Bamboo Events Desk
6th February 2005, 06:40 AM
Colombia/Guadua Workshop/Feb 14-19, 2005
Guádua is the most frequently used of the giant Bamboos growing in tropical South America . Its abundant resources from Panama to Paraguay are used for traditional architecture and farm work. Especially in Colombia we find a wide range of species, there is intensive investigation on all levels for possible uses. Since the 80´s there is some conservation efforts of the still abundant resource, cattle and coffee farmers are not anymore allowed to eradicate the clumps, even a sustainable harvesting cycle has been developed by local environmental authorities.
In recent years some fabulous architectural masterpieces have been built, even outside the continent, but still more than 75% of the mature culms in natural clumps are rotting away instead of being harvested and put into long term use and CO2 fixing applications.
To promote the knowledge about the existence of this "Gift of the Gods" and to learn "hands on" its multiple uses in architecture and furniture industry, periodically an international workshop is offered. Before or after the workshop you could plan an additional week to travel around in Cauca Valley , guided or individually, to visit the bamboo collection in nearby Tulua, rent a bamboo raft on " Rio la Vieja", visit the Theme Parks like "Panaca" or the " Coffee Park ", etc.
This workshop intends to build a variety of little projects to give an overview of successful techniques, and going even a little bit into the practice of each item.
The daily routine starts with some technical explications on tools, techniques and tricks. Then the participants form workgroups and built under guidance the different elements like walls, bamboo trusses, furniture and gazebos. During the coffee and lunch breaks there is time for small talk and discussion. The 20 to 25 participants are located at a nice neighborhood farm, where after supper a film or a PowerPoint conference on the daily theme gives a wider understanding and leads to interactive discussion for those who still don't want to sleep...
Program
Monday 14.2.2005 Arrival and subscription, until 10 a.m.
Theme: "Bamboo on first touch"
- Familiarizing with the culms and their anatomy, their applications and limitations for structures. The efficient work methods and the use of tools and tricks. Building of a mobile shelter using ropes and poles.
- Presentation of the design for the gazebo and the social housing unit. Explications of the building method. Elaboration of the cutting list, preparation of the poles, cutting exercise for everybody. Start of the gazebo construction.
- Video and conference on Guádua, constructions and forestry, in Colombia .
Tuesday 15.2.2005
Theme: "Bamboo Timber"
- Bamboo preservation exercise, selection criteria: maturity, Specific gravity, straightness and colors. Borax treatment via immersion or bouchery".
- Crack free drying of poles or strips, storage, cost analysis.
- Visit with a forest engineer to a Guádua Groove under sustainable harvesting in the neighborhood. Preparation of a traditional Indian recipe with Guádua shoots.
- Evening conference with Dr Liese´s Fotos of Bamboo Anatomy, theory on ecologically friendly preservation and crack free drying of Bamboo Poles.
Wednesday 16.2.2005
Theme: Bamboo structures - engineering
- Transfer of the 1:50 models to the reality. Installation of the coordinate system at the building ground. Building the houses wall structure and its footings.
- Several bamboo joint techniques, their power and their limits. King truss and other bridge building principles. Building of one little bridge truss.
- Conference on "protection by design" principles in bamboo structures, Bamboo Bridges and other mayor achievements. Discussion on bamboo design, engineering and seismic behavior.
Thursday 17.2.2005
Theme: Industrial uses of Bamboo
- Split production, mobile machinery and processing line, selection criteria, possible dimensions and product variety of laminates and trim.
- Walls between bamboo poles are made with recycled saw dust and different traditional systems like "bahareque" and earth plaster,
- Laminated boards and panels are made and used in the gazebos. New designs can be proposed and even made.
- Video on bamboo laminates and industrial uses
- Conference on eco-architecture, discussion on biological criteria of bamboo houses.
Friday 18.2.2005
Theme: Costs and Marketing
- Finishing of the different construction and design projects of the workshop, surface treatments, roofing, etc
- Presentation of each object, exchange of experiences and suggestions.
- Cost analysis of the efforts and prices at potential markets for bamboo products.
- Creation of a network between producers, artisans, architects and salesmen.
- Cleaning up and preparation of a big campfire, barbeque and bamboo salad for the closing party.
Saturday 19.2.2005 Recovery, Bamboo-tour to Cali , etc.
The workshop takes place at ECOBAMBOO Factory in Candelaria, which is a little town 20 km east from Cali . The accommodation and lunch is at Hacienda PROVENZA, a neighborhood farm with nice rooms and even a little swimming pool. Candelaria is easy to reach with 15 minutes ride in taxi or bus from the city of Cali and Palmira , or with Taxi from the Cali Airport .
