The Architectural Association Visiting School in Bali

The real world of architecture and engineering learning about the world of bamboo is critical. As long as bamboo remains an oddity in the tropical world, it will remain an oddity in the tropical world. If people like Neil Thomas, Atelier One and the Architectural Association start to embrace bamboo, it would be amazing. My dream is to have a bamboo university where engineering and architecture students come from around the world to learn about bamboo and take it home with them. Very, very happy to be starting with the AA, a school which many consider is the top architecture school in the world. Certainly they have produced some amazing people. 

-JH

The Bamboo U experience with the Architectural Association:

Sunday 11 – Thursday 22 September 2016

BambooU(niversity) was an idea originally conceived to help teach professionals about the potential of bamboo as a green building material. In its current form it is a design and build workshop hosted by the Kul Kul Farm at the Green School Bali; in collaboration with the structural engineering firm, Atelier One. Immersed within the Green School structures, this AA Visiting School is a unique opportunity to design and build with bamboo in parallel to proposing a masterplan for BambooU. The group will investigate the available sites and work with Elora Hardy from Ibuku, the design firm that built the Green School, and benefit from a range of global experts who will inform the process.

Along with the development of a BambooU master plan, participants will engage in a series of on-site workshops and the group will experience first-hand the potential of bamboo. A couple of days will be spent modelling and the bulk remainder of the time will be given over to building 1:1 structures with guidance from skilled local craftsman. Interspersed will be talks/discussions about the approach to sustainability by the Bamboo U team and guest speakers including Julia King, Dr We-Shau Chang and others. Participants will leave with an expanded, cutting edge view of bamboo architecture. They will understand the life cycle of bamboo from being a seedling to a home, and will gain key insights into the gifts and challenges of what it takes to build in bamboo. Finally participants will have the opportunity to contribute to the expansion of Bamboo U the newest endeavour at Green School.

For the the full information and fees, visit the AA website.