Kawayahan: Bamboo Architecture in the Philippines

KAWAHAYAN Bamboo Architecture in the Philippines

Paulo P. Borres March 2015

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. Studies also show that selectively harvested bamboo can sequester 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 ability to grow in denuded land.1 According to Darrel DeBoer, an architect practicing in Alameda, California, and Karl Bareis, cofounder of the International Bamboo Association, which is now the World Bamboo Organization, bamboo is notable for its strength, hardness and rate of growth. In fact, studies show that it has greater compressive strength than concrete and about the same strength-to-weight ratio of steel in tension.2 Today, designers and architects are constantly experimenting with new uses of bamboo, however, and rediscovering old uses of the material in construction. Some of the prominent bamboo architects, locally and globally, are Oscar Hidalgo, Vo Trong Nghia, Simon Velez, Francisco Mañosa and Encarnacion Tan. Innovation in the construction sector should be done, following various disaster preparedness programs, and thus to create a more sustainable 1 n.a. “Bamboo and Rattan FAQs.” International Network for Bamboo and Rattan. 2015. Web. Retrieved March 1, 2015. < http://www.inbar.int/knowledge/bamboo-and-rattan-faqs/ > 2 Boehland, Jessica. “Bamboo in Construction: Is the Grass Always Greener?”. BuildingGreen.com. 2006. Web. Retrieved March 1, 2015. < https://www2.buildinggreen.com/article/bamboo-construction-grass-alwaysgreener-0 >

infrastructure that can withstand high degree earthquakes and typhoons. Being located in the “Pacific Ring of Fire”, The Philippines is prone to various types of natural hazards due to its geographical and physical environment. In fact, according to the Asian Risk Reduction Centre (ADRC) in 2011, the country experiences an average of 20 earthquakes per day and an average of 20 typhoons or tropical cyclones visit the country every year, with 5 of them considered the most destructive.3 Thus, utilizing bamboo for the construction is a great step towards the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations for environmental sustainability. Since bamboo infrastructure is also earthquake resistant, it’s a great leap as a disaster preparedness program in the country especially on earthquake prone areas, identified to be; Surigao Del Sur, La Union, Benguet, Pangasinan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Ifugao, Davao Oriental, Nueva Vizcaya and Nueva Ecija, based on the Centre for Environmental Geomatics - Manila Observatory, 2005.4 Similar effort has been done abroad and one example would be a project in Ethiopia which employed a simple and adaptable technology like the Bamboo Shelter under the Danish Refugee Council project. It is part of the 7,200 so-called transitional shelters that UNHCR and partners have constructed

3 Orallo, A. Study on Earthquake Risk and Vulnerability Management and Lessons Learned. Asian Risk Reduction Centre. 2011. Book. Retrieved March 1, 2015. < http://www.adrc.asia/aboutus/vrdata/ finalreport/ 2011A_PHL_ Anna_FRR.pdf > 4 Garibay, A. E. Luis. Et al. Land tenure and natural disasters: Addressing Land Tenure in Countries Prone to Natural Disasters. Food and Agriculture Organization. 2010. Book. Retrieved March 1, 2015.

in 2012 in five refugee camps in the Dollo Ado area, in Ethiopia. 5 Due to the lightweight and favorable elastic properties of bamboo, buildings made from it are very good at resisting earthquakes. In one incident in Costa Rica, all 30 houses in the epicentre of a 7.6 magnitude earthquake survived without any damage.

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Without proper mitigation to the possible impacts of climate change induced natural disasters, countries like the Philippines is expose from experiencing worse volatile condition and poverty state. The vulnerability of the people against from typhoons and are often the result of mismanage development processes, such as rapid and unplanned urbanization and the inefficient extraction and use of natural resources (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2012).Thus, it is important to equip the community against possible destructions brought by natural disasters. As poor people will be worse hit by the effects of climate change, action plans for adaptation need to be tailored to their situation (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, 2007). Architects and engineers should start to venture and invest on alternative building materials, which are cheap and sustainable without sacrificing the quality of the infrastructure. In the Philippines, the solution might just be found on its backyard, which is no other than the use of bamboo for construction. In fact,

5 Ado, R. “Refugees in Ethiopia choose their own housing – and create jobs.” United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. 2013. Web. Retrieved March 1, 2015. 6 Alter, Lloyd. “Bamboo Houses Stand Up To Earthquakes.” Treehugger.com. 2013. Web. Retrieved March 1, 2015.

Anthropologist Dr. Fernando N. Zialcita has said that the bamboo tradition in the Philippines is at least 2,300 years old. Identified areas where the tradition of building with bamboo is still prevalent are in Pangasinan, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan, Aklan, Tarlac, Palawan, Iloilo, Antique and Capiz. 7 Today, different organizations are now pushing for the revival of using bamboo as a means of sustainable construction material, most predominant in countries like in India, China, Vietnam, Colombia and Costa Rica. Bamboo is an ideal construction material for many reasons. According to the China Bamboo Research Centre, the tensile strength of bamboo is 3 or 4 times as high as steel. Various structural engineering tests also showed that bamboo has higher compressive strength than many mixtures of concrete. The very dense fibres in each bamboo also give the plant extreme flexibility, allowing it to bend without snapping.8 Jules Janssen, one of the most recognized bamboo experts in the world; propose that bamboo house is a good place to stay during a hurricane or an earthquake, provided the house has been built with proper care. This attribute of bamboo is credited from its great capacity for seismic shock absorption, which makes it particularly useful in earthquake-prone areas. 9 7 Tan, R.E. 100 Things About Building with Bamboo. n.p. 2012. Book. Retrieved March 1, 2015. 8 Gutu, T. A Study on the Mechanical Strength Properties of Bamboo to Enhance Its Diversification on Its Utilization.International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering (IJITEE). 2013. Journal. Retrieved March 1, 2015. < http://www.ijitee.org/attachments/File/v2i5/E0690042413.pdf > 9 Janssen. J.J. Designing and Building with Bamboo. International Network for Bamboo and Rattan. 2000. Book. Retrieved March 1, 2015. < www.inbar.int/downloads/inbar_technical_report_no20.pdf?7c424b>