The cost will be $ 500.000 Pesos or $ 200 Dollars, three meals and room are included from Monday to Friday. For further travels you should have budget of 30 to 50 Dollars a day. Participants from abroad will have to confirm subscription by email to email here (jstam@emtel.net.co), but due to the difficulties to do the down payment, they are asked to pay on the first day. If the arrival is at Cali Airport , you could advise me by email
Or at my mobile phone - 57 - 300 - 557 10 21, eventually somebody could catch you up there. There are direct flights from Miami to Cali Airport (3,5 hours).
Conference language is mostly in Spanish, - people from Brazil , Germany and USA etc. should just ask for translation if they don't get the message. Anyway most of the message is transmitted hand to hand. Participants should have normal work cloth, a big hat is provided here.
Candelaria is hot and has about 30 degrees Celsius during the day, during the night its perfect. The rooms have protection against mosquitoes, - there is no malaria, but mosquito spray is a good protection for outside. It's recommended to have your own health insurance, Ecobamboo is not responsible for accidents.
Colombia is a nice country with very friendly people, normal crime is not more frequent than in every other Latin American country and we are quite protected as we are usually a big group. The political conflict with armed rebel forces is actually limited to remote areas and is not taking place in or near our workshop. I know about statistical numbers and the consequent alert by American authorities, but from my own 15 years experience in living in Colombia , I can easily feel responsible for making this invitation.
The workshop is focusing on craftsmen, architects and civil engineers, do-it-yourself men and women. The message of the workshop is to learn a common language on bamboo utilization, to overcome social hierarchy and to achieve greater challenges in bamboo trade. National and international Participants will get friends and may join on future Bamboo projects. A Guádua network will be launched.
INSTRUCTOR
Jörg Stamm, Carpenter and Guadua consultant, email here (jstam@emtel.net.co), mobile cel. 57 -300 557 10 21
ORGANIZER
Hector Mario Mejia, forest engineer, email here (hectormariomejia@yahoo.es)
Gerente de ECOBAMBOO Ltda, CANDELARIA - VALLE , COLOMBIA Associated TOURS ,
- costs to be arranged with the guide.
- Bamboo Collection, TULUA, with Francisco Castaño, forest engineer
- Bamboo rafting, Rio la Vieja, Quimbaya, Jorg Stamm
- Bamboo Tour CALI , Arq. Rafael Rojas, Arq. H.F. Silva,
- Bamboo Valley from the air, Pilot: Gerhard Thyben.
Guádua is the most frequently used of the giant Bamboos growing in tropical South America . Its abundant resources from Panama to Paraguay are used for traditional architecture and farm work. Especially in Colombia we find a wide range of species, there is intensive investigation on all levels for possible uses. Since the 80´s there is some conservation efforts of the still abundant resource, cattle and coffee farmers are not anymore allowed to eradicate the clumps, even a sustainable harvesting cycle has been developed by local environmental authorities.
In recent years some fabulous architectural masterpieces have been built, even outside the continent, but still more than 75% of the mature culms in natural clumps are rotting away instead of being harvested and put into long term use and CO2 fixing applications.
To promote the knowledge about the existence of this "Gift of the Gods" and to learn "hands on" its multiple uses in architecture and furniture industry, periodically an international workshop is offered. Before or after the workshop you could plan an additional week to travel around in Cauca Valley , guided or individually, to visit the bamboo collection in nearby Tulua, rent a bamboo raft on " Rio la Vieja", visit the Theme Parks like "Panaca" or the " Coffee Park ", etc.
This workshop intends to build a variety of little projects to give an overview of successful techniques, and going even a little bit into the practice of each item.
The daily routine starts with some technical explications on tools, techniques and tricks. Then the participants form workgroups and built under guidance the different elements like walls, bamboo trusses, furniture and gazebos. During the coffee and lunch breaks there is time for small talk and discussion. The 20 to 25 participants are located at a nice neighborhood farm, where after supper a film or a PowerPoint conference on the daily theme gives a wider understanding and leads to interactive discussion for those who still don't want to sleep...
Program
Monday 14.2.2005 Arrival and subscription, until 10 a.m.
Theme: "Bamboo on first touch"
- Familiarizing with the culms and their anatomy, their applications and limitations for structures. The efficient work methods and the use of tools and tricks. Building of a mobile shelter using ropes and poles.
- Presentation of the design for the gazebo and the social housing unit. Explications of the building method. Elaboration of the cutting list, preparation of the poles, cutting exercise for everybody. Start of the gazebo construction.
- Video and conference on Guádua, constructions and forestry, in Colombia .
Tuesday 15.2.2005
Theme: "Bamboo Timber"
- Bamboo preservation exercise, selection criteria: maturity, Specific gravity, straightness and colors. Borax treatment via immersion or bouchery".
