Bamboo is associated with us with an exotic plant, from which make beautiful souvenirs and original pieces of furniture for the house. However, the field of application of bamboo goes far beyond the material for making accessories. In a number of countries in South-East Asia, stems of bamboo are used for the construction of houses. The love of Asians for this plant is explained not only by the fact that it grows in the local climate with a record speed, but also unique properties, thanks to which houses made of bamboo can become worthy of alternative traditional construction.
"House of Dreams" offers its readers to plunge into the atmosphere of Indonesian nature and see how luxurious bamboo houses can be, as well as learn more about the features of building material and the very construction of houses from it.
Bamboo houses photo
Why bamboo?
The fact that bamboo is used as the main building material for the construction of houses, residents of megacities may seem rather strange. The stems of bamboo create the impression of a very fragile and unreliable material, which can be useful except for the erection of a hut. Even more surprising is that bamboo houses have been built from time immemorial in regions with increased seismic activity. It is not necessary to blame prematurely the inhabitants of Southeast Asia in short-sightedness, the fact is that the fragility of bamboo is a very deceptive phenomenon. A giant plant has tremendous flexibility, and in the event of an earthquake, tsunami or other natural disaster, houses made of this material are often simply bent, but not deformed as other structures. And even if the house of bamboo still collapses when rocking, it will not cause people mortal mutilation, tk.the material has a very light weight.
Bamboo houses photo
Two-storey house made of bamboo
Fortunately, earthquakes in most countries of the post-Soviet space are extremely rare, but this does not mean that bamboo houses are not suitable for us. The plant, which in fact is a giant grass, has other interesting properties. Here are just some of them:
1. Environmentally friendly
In matters of environmental friendliness, bamboo is the leader among all wood species known to mankind. This plant develops so quickly that when it grows, there is no need to use any chemical additives and pesticides. In addition, the structure of the stems of bamboo contains unique components that have antiseptic and antibacterial properties.
House made of bamboo with pool
Cozy bamboo house photo
2. Versatility
Natural components of bamboo can absorb excess moisture in the room, creating the most favorable conditions for human health. This feature also contributes to the fact that bamboo fills the room with coolness in the heat and warms in the winter.
Luxury house built of bamboo
House with an open bamboo wall
3. Flexibility
As already mentioned, bamboo is a very flexible plant. This not only saves lives for millions of people during natural disasters, but also opens unlimited space for designer delights. Houses made of bamboo can have literally any shape. For example, in Indonesia and China, bamboo houses are distributed in the form of ellipses, flowers, polyhedra and other interesting architectural designs.
Design of bamboo houses
4. Longevity
The fact that some of the buildings from this plant have survived millennia is evidence that bamboo is one of the most durable materials in the world. For example, the banks of the Ming River, which is located in Southwest China, connects a bridge made of 15 bamboo stalks. The bridge regularly performs its main function, despite the fact that it was created in the 3rd century AD.
Modern bamboo house
House with original bamboo roof
5. Speed of erection
Bamboo is the lightest building material in both literal and figurative sense. Due to the low weight of its stems during construction, there is simply no need to use machinery or cranes. In addition, bamboo stems are very easily cut and processed with the most common tools.
Bamboo house inside
6. Ease of operation
Most eco houses have one significant disadvantage: natural materials attract pests. But this does not in any way apply to houses made of bamboo. In bamboo, bugs, bacteria, fungus and mold are practically not bred, so that houses made of this material do not need to be treated with chemicals.
Construction of houses from bamboo
7. Stylish design
Houses made of bamboo are beautiful both inside and outside. The internal and external surface of walls in such houses is often not treated in any way. However, to give additional design accents, bamboo can be pressed, laminated or covered with paint and varnish materials, as well as complementing its beauty with carved elements and compositions.
How to build a house of bamboo
Wardrobe in a house of bamboo
Bedroom in a bamboo house
How to build a house of bamboo
It seems that building a house made of bamboo is a matter of painstaking and very complex. But even in this matter, bamboo is extremely attractive.
The traditional way of building bamboo houses can be accommodated in three points:
- creating a foundation;
- erection of piles;
- attachment of bamboo stems, which are the "bricks" for the walls of the future house.
Bamboo house on chicken legs
However, modern bamboo houses are most often built of boards and squared beams made of this material.
It is noteworthy that the process of grinding and pressing bamboo trunks can be made directly on the construction site, which saves considerable time and energy costs.
Bamboo as a material for construction
Bamboo as a material for the construction of houses
In Asian countries, bamboo houses are traditionally created on the principle of open type, that is, there is not one or several walls in the building. In our conditions, such an idea is difficult to implement because of weather conditions, so even at the stage of designing a bamboo house, one should think about conducting communications, in particular, about warming the house.
With regard to electricity and water and sewage communications, the process of their conduct in this house is no different from the standard method. And in matters of space heating it is recommended to use local systems - heating appliances, electric fireplaces, etc. In addition, in countries where bamboo houses are traditional dwellings, energy-saving technologies that use solar panels are often used for their arrangement.
Interior of the bamboo living room
Interior design of the bamboo house
Technologies for the construction of houses from bamboo
Original projects of bamboo houses
The Osa peninsula, located in Costa Rica, is famous not only for its picturesque jungle, but also for the fact that this place has a unique guesta house entirely made of bamboo. The world's first bamboo hotel is projected by the studio Luz de Piedra Arquitectos, whose architects have set a goal to create a seismically stable and environmentally friendly structure. Despite the fact that the Casa Atrevida was created from a single material and practically did not yield to any additional processing, the structure is distinguished by a bright design variety.
Bamboo complex in Costa Rica from Luz de Piedra Arquitectos
Bamboo complex in Costa Rica from Luz de Piedra Arquitectos
Bamboo complex in Costa Rica from Luz de Piedra Arquitectos
Hotel Casa Atrevida in Costa Rica
Hotel Casa Atrevida in Costa Rica
On the Indonesian island of Bali there is a whole bamboo village called Green Village. The author of this project was the designer Elora Hardy, who dreams that her work will teach people to appreciate the world around them and take care of natural resources.
House in Bali from bamboo, village of Green Village
House in Bali from bamboo, village of Green Village
House in Bali from bamboo, village of Green Village
House in Bali from bamboo, village of Green Village
House in Bali from bamboo, village of Green Village
Benefits of bamboo houses for health
Bamboo houses are ideal for people with asthma. The fact is that some varieties of this plant give off special oils that can alleviate the symptoms of the disease.
Beautiful bamboo house photo
Why it is useful to live in a house made of bamboo
Building of bamboo
Given all the advantages of this type of construction, there is no doubt that houses made of bamboo will soon become a worthy replacement for traditional structures made of bricks, concrete blocks and other ""Of materials.