Bamboo as a construction material is considered as well as cost-effective, especially in areas where it is cultivated and is readily available. The use of bamboo in construction is labour driven. According to Architect Rosario Encarnacion Tan, conventional construction costs are approximately 65 percent for material and 35 percent for labour. With bamboo, the ratio is reversed; 65 percent for labour and 35 percent for materials. Transporting lightweight bamboo is less costly than transporting its heavier alternatives. 10 Aside from this, a bamboo resource is less than of a problem because it’s eminent how fast bamboo growth is. The Guinness World Records reported that bamboo grow at a rate of 0.00003 km/h (0.00002 mph), that is 35 inches per day. Bamboo is best harvested for construction after 3-6 years of its growth. 11 The wider environmental impacts are primarily driven by the extent to which bamboo products are used as a substitute for hardwood and slow-growing timber. Greater use of bamboo as an alternative to hardwoods should contribute to a slowing in the depletion of tropical forests, with corresponding benefits for bio-diversity, conservation and carbon sequestration (FAO, 2006). A concept that already has been proven effectively in Costa Rica. The National Bamboo Project of Costa Rica idea was to replace the use of wood with an alternative costeffective and seismically sound building material. Surprisingly, the project garnered a successful rate and up to now 700 low-cost houses has been built 10 Tan, R.E. 100 Things About Building with Bamboo. n.p. 2012. Book. Retrieved March 1, 2015. 11 n.a. “Fastest Growing Plant.” guinnessworldrecords.com. 2001. Web. Retrieved March 1, 2015. < http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/worldrecords/fastest-growing-plant/>

and 200 hectares of bamboo have been cultivated, and helped to resolve the deforestation rate in Costa Rica. It has also adopted the sustainable use of bamboo as a construction material for an indigenous housing program. 12The light-weight and versatility of harvested bamboo also lends itself to innovations to cope with increased floods, such as raised housing in Ecuador and Peru and floating garden in Bangladesh (Oxfam, 2010). Besides its mechanical properties as a construction material, bamboo also sequesters carbon from the atmosphere. It minimizes CO2 gases and generates up to 35% more oxygen than an equivalent stand of trees. 1 hectare (2.2 acres) of bamboo sequesters up to 62 tons of CO2/year, whereas 1 hectare of young forest sequesters 15 tons of CO2/year (J.Janssen, Technical University Eindhoven, 2000).13This means that bamboo in a plantation can regularly be chopped down and used to build houses and other structures, where the carbon remains sequestered for an average of 80 years (Casta Oñeda, 2006).

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Despite the ecological and economic benefits brought by bamboo, natural deterioration or structural integrity still sometimes is an issue that questions the use unconventional building material like that of bamboo. Fortunately, some 12 Soto, A. “National Bamboo Project of Costa Rica.” unesco.org. n.d. Web. Retrieved March 1, 2015. < http://www. unesco.org/most/centram1.htm > 13 Sands, D. Carbon Sequestration.” bambooliving.com. n.d. Web. Retrieved March 1, 2015. < http://www.bambooliving.com/index.php/whybamboo/carbon-sequestration> 14 Li, T. “What Can Bamboo Do About CO2?.” Institute for Advanced Development Studies. 2013. Web. Retrieved March 1, 2015. < http://inesad.edu.bo/developmentroast/2013/05/what-can-bamboo-do-aboutco2/>

architects worldwide are now starting to realize the potential of this grass to open the arena for a more sustainable architecture. From a material stigmatized as the “poor man’s timber”, bamboo is now is currently slowly being elevated to the status of “the timber of the 21st century” and from “poor man timber to common man timber”.

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Opening the access of information for the public about the

advantages of using bamboo can help to elevate the perception of the people on this undervalued building material. The technology is mature enough, and thus it’s about time for the public to consider it as a suitable building material that can be used to build permanent infrastructures. Bamboo is vogue as a green, sustainable resource that is used for almost everything.

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It has the ability to

provide economic and ecological benefits to developing countries and offer people a new kind of living. Bringing the technology in the Philippines is not impossible, not to mention, the abundance of bamboo resources the country has. According to the report of the International Network for Rattan and Bamboo, the Philippines were the fifth largest bamboo exporter in the world. Although, based on data from the Philippine Bamboo Foundation, it was disclosed that only 52,000 hectares of land in the country is planted with bamboo. And this might bring a problem to the

15 Wooldridge, M. “Booming bamboo: The next super-material?”. BBC News Magazine. 2012. Web. Retrieved March 1, 2015. < http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-17568088> 16 Sawyers, H. “Can American Farms Make Bamboo the Next Big Cash Crop?.” popularmechanics.com.2009. Web. Retrieved March 1, 2015. < http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/lawn-garden/howto/a4430/4323342/ >

country to meet the demand of the international market for bamboo which is expected to grow from $7 billion in 2015 to $15-20 billion in 2017.

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As bamboo’s popularity increases as an alternative eco-friendly building material, it also provides people a sustainable way of making a living that will not harm the environment. It is a natural tool with which to encourage sustainable development. Sustainable development means improving human welfare without degrading environment18 Background of the study Bamboo as a construction material has been utilized to its full extent all over the world. It is a fast growing, wide spread, renewable, versatile, low-or-no cost, and environment-enhancing resource with a potential as a building material. Unfortunately, its potential has not been yet fully realized in the Philippines despite the fact that bamboo grows abundantly in the country with over 62 species and as a country recognized as one of the top exporters of bamboo products in the world. Due to the perception as “poor man’s timber”, it created a hindrance of why many Filipinos exclude bamboo as for different architectural projects. As bamboo’s popularity increases as an alternative eco-friendly building material, it also provides people a sustainable way of making a living that will not 17 Reyes, E. “Bam warns PH bamboo industry losing status in world market”. Interaksyon.com.2015. Web. Retrieved March 1, 2015. < http://www.interaksyon.com/article/105922/bam-warns-ph-bamboo-industrylosing-status-in-world-market > 18 Belcher, B. The Role of Bamboo in Development. International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR). 1996. Book. Retrieved March 1, 2015. < https://idl-bnc.idrc.ca/dspace/bitstream/10625/35934/1/106735_v4.pdf>

harm the environment. It is a natural tool with which to encourage sustainable development. Sustainable development means improving human welfare without degrading environment. It could be a viable substitute of wood and several other traditional materials for housing and the construction sector. As what Filipino Architect Francisco “Bobby” Mañosa remarked, “Bamboo is the only plant that can…cope with growing demand for present and future housing, unless we…encourage willingness and acceptance by the people, it cannot prove its worth.” The project is an info website that promotes the use of bamboo as a building material for interested individuals who are planning to start an architectural project by providing them enough information about the advantages and benefits of the alternative material, bamboo.

Statement of the Problem Bamboo has not yet been fully maximized in the Philippines as an alternative building material in replacement of endangered hardwoods, as a housing and a climate change mitigation solution due to the depiction that its “poor man’s timber”. 1. What are the advantages of using bamboo over conventional building material for construction? 2. What are the factors that make bamboo an effective construction material?

