Bamboo Construction workshop with Simon Velez and Marcelo Villegas Feb 12-18, 2006

[koolbamboo]

Bamboo Construction Work Shop with Simon Velez and Marcelo Villegas. Koolbamboo is in the process of organizing a Bamboo construction work shop for middle of February 2006. The course Instructors will be Simon Velez and Marcelo Villegas and we will be building a Guadua Bamboo Structure in Homestead Florida with treated Guadua Bamboo from Colombia's Andes mountains or " vegetable steel". This will be a hands on project with instruction focused on building techniques developed for Guadua Bamboo Pole construction. This will be a no frills course and all participants are expected to take an active role in the project and should be prepared to participate. The 5 day course will be limited to 20 participants and the cost is 1000.00 per person, please call or email me to reserve your space asap as the course is quickly filling. send mail to: info@koolbamboo.com or will@koolbamboo.com or Call Will Pierson 305 342-9426

[bamboobarry]

Are you planing to build structure for Mrs. McCarthy? Very interesting!!

[Bamboo Events Desk]

Building Course With Simon Velez and Marcelo Villegas February 12-18 2006

Profile: A Bamboo Construction Course will take place February 13-19 at Koolbamboo's location (28600 Old Dixie Hwy in Homestead Fl. 33033). The location is a 30-minute ride from the Miami International Airport. The idea of the course is to give students a chance to be part of a team in the building of a bamboo structure with the guidance of Simon Velez and Marcelo Villegas, who have several years of experience in this field. The course will begin officially on Monday the 13th of February 2006 and Koolbamboo will host a cocktail party on Sunday the 12th where the participants will have a chance to meet Simon Velez and Marcelo Villegas plus the other participants and staff. The plan is to build a structure as large as 1000 sq. ft. out of treated Guadua bamboo, concrete rebar and threaded rod. Simon Velez and Marcelo Villegas will predetermine the design of the structure by the first day of construction and there will be a short discussion of the methods and techniques used in traditional bamboo construction as done in Colombia. The participants will have the opportunity to discuss and ask questions through out the course and there will be time at the end of days to see photographs and have general discussions about bamboo. There will be a great emphasis on safety and all necessary safety equipment will be provided for the course, however its always a good idea to have properly fitting gloves and safety glasses. The course will span over the week and on Saturday the 20th there will be a small celebration with BBQ to finish the week of activity at the building site and it will also be an open house for non-participants to view the structure. This will be one of the first of its kind in The U.S.

Instructors:

Simon Velez, an architect who has completed a number of extraordinary bamboo structures became interested in bamboo over 20 years ago and admits his previous experience with wood did not help due to the complex joinery of bamboo. His idea was to build a cantilever roof that would stand the stress of traction but found it was difficult to find a method of joinery for the hollow ends of Guadua bamboo, a material found in the Andes Mountain range. Though many trials he and his life long friend Marcelo Villegas discovered the possibility of filling the inter-node of the bamboo with concrete and encasing a threaded rod inside the inter-node. This technique made it possible to apply stresses to bamboo that had been previously unknown with this material. They have over 200 structures out of bamboo to their credit including the Zeri Pavilion in Hanover Germany, The sister structure in Manizales “Manizales Pavilion” , The C.A.R.D.E.R building in Pereira, The Alternative Cathedral in Pereira Risaralda Colombia, The Puerto Peñalisa Club and the Island Village Stage for the Bob Marley museum in Ocho Rios Jamaica. Other projects include several residences, observation towers stables and public buildings.

Marcelo Villegas has played an integral part in the development of Construction with Guadua Bamboo. A skilled craftsman, artist and builder his foundry work engineering skills are responsible for the hardware finish work and metal fixtures that make a large Guadua Bamboo structures possible. Marcelo Villegas is perhaps the most knowledgeable person on the qualities and strengths of this material. He is solely responsible for the growing popularity of Guadua bamboo through his magnificent books “Tropical Bamboo” and “New Bamboo” He has restored several ancient farm houses in his native Colombia and is well known for his Residential and Commercial building. His work shop in Manizales is a myriad of metal and wood restorations, a foundry ceramic tile factory and his priceless furniture has inspired many of those interested in the use of wood and bamboo as a combination. Marcelo Villegas has been instrumental in working with Simon Velez as consultant manufacturer and friend form the beginning of this new era in bamboo construction. One of the leading designers of his time he is dedicated to the resurrection of traditional techniques and evolving them into modern masterpieces.

Requirements: Any person interested in Bamboo Construction is welcome. Please consider that the terrain is rough and we will be working with equipment and tools so good fitting shoes work cloths and safety glasses are advised. Please Contact Will Pierson 305 342-9426 for your questions and concerns and registration. email (will@koolbamboo.com) More details: www.koolbamboo.com (http://www.koolbamboo.com)

[sound world]

Wish I lived in USA and had a spare $1000. :(