong0ghia. %e*een Maga*ine. 2019. (eb. etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015.NhttpLGGwww.de*een.comG201@G0AG1G!o+trong+nghia+inter!iew+materials+architecture+bambooGO

/o rong ghia $rchitects un!eiled designs for the /ietnamese pa!ilion at

Milan 3-po 2015, which will be constructed from bamboo. Bamboo, which is an

e-tremel" fast+growing species of giant grass, grows abundantl", #uickl" and

cheapl" in /ietnam, where canes cost as little as a dollar each. ghia ha!e used

bamboo structurall" to form arches and domes, to a proposal to sol!e /ietnamWs

housing crisis with cheap, steel+framed homes clad in bamboo. ghiaWs low+cost

housing proposal uses bamboo as a cladding material, rather than as a structural


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solution. $lthough it is difficult to choose an appropriate contractor because there

is almost no contractor with e-perience of bamboo construction so, in order to

reali*e the space as en!isioned, it is essential to educate workers and build the

construction together. e also noted the abilit" of bamboo to bend. ;sing bent

bamboos, the structure obtains uni#ue shape and beaut". (ith proper treatment

Q soaking in mud and smoking it Q bamboo becomes as durable as timber.

hanks to its rapid+growing abilit", $rchitect /o rong ghia predicted that

bamboo and laminated bamboo Q or engineered bamboo Q will replace other

materials and become the Vgreen steel< of the 21st centur".

$rchitects like /o rong ghia leads the wa" for inno!ating architectural

design using natural a!ailable material like bamboo for housing in /ietnam.

10. n.a. Blooming Bamboo Home. %e*een Maga*ine. 2019. (eb. etrie!edebruar" 15, 2015.N httpLGGwww.de*een.comG201@G0AG1G!o+trong+nghia+inter!iew+materials+architecture+bambooG O/ietnamese studio P $rchitects has built a protot"pe bamboo house

designed to withstand floods up to three meters abo!e ground. he group used

tightl"+packed rows of bamboo cane to build the walls, floors and roof of the

Blooming Bamboo ome, along with bamboo wattle, fiberboard and coconut

lea!es. It has been designed as a house, but could also be used as a school

classroom, medical facilit" or communit" center. )ne solution to houses and

homes for millions of these people is the goal of the BB 7Blooming Bamboo8

home. he designed house is strong enough to suffer from phenomena like

1.5m+high flood. &urrentl", P $rchitects is e-perimenting the model to suffer

9m+high flood. he space is multifunctional such as ouse, 3ducational, Medical


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and &ommunit" &entre and can be spread if necessar". he !ernacular structure

can be assembled in as little as 25 da"s and adapted to suit !ar"ing local

climates and sites and the total cost of the house is onl" 2500.. herefore, the

house can warm people in the most se!ere conditions and help them control

acti!ities in the future, also remarkabl" contribute to ecological de!elopment as

well as economic stabili*ation.

Bamboos are starting to be recogni*e b" architectural firms as a solution

for the scarcit" in housing in impo!erish areas because it is cheap, easil"

assembled and can ser!e as protection against natural disasters.

11. Best, 3. Bamboo Houses to the 1escue. Pacific tandard Maga*ine. 2010.(eb. etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015. N httpLGGwww.psmag.comGbooks+and+cultureGbamboo+houses+to+the+rescue+19@A O

istor" suggests that bamboo ma" protect people from disasters like

t"phoons and earth#uakes. (hen three t"phoons swept into the &ook Islands in

2005, one producing winds of 1A9 mph, the" de!oured e!er"thing in their path X

e!er"thing, that is, e-cept a group of bamboo houses on the beach. Back in

1FF1, $ A.5 earth#uake in >imYn, &osta ica, destro"ed homes built with

concrete and rebar, but all 20 of the more+fle-ible bamboo houses at the

earth#uakeWs epicentre remained standing. his pa!ed wa" for the establishment

of Bamboo ational ousing Pro?ect in &osta ica in 1FD. $lso to demonstrate

the abilit" of bamboo to pro!ide durable, seismicall" sound housing while

contributing to reforestation. It was then adopted b" the &osta ican go!ernment

in the mid+1FF0s that helped create more than 2,000 houses in rural areas,

including the indigenous communities of erraba, e" &urre and Boruca, before


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the turn of the centur". >ike po!ert", bamboo is especiall" prolific in the tropics=

perhaps what makes the concept of bamboo as a material for low+income

housing most appealing is this s"mmetr".