3. What are the factors that create hindrance on why Filipinos still not choose bamboo as a building material? Research Objectives The project seeks to; 1. Identify the competitiveness of bamboo as a construction material, in comparison to concrete, steel and hardwood; 2. Identify the mechanical properties of bamboo that makes it suitable as a building material; and 3. Identify the factors that prevent Filipinos form choosing bamboo as an alternative material? Theoretical Framework The researcher plans to use two theories for the project; Diffusion of Innovation Theory and Social Judgment Theory. Diffusion of Innovation Theory is described as a process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social system. It is developed by E.M. Rogers in 1962, is one of the oldest social science theories. Diffusion is a special type of communication concerned with the spread of messages that are perceived as new ideas. Surry and Farquhar (1997) explain that disciplines ranging from agriculture to marketing have used Diffusion of Innovation Theory to increase the adoption of innovative products and ideas. The theory seeks to explain how innovations are taken up in a population. Diffusion of Innovations offers three valuable insights into the process of social change: the qualities that make an innovation spread,

the importance of peer-peer conversations and peer networks and an understanding of the needs of different user segments. Thus to elevate the use of bamboo in construction is an innovation that young architects should adhere to cater the call for sustainable development and lessen the use of hardwood that cause deforestation. Next is Social Judgment Theory. The theory suggests that knowing a person’s attitudes on subjects can provide you with clues about how to approach a persuasive effort. It focuses on peoples’ assessment of persuasive messages (Sherif & Hovland, 1961; Sherif, Sherif, & Nebergall, 1965).Social judgment theory proposes that people make evaluations (judgments) about the content of messages based on their anchors, or stance, on a particular topic messages (Sherif & Hovland, 1961; Sherif et al., 1965).Other than an individual’s anchor, each person’s attitudes can be placed into three categories; latitude of acceptance, latitude of rejection and latitude of non-commitment. As stated, young architects will only accept the idea if they are persuaded enough by satisfying their personal needs and need for eco-friendly architecture.

Scope and Limitations The project only aims to promote bamboo for architecture and design on its target audience who are interested individuals who are seeking for cheap unconventional material for different architectural projects. It is limited from further information covered by the field of architects, engineers and construction firms. The researcher also is restricted from using information and photographs

of projects that used bamboo for construction outside the country, unless the organization involved allows the proponent to use it. In addition, the project also aims to engage different bamboo enthusiasts, local and globally, to send their own input of contents to support the promotion of bamboo in the Philippines.

CHAPTER 2 Review of Related Literature 1. Adams, C. “Bamboo Architecture and Construction with Oscar Hidalgo”. networkearth.org. 1998. Web. Retrieved February 15, 2015. Sixty four percent of over 1600 species of bamboos can be found in Southeast Asia. Different species have different wall thickness, with some species being entirely solid. It has an exterior waterproof film which occurs on the softer interior portion as well. Bamboo is particularly strong at the node, where there is an inner disc called septum which connects the outside walls, strengthening the stalk and separating in into compartments. For structural bamboo, it is important not to penetrate the septum as it is the crucial part of the bamboo for strength. For construction, the best age for bamboos to be harvested is during the 3-6 years of its growth. It is also important to cut bamboo just above the node at the base. Bamboo’s tensile strength has been essential in the development of bridges across the world. Chinese invented suspension bamboo bridges to cross rivers. Bamboo bridges were also constructed in India, and by the Incas in South America. Meanwhile, tension bridges were made in Colombia, with a tensile strengths of up to 3,200 kg/cm 2. It also has a long history of use in

buildings, being common to the vernacular architecture in Southeast Asia, China and Central and South America and has been extensively all over Indonesia, especially in the Celebes Islands. Bamboo is unique in that it is strong in both tension and compression. While tensile strength remains the same throughout the age of the bamboo plant, the plant fibre strength increases as it gets older. Despite all this, the biggest problem of bamboo in architecture is the perception that it is considered “poor people’s housing”. Bamboo has a long history used for construction throughout the world. With its abundance, proper management and information dissemination, it is just a matter of time until we see the wonder grass as sustainable construction material. 2. Gutu, T. “A Study on the Mechanical Strength Properties of Bamboo to Enhance Its Diversification on Its Utilization”. International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering.2013.Journal. Retrieved February 15, 2015. Research shows that the tensile strength of bamboo is about that of wood and the compression strength is about 10% higher than that of wood. By counting their strength per unit weight, the tensile strength of bamboo is 3 or 4 times as high as steel, according to the China Bamboo Research Centre. Bamboo strength properties are suitable for use as an additional material and its strength properties are more than most of soft woods and some of the hard woods. The properties of bamboo are suitable to be a good material when it was used for countries like the Bamboo Corridor built in Europe, Madrian Airport in Spain built using bamboo material and so many bridges in China are built using

bamboo material. Literature review of other researchers showed that most of developed countries are now more into bamboo than wood because of its many advantages over other materials and prototype which had been made shows that bamboo deserves to be used as an additional material to wood in Zimbabwe. Through various tests and research conducted, bamboo has proven as an effective material for construction through its strength to withstand tension like most available material in the market. 3. Janssen, J.A. Designing and Building with Bamboo. International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBR). 2000. Book. Retrieved February 15, 2015. < www.inbar.int/downloads/inbar_technical_report_no20.pdf?7c424b > Bamboo’s capacity for regeneration and environment friendliness project it as “tomorrow’s timber”. Bamboo’s Cellulose acts as reinforcement, similar to steel bars in reinforced concrete or glass fiber in fiber-reinforced plastic. These fibers are concentrated near the outside. The stiffness (the resistance against bending) that this distribution pattern creates is ten percent more than the one that a more even distribution pattern could offer – an excellent example of the structural design acumen of Mother Nature. In the case of a disaster like a hurricane or an earthquake, stresses in steel will come into the area of failure, but not in timber and bamboo. This means that steel structures will suffer much damage, while most structures of timber or bamboo will remain in good condition. A bamboo house is a good place to stay during a hurricane or an earthquake (provided the house has been built with proper care). The diagram shows that, as far as strength is concerned, concrete is the worst, followed by timber (the less dark bars in the diagram are calculated as the strength divided by the mass per

volume or the density). Steel 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 (the darker bars in this diagram are calculated as the Emodulus divided by the mass per volume or the density).

Bamboo can compete by means stiffness and strength by volume against other construction materials. Furthermore, it is also a good material to mitigate the impact of climate change and other natural disaster like earthquake and hurricane. 4. Xiao, Y., Inoue M., Paudel S.K. Modern Bamboo Structures: Proceedings of the FirstInternational Conference. Taylor & Francis. 2008. Book. Retrieved February 15, 2015. < bambucapacitacioneszuarq.mex.tl/dl_5190.html> Bamboo for constructions are easy to build, resilient to wind and earthquakes, and readily repairable in the event of damage. Despite of this, bamboo has been largely restricted to temporary structures and lower grades buildings due to limited natural durability, difficulties in joining, a lack of structural design data and exclusion from building codes. The majority of bamboo construction relates to rural community needs in developing countries. As such,

domestic housing predominates and, in accordance with their rural origins, these buildings are often simple in design and construction relying on a living tradition of local skills and methods. Bamboo housing is not a new concept. It is estimated that more than a billion people live in bamboo houses mostly in developing worlds. Various species of bamboo revealed that it is strong enough to be used as a building material. Another important character eristic of bamboo is, because of its strong fibres, it first cracks unlike timber which breaks of bending fails. This quality gives an opportunity to repair or replace failure part of house. Its elasticity is better than wood for seismic resistant housing and as has been proved in the case of several small houses. Despite the availability of bamboo for construction, factors still exists that questions the capacity of it, like cultural and technical problems. Yet, bamboo has still proven itself worthy as it is seismic resistant due to its strong fibers.

