Describe your bamboo project and how it came about.

Bandido Bali came out as a dream of a group of friends who visit Bali and surf every year.  It is a way to give back and keep Balinese culture alive. Being both client and designer has been challenging and rewarding at the same time. The idea was to build something out of the everyday conventional in every aspect of program, design and concept. The use of a traditional materials such as bamboo, and making it dialogue with concrete was the most challenging part. Fluid and open spaces, that makes the guest feel the nature and live in a different way.

Tell us about how you started in bamboo.

It all started by chance, while I was working in Brazil and a client requested a small chapel project to be built in bamboo. I started researching, designing and because of the lack of bamboo specialist labour I ended building it myself. After that my interest for bamboo started growing and I decided to assist in a workshop in Bali, where I learnt the basics. Since then its been a enjoyable learning journey.

Who constructs the buildings and if you can elaborate on the construction process, especially the artisans and special skills required, if any ?

Usually we rely on a team consisting of bamboo engineer and experienced bamboo artisans. It's always a two way relationship and constant dialogue. It becomes an interesting relationship as everyone learns from the other and improves the final design.

What species of bamboo have you used in your bamboo journey and what are your favourites?

Guadua, Asper, Apus to mention a few. I have no preferences, however I personally find the beauty in the combination of different species and its different characteristics that will adapt better to each situation and location (shapes, dimensions, colour)

What is the future for bamboo especially in the design and construction sector?

Its definitely an area that has been growing a lot in the past years. I believe there is much more space to grow, explore, and learn specially in areas where actually is an “unknown” material.

What are the main challenges in bamboo for you and how are you approaching these challenges?

I see a challenge adapting the way we learnt to design in university with steel, timber or concrete to a new group of “rules” for the bamboo. Somehow we have to reboot our system and design parameters. Another challenge is finding the adequate materials and labour in areas that bamboo its still a developing construction material.

Who or what has influenced you in your bamboo work and why?

A bit from everywhere, Ive learnt a lot working and collaborating with other architects like Ewe Jin Low for example. For me the most important learning process is the onsite work with the artisans, where experimentation and discussions are always a must. Vo Trong Nhia is always an inspiring reference as per the way he structurally uses bamboo.

Show us any of your projects that you think accurately reflects your bamboo work.

Bandido Bali is one of the latest projects and that also reflects my bamboo work and it shows the way I see bamboo as a material that can allow exploring new shapes and different ways of living more conscious with the world we live and out of the conventionalities. It was also an experimentation process how bamboo and concrete could dialogue together being such distant in characteristics and concept. Bending the concrete like bamboo was the main

Share with us the maintenance requirements of your project so far.

So far we just had to do maintenance in the moving parts ie. windows, doors. The rest of the building we just program a yearly cleaning and maintenance in parts where the design has failed (ie too much sun or rain splash) we also schedule a yearly clean and touchup.

Share a typical bamboo detail used successfully that will be useful for our readers.

I am quite happy with this “bamboo curved stability reinforcement” as I technically call it. Haha. Basically is the addition of splits on the sides of the curved bamboo that will help to maintain it stable after the cuts. We also use rope to “hide” the cuts. For sure my favourite element is the “Lidi Bundle” as it allows to create curves and shapes in several directions providing some freedom to design.

Questions in particular to the Bandido Phase 2 :

Elaborate on your idea to combine bamboo and ferro cement

The main idea was to use 2 materials that aren't seen together so much and make the dialogue in a same building. Using bamboo has always represented light, organic, nature and sustainability. In opposition cement represents rigid and heaviness. I wanted to make them loose their paradigms and be able to work together.

The second idea was to use ferrocement in all the wet areas (bathrooms, wc and kitchen) This way we avoided humidity typical of this areas that would decrease bamboo lifespan.

Share any advice that you may have as you progressed from the 1st phase of Bandido to design Bandido 2

Many! Probably the most important is the correct use of the material. I believe theres is a correct material for each function, and the combination of all of them in a project its what it makes it challenging. The use of bamboo for moving parts (ie doors and windows) looks amazing for our social media but in opposition requires a lot of maintenance.

Another thing that I learned its that its beautiness is directtly related to its imperfections. We are used to seamless finishings, and perfect painted walls, however bamboo has its soul in the way the artisans work the material and its imperfection. The last one would be the importance of the models, and the time spent on site, as many things can be adjusted during construction.

Name of Project : Bandido Bali

Designer: Javi Diaz

Location: Bingin, Bali

Client: Bandido Bali

Cost of bamboo construction: $ 100,000

Bamboo Species used: Gigantochloa apus, black

Bamboo builder: Asali Bali

Special techniques or processes to share: The most relevant would be the use of 2 split bamboo in the arches that help stabilize the curved bamboo against lateral forces.

Project location, either a google pin or address :

https://maps.app.goo.gl/fHymQgPXXDgU9ppo9?g_st=ic

Other links: Youtube article. , Arch Daily article