Bamboo culti!ation and construction of permanent bamboo housing can

protect people in disaster+prone areas. he use of bamboo as an alternati!e to

wood can also help in reforestation of denuded lands.

12. oto, $..%. Bamboo Housing 0ational Pro2ect Costa 1ica. ;nited ations3ducational, cientific and &ultural )rgani*ation. n.d. (eb. etrie!edebruar" 15, 2015. N httpLGGwww.unesco.orgGmostGcentram1.htm O

he ational Bamboo Pro?ect was started in 1FD to replace the use of

wood with an alternati!e cost+effecti!e and seismicall" sound building material

and to pre!ent further deforestation. Bamboo has also helped to sol!e other

problems such as unemplo"ment and deforestation, particularl" protecting some

ri!er basins. It also fostered the sustainable use of bamboo as a raw material for

an indigenous housing programme and for the industriali*ation and marketing of

b"+products, thus gi!ing low+income families the means of obtaining proper

housing. he bamboo culti!ated areas capture and store carbon dio-ide from the

atmosphere, contributing to pre!enting negati!e impacts of the green+house

effect at the global le!el. ince then, the pro?ect has achie!ed the construction of

A09 houses in rural areas, among them the indigenous communities of erraba,

e" &urre and Boruca. $fter a few "ears of implementation, the pro?ect has been

widel" accepted not onl" b" &osta icans, but also b" other &entral $merican

countries.


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he ational Bamboo Pro?ect is &osta ican is one of the pioneers of

bamboo housing programs that ma-imi*es the full potential of bamboo for

sustainable de!elopment.

19. enrikson . Bamboo $rchitectureL In &ompetition and 3-hibition.&reatepace Independent Publishing Platform. 2011. Book. etrie!edebruar" 15, 2015. Nwww.algaecompetition.comGP%.cfmGBamboo$rchitecture.pdf O

$ccording to a stud" conducted, the a!erage famil" home, built from wood

from trees, and takes about one acre of forest 70.@ hectares8. he same home

built from bamboo, takes onl" the si*e of the house itself, because bamboo

grows so fast and so dense. his means we sa!e 20 times the earth


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tudies show that compared to concrete, steel and wood bamboo has

e-cellent mechanical properties with reference to material efficienc" for strength

7working stress per !olume unit8 and stiffness 73 modulus per !olume unit8. But,

$ccording to Eanssen 71FDD8 the untreated bamboo culms can ?ust ha!e a

ma-imum of 10+15 "ears of lifetime if the" are kept under co!er and in a not !er"

humid climate. In direct contact with atmosphere the" can onl" last 1+ 9 "ears.

)ne popular organic treatment for bamboos is through smoking. he" are put

into the smoke with a temperature of about 120Z& for some time so the insects

are killed. It is belie!ed that this wa" will increase the durabilit" of culms. %uring

the process the bamboo culms can be broken and the color will get black. his

method is popular in Eapan. In the chemical methods, chemical preser!ati!es like

&&$ 7copper+chrome+arsenic composition8 or cheaper ones like boric acid and

bora- are used to keep bamboo culms from being attacked b" insects. Bamboo


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It is significant to treat bamboo first before using in construction to prolong

its lifetime also, to ma-imi*e the mechanical properties of bamboo.

15. ands, %. 43hy Bamboo6. Bamboo >i!ing. n.d. (eb. etrie!ed ebruar" 15,2015. NhttpLGGwww.bambooli!ing.comGinde-.phpGwh"+bamboo O

esearch presents few reasons wh" bamboo offers eco+friendl"

alternati!e to building with timber, namel"= strength, warrant" for termites, carbon

se#uestration and ad!antages of bamboo than trees. tudies pro!e that bamboo

is as strong as mild steel with the compression strength of concrete. $ma*ingl",

one inch of bamboo can hold up to A 1G2 tons of weight. Bamboo houses properl"