5. Kakkad, M.D. “Comparative Study of Bamboo (Ikra) Housing System with Modern Construction Practices”. Birla Vishvakarma Mahavidyalaya Engineering College. 2011. Web. Retrieved February 15, 2015. Earthquakes are not common phenomena in most parts of the world. However, where earthquakes are common, people have incorporated the critical elements of quake resistance in their indigenous construction method. It seems that indigenous organic materials for construction like timber or bamboo might be safer in large earthquakes than new structures of reinforced concrete, which proven itself already in a number of recent earthquakes, including the Izmit and Düzce Earthquakes in Turkey of 1999, the Bhuj earthquake in India of 2001, and

the Kashmir earthquake in Pakistan of 2005. As bamboo is very flexible material and also light weight material, the seismic force in bamboo system is very less compared to modern housing systems. Seismic force on the bamboo housing system is 12.97% and 11.72% of reinforced brick masonry and confined brick masonry systems respectively. Research shows that bamboo is used as main structural element because bamboo is ductile material & its performance is improved under earthquake event, tested by real life scenarios. 6. Minke, G. Birkhäuser Generalstandingorder : Building with Bamboo: Design and Technology of a Sustainable Architecture. Birkhäuser. 2012. Book. Retrieved February 15, 2015. The construction of Zeri Pavilion at the World Expo 2000 in Hanover and the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, designed by Simon Velez, marked a turning point that attracts European engineers and architects to the excellent construction properties of bamboo. It demonstrate that bamboo is slowly making its way to be recognized 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 have a low mass-to-flexibility ratio compared with those of wood makes bamboo a good material for construction, and the reason why it offers earthquake-resistant solutions. The external layer of the shell offers very high resistance to tension equalling than that of steel. It grows rapidly and is usable as a construction material after 3-6 years. According to the regulations ISO 22156 and ISO 22157-2, In Coffee Triangle of Colombia, 78.3 tons of bamboo is produced each year per hectare; compared with only 17.5 tons

per hectare of woods. In dry material, 36 tons of bamboo is produced, compared with only 10.8 tons of wood. As a result, bamboo yield is 3.3 times than that of wood. But one should take note that structural behaviour of bamboo can vary greatly, depending on the species, the growing site, its age, the moisture content and the part of the stalk that is used. It is also sensitive to attack from insects and fungus and must be impregnated or treated against them. Its round section and its tendency to crack also complicate the execution of joints and supports. It is advisable to use bamboo that grow in high altitudes and with drier soil because they normally have nodes and spaced more closely together and are therefore stronger. To avoid fungal attack, the relative moisture content must not be over 20%. Because of its fast growth, competitiveness against other materials, ecofriendly implications, and with proper treatment, bamboo made itself climb as one of the top contemporary building material in the world. It also has been used in different architectural creation for world events.

7. Hussain Mir; S. “Bamboo as a Cost effective Structural Material in Buildings”. International Journal of Engineering and Technical Research.2013.Web. Retrieved February 15, 2015. < http://www.tn.gov.in/tsunami/digitallibrary/ ebooks- web/36%20Bamboo_%20A_%20Material_%20For_%20Cost_ %20eff.pdf > One third of the world urban population lives in slums. Nearly 25 percent of the world population cannot afford to have their own homes due to a very low income. Use of bamboo in building construction working can reduce raw material costs to a huge extent. It is not only suitable for low cost housing but also

mitigate climate change implications. Bamboo Living Homes surpass the toughest hurricane codes in the USA, and in 1995 withstood three back to back hurricanes with 173mph winds. On another instance, in April 1991, twenty bamboo houses built for the National Bamboo Foundation in Costa Rica suffered no structural damage from a 7.5 Richter scale earthquake, despite being directly over the epicentre. It has been the backbone of much of the world‘s rural life and will remain so as the population increases. Bamboo will continue to play an important part in the development of enterprises and the transformation of rural environments, in all regions of the developing world where it grows. The study also suggests that if today you plant three or four structural bamboo plants, then in four or five years later you will have mature clumps, and in eight years you will have enough mature material to build a comfortable, low cost house. A study suggests that bamboo might offer the solution for low cost housing for rural areas without sacrificing the quality of living and safety against natural catastrophes. 8. Law, V. “Group sends bamboo homes to China’s quake zone”. The Christian Science Monitor. 2008. Web. Retrieved February 15, 2015. < http://www.csmonitor.com/ Environment/Living-Green/2008/0529/groupsends-bamboo-homes-to-china-quake-zone> A Beijing-based nongovernmental organization, the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR), is pushing a home-grown, quake-resistant housing solution: bamboo, also to revive this inexpensive, environmentally friendly, quake-resistant native material. Building experts in China who have been testing bamboo give it the seal of approval for building in the seismic zone.

In Zhejiang Province, where bamboo is plentiful, local officials have been encouraging architects to design recreational infrastructure using bamboo. Chen Xu, formerly a Chinese Academy of Forestry researcher, who tested the bamboo panels used in the INBAR models, says that bamboo can be an excellent engineering material. The technology is mature. He believes the bamboo and plywood with a steel frame should be good for earthquakes. Another proof of the resiliency of bamboo houses against earthquakes happened in 1991 Costa Rica. Concrete structures crumbled in the earthquake that registered 7.7 on the Richter scale, but the 20 or so bamboo houses nearby remained standing and undamaged. Different organizations throughout the world already have begun pushing towards the use bamboo for housing and recreational infrastructure projects, especially in natural disaster prone areas like that of in Costa Rica and in China. 9. n.a. “Bamboo ‘will replace other materials’ in architecture says Vo Trong Nghia”. Dezeen Magazine. 2013. Web. Retrieved February 15, 2015. Vo Trong Nghia Architects unveiled designs for the Vietnamese pavilion at Milan Expo 2015, which will be constructed from bamboo. Bamboo, which is an extremely fast-growing species of giant grass, grows abundantly, quickly and cheaply in Vietnam, where canes cost as little as a dollar each. Nghia have used bamboo structurally to form arches and domes, to a proposal to solve Vietnam's housing crisis with cheap, steel-framed homes clad in bamboo. Nghia's low-cost housing proposal uses bamboo as a cladding material, rather than as a structural

solution. Although it is difficult to choose an appropriate contractor because there is almost no contractor with experience of bamboo construction so, in order to realize the space as envisioned, it is essential to educate workers and build the construction together. He also noted the ability of bamboo to bend. Using bent bamboos, the structure obtains unique shape and beauty. With proper treatment – soaking in mud and smoking it – bamboo becomes as durable as timber. Thanks to its rapid-growing ability, Architect Vo Trong Nghia predicted that bamboo and laminated bamboo – or engineered bamboo – will replace other materials and become the ‘green steel’ of the 21st century. Architects like Vo Trong Nghia leads the way for innovating architectural design using natural available material like bamboo for housing in Vietnam. 10. n.a. “Blooming Bamboo Home”. Dezeen Magazine. 2013. Web. Retrieved February 15, 2015.< http://www.dezeen.com/2014/07/16/vo-trong-nghiainterview-materials-architecture-bamboo/ > Vietnamese studio H&P Architects has built a prototype bamboo house designed to withstand floods up to three meters above ground. The group used tightly-packed rows of bamboo cane to build the walls, floors and roof of the Blooming Bamboo Home, along with bamboo wattle, fiberboard and coconut leaves. It has been designed as a house, but could also be used as a school classroom, medical facility or community center. One solution to houses and homes for millions of these people is the goal of the BB (Blooming Bamboo) home. The designed house is strong enough to suffer from phenomena like 1.5m-high flood. Currently, H&P Architects is experimenting the model to suffer 3m-high flood. The space is multifunctional such as House, Educational, Medical

