Re-imagining Materiality

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Hans and Alix Berglund saw Elora Hardy of Ibuku Bamboo designs in Bali speak at a TEDx conference recently. Her 2015 TED Talk raises some great questions and addresses issues that we should constantly be reminding ourselves of in the architectural profession.

The building industry is one of the number one users and abusers of our natural resources. How can we better select and treat materials for reuse and renewability? How can we design better for longevity of our buildings through detailing and strategies specific to site and climate? When do we cast aside our preconceived notions of what buildings and spaces should be to reimagine architecture and use these materials to their best advantage?

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Hardy uses detailed scale models as blueprints for her buildings as traditional drawing techniques don’t have the ability to illustrate the intricate interactions of the bamboo’s organic forms.

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Ibuku’s designs exploit bamboo’s natural tendency to bend and curve and it’s tensile and compressive strength to create large open community spaces, with the delicate and detailed skeleton exposed and serving as the building’s structure and skin.

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Functional spaces like kitchens and bathrooms are designed like ‘pods’ within the open plan living spaces creating isolated zones for privacy and storage.

The above images are all courtesy of Ibuku.com.

Berglund Architects

Berglund Architects