treated with borates should easil" last A5 to 100at least 50 "ears. ;nlike most

organic insecticides that attack the ner!ous s"stem, borates are a s"stemic

poison that destro"s the digesti!e tract of the organism. $s a result, it is

impossible for the species to de!elop immunit" and borates will kill an" organism

that ingests the chemical. Bamboo, like trees, also se#uesters carbon dio-ide

from the atmosphere. If the bamboo and wood are made into houses, then the

carbon is effecti!el" stored for the life span of the house. alf the weight of the

bamboo is carbon. he carbon from the atmosphere is thus locked up in the

bamboo fibre itself. &urrentl", the 90 billion tons of carbon dio-ide e#ui!alent

produced each "ear b" human acti!it". Preser!e the bamboo with borates and

build buildings with that bamboo and "ou ha!e se#uestered and stored the

carbon for a hundred "ears. he bamboo plant itself se#uesters up to 12 tons of

&)2 per hectare. It releases 95H more o-"gen than e#ui!alent areas of trees.


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tudies also pro!e bamboo as a sustainable cropping s"stem for sloping lands,

reducing soil erosion, and deli!ering sustainable farming s"stems. he rhi*ome

mat of bamboo, which continues to li!e after each har!est, protects the ground

from erosion.

Bamboo houses become a carbon capture and storage s"stem, and this

capacit" can be e-tended if proper treatment is e-ecuted on the bamboo plant.

1. Ea"anetti, %.>., P.. ollet. Bamboo in &onstructionL $n Introduction.International etwork for Bamboo and attan 7IB8. 1FFD. Book.etrie!ed ebruar" 15,2015. N www.inbar.intGpublicationsGKdid[FO

In !iew of its rapid growth, a read" adaptabilit" to most climatic conditions

and properties superior to most ?u!enile fast growing wood, bamboo emerges as

a !er" suitable alternati!e. But different treatments should be e-ecute first to

protect bamboo from attack b" micro+organisms and insects especiall" if use in

construction. ince bamboo has a low natural resistance from biological

deterioration, traditional methods of preser!ation do not pro!ide durabilit" of

product or structure in the long term. (hen compared to traditional methods, the

use of chemicals for the preser!ati!e treatment of bamboo is more effecti!e in

pro!iding protection against biological deterioration. owe!er, chemical

preser!ati!es are in!ariabl" to-ic and due care and attention should be e-ercised

whene!er the" are used. It is, also possible to treat bamboo with a combination

of preser!ati!e and fire retardant chemicals. ire presents a potential ha*ard in

an" form of construction, but the risk is especiall" high in bamboo buildings. But

since fire retardant treatment costs generall" high, Boron based retardants offer

a possible solution, with the added ad!antage of being relati!el" safe to use.


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(ith proper treatments, bamboo houses can withstand natural

deterioration and offer a durable and stable housing.

1A. Sipin, >. >. San-i, '. Buckingham, et al. Bamboo and &limate &hange

Mitigation. International etwork for Bamboo and attan 7IB8. 2010.Book. etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015. Nwww.inbar.intGdownloadsG&arbon+Publicationfinal

151110. pdf O

Bamboo forests ha!e comparable features to other t"pes of forest

regarding their role in the carbon c"cle. he" se#uester carbon through

photos"nthesis, and lock carbon in the fibre of the bamboo and in the soil where

it grows. &onducted studies shows that intensi!e management of bamboo seems

to be able to increase the carbon storage capacit" in abo!e ground biomass.

Inno!ations should be encouraged to enhance the number of durable bamboo

products with longer life spans which is positi!e for prospects that carbon in

biomass can be se#uestrated for a longer period before the" biodegrade. )ne

e-ample of this a stud" conducted in a bamboo forests in &hina where proper

management of the forest was e-ecuted. ubstantial amount of carbon were

present in the bamboo, and the total amount is e-pected to increase in the future

primaril" because of future afforestation programs. $s the importance of bamboo

forests in pro!iding both de!elopment needs and adaptation opportunities for

local communities is alread" recogni*ed, the role that the" can pla" in pro!iding

global carbon se#uestration ser!ices, suggests that bamboo deser!es more

recognition as a plant of considerable importance in meeting the demands of a

planet in need of both prosperit" and sustainabilit".


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Bamboo has high producti!it" and, through proper management

techni#ues, could se#uester higher amounts of carbon, which could create a sink

effect, and thus, further studies and research should be done to this plant.