and Community Centre and can be spread if necessary. The vernacular structure can be assembled in as little as 25 days and adapted to suit varying local climates and sites and the total cost of the house is only 2500$.. Therefore, the house can warm people in the most severe conditions and help them control activities in the future, also remarkably contribute to ecological development as well as economic stabilization. Bamboos are starting to be recognize by architectural firms as a solution for the scarcity in housing in impoverish areas because it is cheap, easily assembled and can serve as protection against natural disasters. 11. Best, E. “Bamboo Houses to the Rescue”. Pacific Standard Magazine. 2010. Web. Retrieved February 15, 2015. < http://www.psmag.com/books-andculture/bamboo-houses-to-the-rescue-16347 > History suggests that bamboo may protect people from disasters like typhoons and earthquakes. When three typhoons swept into the Cook Islands in 2005, one producing winds of 173 mph, they devoured everything in their path — everything, that is, except a group of bamboo houses on the beach. Back in 1991, A 7.5 earthquake in Limón, Costa Rica, destroyed homes built with concrete and rebar, but all 20 of the more-flexible bamboo houses at the earthquake's epicentre remained standing. This paved way for the establishment of Bamboo National Housing Project in Costa Rica in 1986. Also to demonstrate the ability of bamboo to provide durable, seismically sound housing while contributing to reforestation. It was then adopted by the Costa Rican government in the mid-1990s that helped create more than 2,000 houses in rural areas, including the indigenous communities of Terraba, Rey Curre and Boruca, before

the turn of the century. Like poverty, bamboo is especially prolific in the tropics; perhaps what makes the concept of bamboo as a material for low-income housing most appealing is this symmetry. Bamboo cultivation and construction of permanent bamboo housing can protect people in disaster-prone areas. The use of bamboo as an alternative to wood can also help in reforestation of denuded lands. 12. Soto, A.S.D. “Bamboo Housing National Project Costa Rica”. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. n.d. Web. Retrieved February 15, 2015. < http://www.unesco.org/most/centram1.htm > The National Bamboo Project was started in 1986 to replace the use of wood with an alternative cost-effective and seismically sound building material and to prevent further deforestation. Bamboo has also helped to solve other problems such as unemployment and deforestation, particularly protecting some river basins. It also fostered the sustainable use of bamboo as a raw material for an indigenous housing programme and for the industrialization and marketing of by-products, thus giving low-income families the means of obtaining proper housing. The bamboo cultivated areas capture and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, contributing to preventing negative impacts of the green-house effect at the global level. Since then, the project has achieved the construction of 703 houses in rural areas, among them the indigenous communities of Terraba, Rey Curre and Boruca. After a few years of implementation, the project has been widely accepted not only by Costa Ricans, but also by other Central American countries.

The National Bamboo Project is Costa Rican is one of the pioneers of bamboo housing programs that maximizes the full potential of bamboo for sustainable development. 13. Henrikson R. Bamboo Architecture: In Competition and Exhibition. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. 2011. Book. Retrieved February 15, 2015. According to a study conducted, the average family home, built from wood from trees, and takes about one acre of forest (0.4 hectares). The same home built from bamboo, takes only the size of the house itself, because bamboo grows so fast and so dense. This means we save 20 times the earth’s surface area to grow our houses. Some species grow stronger and harder than oak in just 5 years. Through the initiative of a group of architects, The International Bamboo Building Design Competition was launched in 2006 as a call out to the world’s architects, builders, designers and students to envision and design new bamboo buildings, to develop new award winning designs for bamboo buildings, and raise awareness of the use of certified structural bamboo for building code approved structures. Movements have started to promote the use of bamboo for architectural marvels. Building with bamboo also helps to lessen the use of trees that takes more time to grow and helps in rebuilding our forests. 14. Xiaobing, Y. Bamboo: Structure and Culture: Utilizing Bamboo in the Industrial Context with Reference to its Structural and Cultural Dimensions. VDM Verlag Dr. Müller. 2008. Book. Retrieved February 15, 2015. < webdoc.sub.gwdg.de/ebook/dissts/Duisburg/Yu2007.pdf >

Studies show that compared to concrete, steel and wood bamboo has excellent mechanical properties with reference to material efficiency for strength (working stress per volume unit) and stiffness (E modulus per volume unit). But, According to Janssen (1988) the untreated bamboo culms can just have a maximum of 10-15 years of lifetime if they are kept under cover and in a not very humid climate. In direct contact with atmosphere they can only last 1- 3 years. One popular organic treatment for bamboos is through smoking. They are put into the smoke with a temperature of about 120°C for some time so the insects are killed. It is believed that this way will increase the durability of culms. During the process the bamboo culms can be broken and the color will get black. This method is popular in Japan. In the chemical methods, chemical preservatives like CCA (copper-chrome-arsenic composition) or cheaper ones like boric acid and borax are used to keep bamboo culms from being attacked by insects. Bamboo’s cultural

dimension

sometimes

is

negatively

interpreted

as

“handwork,

uneconomic, imprecise, and underdeveloped” because it is connected with the traditional crafts’ working process.

.

It is significant to treat bamboo first before using in construction to prolong its lifetime also, to maximize the mechanical properties of bamboo. 15. Sands, D. “Why Bamboo”. Bamboo Living. n.d. Web. Retrieved February 15, 2015. Research presents few reasons why bamboo offers eco-friendly alternative to building with timber, namely; strength, warranty for termites, carbon sequestration and advantages of bamboo than trees. Studies prove that bamboo is as strong as mild steel with the compression strength of concrete. Amazingly, one inch of bamboo can hold up to 7 1/2 tons of weight. Bamboo houses properly treated with borates should easily last 75 to 100at least 50 years. Unlike most organic insecticides that attack the nervous system, borates are a systemic poison that destroys the digestive tract of the organism.

As a result, it is

impossible for the species to develop immunity and borates will kill any organism that ingests the chemical. Bamboo, like trees, also sequesters carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. If the bamboo and wood are made into houses, then the carbon is effectively stored for the life span of the house. Half the weight of the bamboo is carbon. The carbon from the atmosphere is thus locked up in the bamboo fibre itself. Currently, the 30 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent produced each year by human activity. Preserve the bamboo with borates and build buildings with that bamboo and you have sequestered and stored the carbon for a hundred years. The bamboo plant itself sequesters up to 12 tons of CO2 per hectare. It releases 35% more oxygen than equivalent areas of trees.

