Tradition and innovation. Those are the two pillars within which Bamboo U's workshop’s creative pendulum strives to swing. Following the practice of ancient Mongolian yurts, participants of Bamboo U, a build and design course in Bali, have created a bamboo yurt which can fold like an umbrella and can be deployed in an instant. Under the guidance of the German master-builder Jörg Stamm, students built the first retractable yurt prototype in Bali during Bamboo U’s last edition in April.
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The yurt’s frame is made from a bamboo of the Phyllostachys species, locally in Bali referred to as Bambu Jajang. It has an average diameter of 5 centimeters and 8 meters of usable length. It was pre-assembled on the ground using a parametrically designed metal jig. By increasing the spacings between each intersection, the structure’s partition was given a slight inclination, creating a beautiful profile. Triangulation is introduced through a recycled bicycle wheel at the top of a reciprocal hyperbolic roof, and a rope interlaced at the junction of the partition and the roof. The entire frame opens freely until the rope reaches a tensile state. Variations of its length allow for adaptation of the yurt’s profile.
Being made out of bamboo, the structure is both light and economical. Once retracted, it easily fits into a shipping container. Could it be the ideal solution for temporary shelter victims of natural disasters in tropical regions? While the range of practical applications of such modular structures is endless, so are the opportunities that bamboo’s versatility offers us. Join Bamboo U to learn how to design and build with this extraordinary sustainable material.
Bamboo U Build & Design courses are immersive educational experiences in the heart of Bali, Indonesia. The program provides students with a foundation in bamboo construction to inform their work as designers, architects, engineers, developers, entrepreneurs, and environmental advocates. The Bamboo U Campus is located next to the Ibuku design office and bamboo factory, and it is walking distance from the Green School. Their detailed curriculum covers botanics, traditional craftsmanship, engineering, biophilic design, and the fundamentals of sustainable bamboo architecture. Every topic is supported by theoretical lectures and practical workshops and each edition offers the opportunity to build full-scale structures in collaboration with the World’s top bamboo expert. To learn more about the program, visit the website!