1D. Soneda, S. 4irst 4ull Bamboo School in Philippines Stands %p to /oughStormwinds. Inhabitat.com. 2011. (eb. etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015. NhttpLGGinhabitat.comGfirst+full+bamboo+school+in+philippines+stands+up+to+tough+stormwindsGO

he bamboo school is a protot"pe at the ato igh chool in the Bicol

Peninsula around the south+eastern part of >u*on. %esigned b" architect 3leena

Eamil of Mala"sia as the winning entr" in the Millennium chools competition

organi*ed b" Illac %ia*Ws M"helter oundation, the structure was recentl"

completed in &amarines ur, and is proud to call itself the first full bamboo

school in the Philippines. )ne of the main focuses of the design was to minimi*e

damage caused b" the powerful tropical winds that sweep across the eastern

part of the archipelago. $nd while it


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1F. (alker, &. 5MA/6/!1 #esigns Storm61esistant School or the Philippines.$rch%ail". 201@. (eb. etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015.NhttpLGGwww.archdail".comG502DFGmat+ter+designs+storm+resistant+school+for+the+philippinesGO

)pen )nline $cadem" 7))$c8 has challenged architects worldwide to

design disaster+resistant architecture with their online course 4%esigning

esilient chools6. $rchitecture firm M$+3 has responded to this challenge

with a new design for :uiuan ational igh chool in the Philippines, an area hit

especiall" hard b" last "ear


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the %epartment of rade and Industr" 7%I8 is mo!ing forward for a robust and

sustainable Philippine bamboo industr" b" 201. @0 percent of these bamboo

materials, bamboo furniture and handicrafts were the top dollar earners for the

countr". $part from its use as raw material, bamboo is seen to significantl"

contribute to climate change mitigation and en!ironmental disaster management.

he Philippine go!ernment committed to reforest at least 500,000 hectares with

bamboo as part of the 1 million hectares of designated areas as the countr"


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he proponent plans to document at least three of the e-isting a!ailable

bamboo architecture in the countr", like $rchitect rancisco Maosa


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5. (h" do "ou think bamboo is a sustainable resource that should be

promotedK

. (hat are the ecological benefits of bambooK

A. (hat are the ad!antages of using bamboo as a building materialK

D. ow do "ou think ilipinos see bamboo as a building material toda"K

F. $nd how do "ou think should ilipino look at itK (h"K

10.(hat is "our !ision or future prospect for bamboo architecture in the

PhilippinesK

CHAPTER .

Results

he results of the inter!iew showed that on the past, onl" go!ernment

institutes and agencies would undertake research pro?ects on the use of

indigenous materials, like bamboo. his includes the orest Products esearch

and %e!elopment Institute 7P%I8, the Philippine &oconut $uthorit" 7P&$8,

&onstruction Industr" $ssociation of the Philippines 7&I$P8, Materials cience

esearch Institute 7MI8, and he ational cience and echnolog" Institute

7I8. oda", pri!ate and commercial+based small+scaled companies ha!e also

stepped up towards the de!elopment of these materials. he Philippine Bamboo

oundation is also one of the leading organi*ations for promoting bamboo and

supporting the bamboo industr".

Inter!iewees ha!e agreed that engineered bamboo and infusing it with the

technolog" of preser!ation can pro!ide an effecti!e solution for housing because


35/51

its properties can stand e#ual with the more modern aluminium or plastic. $nd

although it ma" lack permanence, the warmth and natural ambience of using

bamboo can ne!er be replicated. It is the fastest growing plant on the planet. It

can easil" be culti!ated. $rchitect Manosa #uoted ]will not. or centuries to

come, the bamboo grass will continue to grow, gracing our fields and gardens so

wh" not our homesK] In addition, the inter!iewees add up that itWs about time to

e-plore an alternati!e building material b" incorporating both technolog" and

science for a greener en!ironment.