Studies also prove bamboo as a sustainable cropping system for sloping lands, reducing soil erosion, and delivering sustainable farming systems. The rhizome mat of bamboo, which continues to live after each harvest, protects the ground from erosion. Bamboo houses become a carbon capture and storage system, and this capacity can be extended if proper treatment is executed on the bamboo plant. 16. Jayanetti, D.L., P.R. Follet. Bamboo in Construction: An Introduction. International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBR). 1998. Book. Retrieved February 15,2015. < www.inbar.int/publications/?did=9> In view of its rapid growth, a ready adaptability to most climatic conditions and properties superior to most juvenile fast growing wood, bamboo emerges as a very suitable alternative. But different treatments should be execute first to protect bamboo from attack by micro-organisms and insects especially if use in construction. Since bamboo has a low natural resistance from biological deterioration, traditional methods of preservation do not provide durability of product or structure in the long term. When compared to traditional methods, the use of chemicals for the preservative treatment of bamboo is more effective in providing

protection

against

biological

deterioration.

However,

chemical

preservatives are invariably toxic and due care and attention should be exercised whenever they are used. It is, also possible to treat bamboo with a combination of preservative and fire retardant chemicals. Fire presents a potential hazard in any form of construction, but the risk is especially high in bamboo buildings. But since fire retardant treatment costs generally high, Boron based retardants offer a possible solution, with the added advantage of being relatively safe to use.

With

proper

treatments,

bamboo

houses

can

withstand

natural

deterioration and offer a durable and stable housing. 17. Yipin, L. L. Yanxi, K. Buckingham, et al. Bamboo and Climate Change Mitigation. International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBR). 2010. Book. Retrieved February 15, 2015. < www.inbar.int/downloads/Carbon-Publication_final_ 151110. pdf > Bamboo forests have comparable features to other types of forest regarding their role in the carbon cycle. They sequester carbon through photosynthesis, and lock carbon in the fibre of the bamboo and in the soil where it grows. Conducted studies shows that intensive management of bamboo seems to be able to increase the carbon storage capacity in above ground biomass. Innovations should be encouraged to enhance the number of durable bamboo products with longer life spans which is positive for prospects that carbon in biomass can be sequestrated for a longer period before they biodegrade. One example of this a study conducted in a bamboo forests in China where proper management of the forest was executed. Substantial amount of carbon were present in the bamboo, and the total amount is expected to increase in the future primarily because of future afforestation programs. As the importance of bamboo forests in providing both development needs and adaptation opportunities for local communities is already recognized, the role that they can play in providing global carbon sequestration services, suggests that bamboo deserves more recognition as a plant of considerable importance in meeting the demands of a planet in need of both prosperity and sustainability.

Bamboo has high productivity and, through proper management techniques, could sequester higher amounts of carbon, which could create a sink effect, and thus, further studies and research should be done to this plant. 18. Yoneda, Y. “First Full Bamboo School in Philippines Stands Up to Tough Stormwinds”. Inhabitat.com. 2011. Web. Retrieved February 15, 2015. < http://inhabitat.com/first-full-bamboo-school-in-philippines-stands-up-totough- stormwinds/> The bamboo school is a prototype at the Nato High School in the Bicol Peninsula around the south-eastern part of Luzon. Designed by architect Eleena Jamil of Malaysia as the winning entry in the Millennium Schools competition organized by Illac Diaz's MyShelter Foundation, the structure was recently completed in Camarines Sur, and is proud to call itself the first full bamboo school in the Philippines. One of the main focuses of the design was to minimize damage caused by the powerful tropical winds that sweep across the eastern part of the archipelago. And while it’s possible that some of the bamboo culms will be overcome by the wind, in most cases, replacing them is much easier than it would be for wood or steel, which makes sense since the whole point is that the modular classrooms be easy to build and easy to repair. It also helps immensely that forests of the green plant grow abundantly and rapidly in the wild in close proximity to the school. So if rebuilding is ever necessary, the raw materials are right there in the building’s own backyard. The use of bamboo has also started in the Philippines, following the Millennium Development Goals. It is also said that, even if typhoons damage bamboo infrastructure, there will be probably only a little impairment that will be found, that can also be repair easily.

19. Walker, C. "MAT-TER Designs Storm-Resistant School for the Philippines”. ArchDaily. 2014. Web. Retrieved February 15, 2015. Open Online Academy (OOAc) has challenged architects worldwide to design disaster-resistant architecture with their online course “Designing Resilient Schools”. Architecture firm MAT-TER has responded to this challenge with a new design for Guiuan National High School in the Philippines, an area hit especially hard by last year’s Typhoon Haiyan. The design is a singular, compact structure designed to better withstand the forces of major storms, doubling as both a school and a community emergency shelter. The architects of the said project believe that the aggregation of simple interconnected systems will create a more resilient architecture and provide a better sense of unity for a learning environment. Furthermore, the compact structure designed will help to better withstand the forces of major storms, while serving as both a school and a community emergency shelter. Innovative movements push towards the creation of resilient schools and one solution offered was the use of bamboo, for both school and relocation shelter. 20. Press, A. “DTI to push for a robust and sustainable PH bamboo industry”. Asian Journal. 2012. Web. Retrieved February 15, 2015. < http://asianjournal.com/ news/dti-to-push-for-a-robust-and-sustainableph-bamboo-industry/ > Data shows that in 2009, the Philippines ranked 6th worldwide among the top exporters of bamboo products with a total export value of US$30 million, according to the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR). Thus,

the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is moving forward for a robust and sustainable Philippine bamboo industry by 2016. 40 percent of these bamboo materials, bamboo furniture and handicrafts were the top dollar earners for the country. Apart from its use as raw material, bamboo is seen to significantly contribute to climate change mitigation and environmental disaster management. The Philippine government committed to reforest at least 500,000 hectares with bamboo as part of the 1 million hectares of designated areas as the country’s contribution to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) commitment of 20 million hectares of new forest by 2020. Furthermore, Executive Order (EO) 879 was issued last May 2010 for the development of the Philippine bamboo industry that created the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development (PBID) Council and directed the use of bamboo for at least 25 percent of desk and other furniture requirements of public elementary and secondary schools and prioritizing the use of bamboo in furniture, fixtures and other construction requirements of government facilities. Philippines is gearing up to increase its production of bamboo to reach the high demand of market globally. This action of the Department of Trade and Industry is supported by the released memorandums since 2010.

CHAPTER 3 Research Methodology Research Plan

The proponent plans to document at least three of the existing available bamboo architecture in the country, like Architect Francisco Mañosa’s residence in Ayala Alabang Village, Architect Encarnacion Tan’s bamboo house, the renovated Las Piñas’ St. Joseph Parish, home of the famed Bamboo Organ, The Risen Lord Chapel in Las Piñas, the Mary Hill Retreat in Taytay, Carolina Bamboo Garden in Antipolo City, Coco Beach Island Resort in Puerto Galera, La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc in Ilocos Norte. etc. The goal of the documentation is to get photographs and content to create a feature article for the info website of the project. The proponent will also conduct an interview with people associated with bamboo architecture in the Philippines, most of which are the same set of people involve on the documentation. The interview seeks to gather existing bamboo architecture projects in the country, show this to the project’s target user and thus, engage themselves to use bamboo for their future projects or promote places with engineered bamboo features. Primary Research Tools Interview Questions 1. Tell us about yourself and your bamboo architectural project. 2. How did you get involved in using bamboo? 3. Are you currently affiliated with any bamboo enthusiast’s organizations? 4. what is the name of that organization and since when have you been a member?