- Crack free drying of poles or strips, storage, cost analysis.
- Visit with a forest engineer to a Guádua Groove under sustainable harvesting in the neighborhood. Preparation of a traditional Indian recipe with Guádua shoots.
- Evening conference with Dr Liese´s Fotos of Bamboo Anatomy, theory on ecologically friendly preservation and crack free drying of Bamboo Poles.
Wednesday 16.2.2005
Theme: Bamboo structures - engineering
- Transfer of the 1:50 models to the reality. Installation of the coordinate system at the building ground. Building the houses wall structure and its footings.
- Several bamboo joint techniques, their power and their limits. King truss and other bridge building principles. Building of one little bridge truss.
- Conference on "protection by design" principles in bamboo structures, Bamboo Bridges and other mayor achievements. Discussion on bamboo design, engineering and seismic behavior.
Thursday 17.2.2005
Theme: Industrial uses of Bamboo
- Split production, mobile machinery and processing line, selection criteria, possible dimensions and product variety of laminates and trim.
- Walls between bamboo poles are made with recycled saw dust and different traditional systems like "bahareque" and earth plaster,
- Laminated boards and panels are made and used in the gazebos. New designs can be proposed and even made.
- Video on bamboo laminates and industrial uses
- Conference on eco-architecture, discussion on biological criteria of bamboo houses.
Friday 18.2.2005
Theme: Costs and Marketing
- Finishing of the different construction and design projects of the workshop, surface treatments, roofing, etc
- Presentation of each object, exchange of experiences and suggestions.
- Cost analysis of the efforts and prices at potential markets for bamboo products.
- Creation of a network between producers, artisans, architects and salesmen.
- Cleaning up and preparation of a big campfire, barbeque and bamboo salad for the closing party.
Saturday 19.2.2005 Recovery, Bamboo-tour to Cali , etc.
The workshop takes place at ECOBAMBOO Factory in Candelaria, which is a little town 20 km east from Cali . The accommodation and lunch is at Hacienda PROVENZA, a neighborhood farm with nice rooms and even a little swimming pool. Candelaria is easy to reach with 15 minutes ride in taxi or bus from the city of Cali and Palmira , or with Taxi from the Cali Airport .
The cost will be $ 500.000 Pesos or $ 200 Dollars, three meals and room are included from Monday to Friday. For further travels you should have budget of 30 to 50 Dollars a day. Participants from abroad will have to confirm subscription by email to email here (jstam@emtel.net.co), but due to the difficulties to do the down payment, they are asked to pay on the first day. If the arrival is at Cali Airport , you could advise me by email
Or at my mobile phone - 57 - 300 - 557 10 21, eventually somebody could catch you up there. There are direct flights from Miami to Cali Airport (3,5 hours).
Conference language is mostly in Spanish, - people from Brazil , Germany and USA etc. should just ask for translation if they don't get the message. Anyway most of the message is transmitted hand to hand. Participants should have normal work cloth, a big hat is provided here.
Candelaria is hot and has about 30 degrees Celsius during the day, during the night its perfect. The rooms have protection against mosquitoes, - there is no malaria, but mosquito spray is a good protection for outside. It's recommended to have your own health insurance, Ecobamboo is not responsible for accidents.
Colombia is a nice country with very friendly people, normal crime is not more frequent than in every other Latin American country and we are quite protected as we are usually a big group. The political conflict with armed rebel forces is actually limited to remote areas and is not taking place in or near our workshop. I know about statistical numbers and the consequent alert by American authorities, but from my own 15 years experience in living in Colombia , I can easily feel responsible for making this invitation.
The workshop is focusing on craftsmen, architects and civil engineers, do-it-yourself men and women. The message of the workshop is to learn a common language on bamboo utilization, to overcome social hierarchy and to achieve greater challenges in bamboo trade. National and international Participants will get friends and may join on future Bamboo projects. A Guádua network will be launched.
INSTRUCTOR
Jörg Stamm, Carpenter and Guadua consultant, email here (jstam@emtel.net.co), mobile cel. 57 -300 557 10 21
ORGANIZER
Hector Mario Mejia, forest engineer, email here (hectormariomejia@yahoo.es)
Gerente de ECOBAMBOO Ltda, CANDELARIA - VALLE , COLOMBIA Associated TOURS ,
- costs to be arranged with the guide.
- Bamboo Collection, TULUA, with Francisco Castaño, forest engineer
- Bamboo rafting, Rio la Vieja, Quimbaya, Jorg Stamm
- Bamboo Tour CALI , Arq. Rafael Rojas, Arq. H.F. Silva,
- Bamboo Valley from the air, Pilot: Gerhard Thyben.