$rchitect :err" orres, meanwhile, said that incorporating bamboo for

housing pa!es wa" for contemporar" li!ing with green architecture that is

sustainable and sa!e the earthWs natural resources. Bamboo can be a class"

alternati!e to better known species of wood+based finishing material like lauan,

mola!e, supa or narra, whose cost ha!e scaled heights unimaginable e!en

toda", not to mention, that these are all endangered species.

oda", the go!ernmentWs criteria for a sure and economical solution to

ilipinos who dream of owning his own home is that it should be should pass a

grade of permanence, must be fireproof, and that it should be cheap, a!ailable

and plentiful. $ll inter!iewees ha!e agreed that bamboo might ?ust be that

alternati!e material. It is a !iable material for low+cost and affordable building. It

is !er" !ersatile, strong, abundant, pleasant to feel, beautiful to look at in colour,

te-ture and shape, and manageable. (ith the right treatment, it can be fireproof

and resistant from pests. B" e-ploiting technolog", we can able to e-tend the life

and use of these materials. urthermore, up to certain e-tent, bamboo can


36/51

withstand earth#uakes than other materials will do, because of the cellulose

fibres in bamboo. hese act as reinforcement similar to reinforcing steel bars in

concrete or glass+fibre in pol"ester+resin. he distribution of these fibres

increases from the inside to the outside. esult of the inter!iew also showed that

bamboo has a good bending and tensile strength than other materials which are

used for construction. Most important is its lightweight, and the hollow form gi!es

much stiffness which results in 4less damage6 during earth#uake.

Bamboo grows in all regions of the countr", "et, ilipinos still feels alien

when it comes to ma-imi*ing its potential. ;ni!ersities and colleges that offers

architecture does not focus on indigenous materials like bamboo and easil" go

bias with the usual concrete and steel. It is depicted as WpoorWs man timberW due to

its association with hard hand+made handicrafts. People thought itWs a mistake to

use bamboo because itWs a weak material and will surel" degrade in a short span

of time. ;nfortunatel", with the coming of superior technolog" and new building

material from the (est, ilipinos tend to forget traditions and culture,

disregarding lessons our ancestors and handed down to us. In India for e-ample,

despite being the secondWs largest e-porter of bamboo, situation of bamboo is not

up to the mark. Man" people who li!e in cities are not still aware about this

plantGmaterial. People still feel that it


37/51

But in realit", bamboo, as the principal material of bahay (ubo, is

indicati!e to ilipinoWs character. he reason wh" it has been identified with

]Philippine architecture] is that it has adapted itself !er" well to our climate, our

temperament, and our wa" of life. $nd for as long as bamboo grows in our land,

ilipinos should ma-imi*e it and produce structures that are culturall" rooted in

design, form and feel.

In conclusion, the inter!iewees urged the public to look into the use of

bamboo. It


38/51

connecting them to architectural firms that uses bamboo and gi!ing e-amples of

e-isting modern bamboo houses in the countr".

Rationale

Bahay (ubo, with bamboo as one of its principal materials, is indicati!e of

the ilipino character. It is s"mbolic to ilipino resilienc". hus, as a media

student, the info web


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1. 3ncourage ilipinos to look into consideration of incorporating bamboo

as an alternati!e building material,

2. Pro!ide essential information on the !arious ad!antages of using

bamboo for construction and gi!e e-amples of e-isting modern bamboo

architectural pro?ects, and to=

9. er!e as a source of information and connection between bamboo

enthusiasts, architectural firms that utili*es bamboo, bamboo related

institutions and interested indi!iduals, couples, or organi*ations.

Communication %b&ecti'es

his pro?ect aims to e-press thatL

1. 3ncourage ilipinos to look into consideration of incorporating bamboo

as an alternati!e building material.

a. Bamboo embodies authentic Philippine house and cultural

identit".

b. It can be both modern and classic, and that its natural beaut"

can ne!er be e#ualled.

2. Pro!ide essential information on the !arious ad!antages of using

bamboo for construction and gi!e e-amples of e-isting modern bamboo

architectural pro?ects, and to=

a. Bamboo can compete with other commercial building material

like steel, concrete and man" other hardwoods b" means of its

mechanical properties and abundance.


40/51

b. It is an earth#uake+proof material that is for !iable climate

change mitigation pro?ects.

9. er!e as an inspirational platform and connection between bamboo

enthusiasts, architectural firms that utili*es bamboo, bamboo related

institutions and interested indi!iduals, couples, or organi*ations.

a. here are a lot of organi*ations and firms who backs up the use

of bamboo for construction.

b. Bamboo has been use and tested before, and with the right

technolog" and treatment, one can make a modern house made

from it.