5. Why do you think bamboo is a sustainable resource that should be promoted? 6. What are the ecological benefits of bamboo? 7. What are the advantages of using bamboo as a building material? 8. How do you think Filipinos see bamboo as a building material today? 9. And how do you think should Filipino look at it? Why? 10. What is your vision or future prospect for bamboo architecture in the Philippines?

CHAPTER 4 Results The results of the interview showed that on the past, only government institutes and agencies would undertake research projects on the use of indigenous materials, like bamboo. This includes the Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI), the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Construction Industry Association of the Philippines (CIAP), Materials Science Research Institute (MSRI), and The National Science and Technology Institute (NSTI). Today, private and commercial-based small-scaled companies have also stepped up towards the development of these materials. The Philippine Bamboo Foundation is also one of the leading organizations for promoting bamboo and supporting the bamboo industry. Interviewees have agreed that engineered bamboo and infusing it with the technology of preservation can provide an effective solution for housing because

its properties can stand equal with the more modern aluminium or plastic. And although it may lack permanence, the warmth and natural ambience of using bamboo can never be replicated. It is the fastest growing plant on the planet. It can easily be cultivated. Architect Manosa quoted "will not. For centuries to come, the bamboo grass will continue to grow, gracing our fields and gardens so why not our homes?" In addition, the interviewees add up that it's about time to explore an alternative building material by incorporating both technology and science for a greener environment. Architect Gerry Torres, meanwhile, said that incorporating bamboo for housing paves way for contemporary living with green architecture that is sustainable and save the earth's natural resources. Bamboo can be a classy alternative to better known species of wood-based finishing material like lauan, molave, supa or narra, whose cost have scaled heights unimaginable even today, not to mention, that these are all endangered species. Today, the government's criteria for a sure and economical solution to Filipinos 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, available and plentiful. All interviewees have agreed that bamboo might just be that alternative material. It is a viable material for low-cost and affordable building. It is very versatile, strong, abundant, pleasant to feel, beautiful to look at in colour, texture and shape, and manageable. With the right treatment, it can be fireproof and resistant from pests. By exploiting technology, we can able to extend the life and use of these materials. Furthermore, up to certain extent, bamboo can

withstand earthquakes than other materials will do, because of the cellulose fibres in bamboo. These act as reinforcement similar to reinforcing steel bars in concrete or glass-fibre in polyester-resin. The distribution of these fibres increases from the inside to the outside. Result of the interview 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 gives much stiffness which results in “less damage” during earthquake. Bamboo grows in all regions of the country, yet, Filipinos still feels alien when it comes to maximizing its potential. Universities and colleges that offers architecture does not focus on indigenous materials like bamboo and easily go bias with the usual concrete and steel. It is depicted as 'poor's man timber' due to its association with hard hand-made handicrafts. People thought it's a mistake to use bamboo because it's a weak material and will surely degrade in a short span of time. Unfortunately, with the coming of superior technology and new building material from the West, Filipinos tend to forget traditions and culture, disregarding lessons our ancestors and handed down to us. In India for example, despite being the second's largest exporter of bamboo, situation of bamboo is not up to the mark. Many people who live in cities are not still aware about this plant/material. People still feel that it’s not a long term solution for building material and that it’s a job of a poor man to build/work with bamboo. On the contrary, furniture made from bamboo is affordable only by rich people at least upper middle class and above.

But in reality, bamboo, as the principal material of bahay kubo, is indicative to Filipino's character. The reason why it has been identified with "Philippine architecture" is that it has adapted itself very well to our climate, our temperament, and our way of life. And for as long as bamboo grows in our land, Filipinos should maximize it and produce structures that are culturally rooted in design, form and feel. In conclusion, the interviewees urged the public to look into the use of bamboo. It’s a beautiful material with good mechanical and physical properties. Most important is that, it’s an eco-friendly material (provided that it is harvested in eco-friendly manner). It was also noted that bamboo is one of the most vital construction materials known to be for construction in the Philippines, a third world country with a tremendous housing problem.

CHAPTER 5 Project Description The Kawayahan is an informative website about the advantages of using bamboo as an alternative building material that seeks to reunite Filipinos to indigenous materials like bamboo for housing and other architectural projects. It aims to engage interested individuals, couples, organizations to look into the utilization of bamboo by providing them information about its advantages,

connecting them to architectural firms that uses bamboo and giving examples of existing modern bamboo houses in the country.

Rationale Bahay kubo, with bamboo as one of its principal materials, is indicative of the Filipino character. It is symbolic to Filipino resiliency. Thus, as a media student, the info web’s objective is to communicate the information about the advantages of using bamboo as an alternative building material to Filipinos and thus, distribute the need to utilize the use of it as a solution for housing problems and climate change. Bamboo will mostly likely be a great alternative to much more expensive building material like steel and species of hardwoods that most of which are already endangered. It can offer a possible substitute to timber due to the scarcity of wood. Furthermore, bamboo makes a good climate change adaptation material. In fact, certain organizations has already been developing a bamboo-cement technology to be used to make sturdy, earthquake- and storm-proof houses for earthquake-stricken Bohol and Super typhoon “Yolanda”-hit areas. It’s a cheap, sustainable, and stable and not to mention, abundantly grows in the country.

Project objectives This project seeks to:

1. Encourage Filipinos to look into consideration of incorporating bamboo as an alternative building material, 2. Provide essential information on the various advantages of using bamboo for construction and give examples of existing modern bamboo architectural projects, and to; 3. Serve as a source of information and connection between bamboo enthusiasts, architectural firms that utilizes bamboo, bamboo related institutions and interested individuals, couples, or organizations.

Communication Objectives This project aims to express that: 1. Encourage Filipinos to look into consideration of incorporating bamboo as an alternative building material. a. Bamboo embodies authentic Philippine house and cultural identity. b. It can be both modern and classic, and that its natural beauty can never be equalled. 2. Provide essential information on the various advantages of using bamboo for construction and give examples of existing modern bamboo architectural projects, and to; a. Bamboo can compete with other commercial building material like steel, concrete and many other hardwoods by means of its mechanical properties and abundance.

b. It is an earthquake-proof material that is for viable climate change mitigation projects. 3. Serve as an inspirational platform and connection between bamboo enthusiasts, architectural firms that utilizes bamboo, bamboo related institutions and interested individuals, couples, or organizations. a. There are a lot of organizations and firms who backs up the use of bamboo for construction. b. Bamboo has been use and tested before, and with the right technology and treatment, one can make a modern house made from it.

