Architecture

The traditional housing of the Philippines the ‘Buhay Kubo’, made from bamboo, is well suited to the tropical climate. This style has been adapted into contemporary architecture by architects such as Francisco‘Bobby’ Manosa, who uses bamboo as both a traditional material but also as a sustainable material.

Currently bamboo is receiving more attention by the international community than ever before as people become more aware of our need to use sustainable materials. Wood has been over-logged and does not grow fast enough to meet our high demands. Bamboo however grows quickly and can be harvested repeatedly, making it a more sustainable choice.

Bamboo does have its own limitations and special considerations. If not harvested and treated and cured properly bamboo is susceptible to wood eating insects such as the powder post beetle (bok bok) and termites, in addition to various funguses, thriving off starch and moisture rich contents of bamboo. In order for bamboo to be established as a construction material, here in the Philippines where bamboo is considered the “poor man’s wood”, preservation techniques must be applied and proven effective against pests and disease to change this perception.

Internationally bamboo is recognized as a sustainable building material. As the number of environmentally concerned people grows the demand for bamboo materials will increase. Plyboo is now one of the major commodities, as Europeans and North Americans begin to steer away from the traditional hardwood flooring.

Bamboo is irregular in size; and different construction methods must be applied. Sources detailing these construction techniques will be given in the links section. A house can be made entirely out of bamboo, but it is more likely that it will be combined with other indigenous or conventional building materials.

In many tests bamboo is proven to be as strong or stronger than wood. In a modern house it can be utilized structurally, as beams and posts, as flooring either plyboo of parquet tiles. It can be woven into ‘sawali’ makes a beautiful and decorative covering for the ceiling, or the walls. The crushed, laminated bamboo can be used for surfaces, flooring, ceilings and walls. Bamboo Slats can also be utilized decoratively, as flooring or into furniture.

The bamboos that grow in the Cordillera region are already suited for construction. Kawayan Tinik, is one of the strongest bamboos, and is utilized for construction and furniture in other parts of the country. The giant bamboo and the Bayog are also suitable for construction purposes. These species are easy to propagate and are suited to the soil and climate of the highlands. If treated with a borax solution, harvested the right time of year, and given the appropriate amount of time to cure, they become very resistant to both funguses and pests that thrive off starch and moisture left in untreated bamboos. The harvest season and practices are also important to the bamboos preservation.