-aretin! %b&ecti'es

he pro?ect will be marketed b"L

1. 3!ents=

2. ocial networking ads= and

9. (ebsite promotional ads

Pro&ect Brie"

4'awa"ahan6 is an info website that offers users a wide range of

information about bamboo and how it can be e-ploit as an alternati!e building

material, its ad!antages and its connection to the cultural identit" of ilipinos. It

also gi!es users photographs of modern bamboo architectural pro?ects like the

Bamboo &lad ouse in Better >i!ing subdi!ision, Parana#ue &it"= &oco Beach


41/51

Island esort in Puerto :alera= >a /irgen Milagrosa de Badoc in Ilocos orte=

Mar" Immaculate Parish+ atureas Pias &it" and the first Bamboo

chool in the countr"+ the ato igh chool in &amarines ur. $ll mentioned

places displa" a modern intricate design using bamboo, ma-imi*ing its properties

for construction that would possibl" allow users to get interested on either !isiting

the place or most especiall", engaging them into a pro?ect with architects whose

e-pertise is the use of bamboos, pro!ided b" the website. he goal of the

website to emphasi*e and promote the beaut" of a modern bamboo house,

bahay (ubo


42/51

$\

7(ill de!elop during the beta testing of the website8

:aller"

7/isit at least three of these places and make a feature article about it, with

photographs, and contact of the place8

Bamboo &lad ouse in Better >i!ing subdi!ision, Parana#ue &it"

&arolina Bamboo :arden in $ntipolo &it"

&oco Beach Island esort in Puerto :alera

>a /irgen Milagrosa de Badoc in Ilocos orte

Mar" Immaculate Parish+ atureas Pias &it"

he isen >ord &hapel in >as Pias

Bamboo chool + ato igh chool in &amarines ur.

&ontact

73as" contact to architects or organi*ation if an indi!idual, or group plans to build

hisGher own bamboo related architectural pro?ect8

&ontact of architects who is in!ol!e in bamboo architecture pro?ects

>ink to different organi*ations

&ontact of 'awa"ahan

ocial Media account

Audience Bene"iciar# and -aret Pro"ile

arget $udience


43/51

$geL 25 Q 95 "ears old

3conomic :roupL (orking and Producti!e &lass

ocial &lassL >ower Middle to >ower ;pper &lass

)ther cultural or beha!ioural determinantL

People who are in the working class who are interested on an" architectural

pro?ect that ma" include housing, school, ga*eebo, church etc. who might be

interested with ilipino design and indigenous material.

arget Beneficiaries

^ >ocal bamboo industr"

^ Places like church, resorts, eco+garden with modern bamboo house features

^ $rchitects whose e-pertise is using Bamboo

arget Market

^ orest Products esearch and %e!elopment Institute 7P%I8

^ &onstruction Industr" $ssociation of the Philippines 7&I$P8

^ Materials cience esearch Institute 7MI8

^ he ational cience and echnolog" Institute 7I8.

^ Philippine Bamboo oundation

$ample Audiences

$nna Manalastas is an accounting officer in a small firm in $ntipolo &it".

he is 2F "ears old and is alread" engage to her @ "ears+relationship bo"friend,

om $urallo. Both $nna and om li!es together in a house that the" are renting

near the office of $nna, which costs about Php @,500 monthl". om proposed to


44/51

$nna 5 months ago and so, now, the" are planning to decide what kind of house

the" would want to build. $nna has been passionate with ilipino design and

recalled to her fianc_e a resort she !isited in Puerto :alera. he name of the

place is &oco Beach Island esort. It


45/51

;nited ations igh &ommissioner for efugees. 2019. (eb. etrie!ed

March 1, 2015. NhttpLGGwww.unhcr.orgG512b09F.html O

$lter, >. 4Bamboo ouses tand ;p o 3arth#uakes.6 reehugger.com. 2019.

(eb. etrie!ed March 1, 2015. NhttpLGGwww.treehugger.comGgreen

architectureGbamboo+houses+stand+up+to+earth#uakes.html O

Belcher, B. he ole of Bamboo in %e!elopment. International etwork for

Bamboo and attan 7IB$8. 1FF. Book. etrie!ed March 1, 2015. N

httpsLGGidlbnc.idrc.caGdspaceG bitstream G1025G95F9@[email protected]

Best, 3. 4Bamboo ouses to the escue6. Pacific tandard Maga*ine. 2010.