Marketing Objectives The project will be marketed by: 1. Events; 2. Social networking ads; and 3. Website promotional ads

Project Brief “Kawayahan” is an info website that offers users a wide range of information about bamboo and how it can be exploit as an alternative building material, its advantages and its connection to the cultural identity of Filipinos. It also gives users photographs of modern bamboo architectural projects like the Bamboo Clad House in Better Living subdivision, Paranaque City; Coco Beach

Island Resort in Puerto Galera; La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc in Ilocos Norte; Mary Immaculate Parish- Nature’s Church in Las Piñas City and the first Bamboo School in the country- the Nato High School in Camarines Sur. All mentioned places display a modern intricate design using bamboo, maximizing its properties for construction that would possibly allow users to get interested on either visiting the place or most especially, engaging them into a project with architects whose expertise is the use of bamboos, provided by the website. The goal of the website to emphasize and promote the beauty of a modern bamboo house, bahay kubo’, when properly engineered and thus reuniting Filipinos into indigenous material like the bamboo itself. Content Outline 

Home o (Welcome page)



Why Bamboo? 

Structural Integrity



Climate Change adaptation



Ecological Benefits o About



Author/ Team



(People

who

have

help

me

through

documentation) 

Vision and Mission



(Prospect and objective of the website)

my

research

and





FAQ



(Will develop during the beta testing of the website)

Gallery

(Visit at least three of these places and make a feature article about it, with photographs, and contact of the place)





Bamboo Clad House in Better Living subdivision, Paranaque City



Carolina Bamboo Garden in Antipolo City



Coco Beach Island Resort in Puerto Galera



La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc in Ilocos Norte



Mary Immaculate Parish- Nature’s Church in Las Piñas City



The Risen Lord Chapel in Las Piñas



Bamboo School - Nato High School in Camarines Sur.

Contact

(Easy contact to architects or organization if an individual, or group plans to build his/her own bamboo related architectural project) 

Contact of architects who is involve in bamboo architecture projects



Link to different organizations



Contact of Kawayahan



Social Media account

Audience, Beneficiary and Market Profile Target Audience

Age: 25 – 35 years old Economic Group: Working and Productive Class Social Class: Lower Middle to Lower Upper Class Other cultural or behavioural determinant: People who are in the working class who are interested on any architectural project that may include housing, school, gazeebo, church etc. who might be interested with Filipino design and indigenous material. Target Beneficiaries • Local bamboo industry • Places like church, resorts, eco-garden with modern bamboo house features • Architects whose expertise is using Bamboo Target Market • Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI) • Construction Industry Association of the Philippines (CIAP) • Materials Science Research Institute (MSRI) • The National Science and Technology Institute (NSTI). • Philippine Bamboo Foundation

Sample Audiences Anna Manalastas is an accounting officer in a small firm in Antipolo City. She is 29 years old and is already engage to her 4 years-relationship boyfriend, Tom Aurallo. Both Anna and Tom lives together in a house that they are renting near the office of Anna, which costs about Php 4,500 monthly. Tom proposed to

Anna 5 months ago and so, now, they are planning to decide what kind of house they would want to build. Anna has been passionate with Filipino design and recalled to her fiancée a resort she visited in Puerto Galera. The name of the place is Coco Beach Island Resort. It’s a resort that features fully-furnished modern bamboo-made rooms and Anna felt in love with the place, especially with the rooms. She told Tom about her idea about incorporating bamboo but the problem is, they don’t know who to contact and what is difference between a house made of bamboo and one which is not. Both Anna and Tom earns an average wage so they are looking for a cheap yet stable housing material.

 

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15,

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journal.com/news/dti-to-push-for-a-robust-and-sustainable-ph-bambooindustry/ > Reyes, E. “Bam warns PH bamboo industry losing status in world market”. Interaksyon.com. 2015. Web. Retrieved March 1, 2015. Sands, D. “Carbon Sequestration.” bambooliving.com. n.d. Web. Retrieved March 1, 2015. Sawyers, H. “Can American Farms Make Bamboo the Next Big Cash Crop?.” popularmechanics.com. 2009. Web. Retrieved March 1, 2015. Soto, A. “National Bamboo Project of Costa Rica.” unesco.org. n.d. Web. Retrieved March 1, 2015. < http://www. unesco.org/most/centram1.htm > Tan, R.E. 100 Things About Building with Bamboo. n.p. 2012. Book. Retrieved March 1, 2015.

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15,

2015.

Wooldridge, M. “Booming bamboo: The next super-material?”. BBC News

Magazine. 2012. Web. Retrieved March 1, 2015. Xiao, Y., Inoue M., Paudel S.K. Modern Bamboo Structures: Proceedings of the First International Conference. Taylor & Francis. 2008. Book. Retrieved February 15, 2015. < bambucapacitacioneszuarq.mex.tl/dl_5190.html> Xiaobing, Y. Bamboo: Structure and Culture: Utilizing Bamboo in the Industrial Context with Reference to its Structural and Cultural Dimensions. VDM Verlag Dr. Müller. 2008. Book. Retrieved February 15, 2015. < webdoc.sub.gwdg.de/ebook/dissts/Duisburg/Yu2007.pdf > Yipin, L. L. Yanxi, K. Buckingham, et al. Bamboo and Climate Change Mitigation. International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBR). 2010. Book. Retrieved

February 15, 2015. < www.inbar.int/downloads/Carbon-

Publication_final_151110. pdf > Yoneda, Y. “First Full Bamboo School in Philippines Stands Up to Tough Stormwinds”. Inhabitat.com. 2011. Web. Retrieved February 15, 2015. < http://inhabitat.com/first-full-bamboo-school-in-philippines-stands-up-totough-stormwinds/>

Appendices Appendix A Interview Questionnaire 1.

Tell us about yourself

2.

How did you get involved in using bamboo?

3.

Are you currently affiliated with any bamboo enthusiast’s organizations?

4.

If yes, what is the name of that organization and since when have you

been a member? 5.

Why do you think bamboo is a sustainable resource that should be

promoted? 6.

What are the ecological benefits of bamboo?

7.

What are the advantages of using bamboo as a building material?

8.

How do you think Filipinos see bamboo as a building material today?

9.

And how do you think should Filipino should look at it? Why?

10.

What is your vision or future prospect for bamboo architecture in the

Philippines?

Appendix B Profile of Interviewees 

Vinay Kolte Rajarshi Shahu College of Engineering Malabar Nature Conservation Club, Amboli, India [email protected]



Rajnirmal Rajendran Feel Design Lab Architecture and civil engineering Firm, India [email protected]



Ms. Roni Alano Executive Assistant of Arch. Francisco "Bobby" Manosa [email protected]



Architect Gerry Torres Director for Administration of MCAD Faculty, School of Design and Arts-Architecture De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde [email protected] 09175778449



Cita V. Lacdan CBG Coordinator Carolina Bamboo Garden [email protected] Tel. No. 8470522 to 25 Mobile No. 0922-8248952