(eb.etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015. N httpLGGwww.psmag.comGbooks+and+

cultureGbamboo+houses+to+the+rescue+19@A O

Boehland, E. 4Bamboo in &onstructionL Is the :rass $lwa"s :reenerK6.

Building:reen.com. 200. (eb. etrie!ed March 1, 2015.

NhttpsLGGwww2.buildinggreen.comGarticleGbamboo+construction+grass+

alwa"s+greener+0 O

:ariba", $. 3. >uis. 3t al. >and tenure and natural disastersL $ddressing >and

enure in &ountries Prone to atural %isasters. ood and $griculture

)rgani*ation. 2010. Book. etrie!ed March 1, 2015. NhttpLGGwww.fao.orgG

docrepG019Gi1D55eGi1D55e.pdf O

:utu, . 4$ tud" on the Mechanical trength Properties of Bamboo to 3nhance

Its %i!ersification on Its ;tili*ation6. International Eournal of Inno!ati!e

echnolog" and 3-ploring 3ngineering.2019.Eournal. etrie!ed ebruar"

15, 2015. NhttpLGGwww.i?itee.orgGattachmentsGileG!2i5G30F00@[email protected]


46/51

enrikson . Bamboo $rchitectureL In &ompetition and 3-hibition. &reatepace

Independent Publishing Platform. 2011. Book. etrie!ed ebruar" 15,

2015. Nwww.algaecompetition.comGP%.cfmGBamboo$rchitecture.pdf O

ussain Mir= . 4Bamboo as a &ost effecti!e tructural Material in Buildings6.

International Eournal of 3ngineering and echnical esearch.2019.(eb.

etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015. N httpLGGwww.tn.go!.inGtsunamiGdigitallibrar"G

ebooks+ webG9H20BambooH20$H20MaterialH20orH20&ost

H20eff.pdf O

Eanssen, E.$. %esigning and Building with Bamboo. International etwork for

Bamboo and attan 7IB8. 2000. Book. etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015.

N www.inbar.intGdownloadsGinbartechnicalreportno20.pdfKAc@2@b O

Ea"anetti, %.>., P.. ollet. Bamboo in &onstructionL $n Introduction.

International etwork for Bamboo and attan 7IB8. 1FFD. Book.

etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015. N www.inbar.intGpublicationsGKdid[FO

'akkad, M.%. 4&omparati!e tud" of Bamboo 7Ikra8 ousing "stem with

Modern &onstruction Practices6. Birla /ish!akarma Maha!id"ala"a

3ngineering &ollege. 2011. (eb. etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015.

Nwww.researchgate.netG publictopics.PublicPostile>oader.htmlKidO

>aw, /. 4:roup sends bamboo homes to &hina


47/51

tudies. 2019. (eb. etrie!ed March 1, 2015. N httpLGGinesad.edu.boG

de!elopmentroastG2019G05Gwhat+can+bamboo+do+about+co2GO

Minke, :. BirkhUuser :eneralstandingorder L Building with BambooL %esign and

echnolog" of a ustainable $rchitecture. BirkhUuser. 2012. Book.

etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015.

n.a. 4Bamboo and attan $\s.6 International etwork for Bamboo and attan.

2015. (eb. etrie!ed March 1, 2015. NhttpLGGwww.inbar.intGknowledgeG

bamboo+and+rattan+fa#sG O

n.a. 4Bamboo Vwill replace other materials< in architecture sa"s /o rong ghia6.

%e*een Maga*ine. 2019. (eb. etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015.

NhttpLGGwww.de*een.comG201@G0AG1G!o+trong+nghia+inter!iew+materials+

architecture+bambooGO

n.a. 4astest :rowing Plant.6 guinnessworldrecords.com. 2001. (eb. etrie!ed

March 1, 2015. N httpLGGwww.guinnessworldrecords.comGworld+

recordsGfastest+growing+GO

)rallo, $. tud" on 3arth#uake isk and /ulnerabilit" Management and >essons

>earned. $sian isk eduction &entre. 2011. Book. etrie!ed March 1,

2015. NhttpLGGwww.adrc.asiaG aboutusG!rdataG finalreportG 2011$P>

$nna.pdf O

Press, $. 4%I to push for a robust and sustainable P bamboo industr"6. $sian

Eournal. 2012. (eb. etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015. N httpLGGasian


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?ournal.comGnewsGdti+to+push+for+a+robust+and+sustainable+ph+bamboo+

industr"G O

e"es, 3. 4Bam warns P bamboo industr" losing status in world market6.

Interaks"on.com. 2015. (eb. etrie!ed March 1, 2015. NhttpLGGwww.

interaks"on.comGarticleG105F22Gbam+warns+ph+bamboo+industr"+losing+

status+in+world+market O

ands, %. 4&arbon e#uestration.6 bambooli!ing.com. n.d. (eb. etrie!ed

March 1, 2015. NhttpLGGwww.bambooli!ing.comGinde-.phpGwh"bambooG

carbon+se#uestrationO

aw"ers, . 4&an $merican arms Make Bamboo the e-t Big &ash &ropK.6

popularmechanics.com. 200F. (eb. etrie!ed March 1, 2015.NhttpLGGwww.

popularmechanics.comGhomeGlawn+gardenGhow+toGa@@90G@9299@2G O

oto, $. 4ational Bamboo Pro?ect of &osta ica.6 unesco.org. n.d. (eb.

etrie!ed March 1, 2015. N httpLGGwww. unesco.orgGmostGcentram1.htm O

an, .3. 100 hings $bout Building with Bamboo. n.p. 2012. Book. etrie!ed

March 1, 2015.

(alker, &. ]M$+3 %esigns torm+esistant chool for the Philippines6.

$rch%ail". 201@. (eb. etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015.

NhttpLGGwww.archdail".comG502DFGmat+ter+designs+storm+resistant+school+

for+the+philippinesGO

(ooldridge, M. 4Booming bambooL he ne-t super+materialK6. BB& ews


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Maga*ine. 2012. (eb. etrie!ed March 1, 2015. NhttpLGGwww.bbc.comG

newsGmaga*ine+1A5D0DDO

Riao, S., Inoue M., Paudel .'. Modern Bamboo tructuresL Proceedings of the

irst International &onference. a"lor rancis. 200D. Book. etrie!ed

ebruar" 15, 2015. N bambucapacitaciones*uar#.me-.tlGdl51F0.htmlO

Riaobing, S. BambooL tructure and &ultureL ;tili*ing Bamboo in the Industrial

&onte-t with eference to its tructural and &ultural %imensions. /%M

/erlag %r. MTller. 200D. Book. etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015. N

webdoc.sub.gwdg.deGebookGdisstsG%uisburgGSu200A.pdf O

Sipin, >. >. San-i, '. Buckingham, et al. Bamboo and &limate &hange Mitigation.

International etwork for Bamboo and attan 7IB8. 2010. Book.

etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015. N www.inbar.intGdownloadsG&arbon+

Publicationfinal151110. pdf O

Soneda, S. 4irst ull Bamboo chool in Philippines tands ;p to ough

tormwinds6. Inhabitat.com. 2011. (eb. etrie!ed ebruar" 15, 2015. N

httpLGGinhabitat.comGfirst+full+bamboo+school+in+philippines+stands+up+to+

tough+stormwindsGO

Appendices

$ppendi- $

Inter!iew \uestionnaire

1. ell us about "ourself

2. ow did "ou get in!ol!ed in using bambooK


50/51

9. $re "ou currentl" affiliated with an" bamboo enthusiast


51/51

Ms. oni $lano

3-ecuti!e $ssistant of $rch. rancisco ]Bobb"] Manosa

roni`manosa.com

$rchitect :err" orres

%irector for $dministration of M&$%

acult", chool of %esign and $rts+$rchitecture

%e >a alle+&ollege of aint Benilde

gl!torres`"ahoo.com

0F1A5AAD@@F

&ita /. >acdan

&B: &oordinator

&arolina Bamboo :arden

carolinabamboogarden`"mail.com

el. o. D@A0522 to 25

Mobile o. 0F22+D2@DF52

Documents

Kawayahan: Bamboo Architecture in the Philippines