Kool News

 Koolbamboo Construction Workshop
With Simon Velez and Marcelo Villegas February 2006

By William H. Pierson  

(This article appears in the Magazine of the American Bamboo Society June 2006 Vol. 27)

Thanks to efforts of several people including the esteemed participants and instructors. Koolbamboo hosted a bamboo building construction course from February 12th to the 18th. The course featured the skill and expertise of Simon Velez and Marcelo Villegas. The objective of this course was to build a structure out of Guadua Bamboo using the Hardware system of Marcelo Villegas and the architectural guise of Simon Velez, The first and only example of their work in the United States.

Simon Velez has been building Similar Structures for several years through out South, Central America and Europe. Simon Velez has over 250 structures to his credit. Recently he has built some extremely complicated structures in Cartagena including a River home that actually has a river running through it. He has also reproduced his famous Bridge in Bogotá “The Jenny Garzon” out of Moso Bamboo Poles in China. He admits the second structure is always better than the first having the opportunity to streamline and refine the procedure. He still prefers his native Guadua for construction but like many of us has come to appreciate the different characteristics and qualities of different Bamboo species. In the coming year he plans to recreate the superlative Guadua Cathedral in Pereira that stood as temporary place of worship after an earthquake left the original 200 year old stone edifice uninhabitable. Unfortunately the Guadua Bamboo Cathedral was removed in 2003 as the original stone Cathedral was restored and deemed habitable by worshipers and clergy.

Marcelo Villegas is most famous for his books Tropical Bamboo and New Bamboo published by Villegas editores. The first book Tropical Bamboo has been a driving force and inspiration for many of those who have found interest in the utility of bamboo especially Guadua Angustifolia. A rich compendium of the common uses of Guadua Bamboo poles in Colombia including photographs of Simon Velez’s early works. The second book New Bamboo arrived in 2003 fifteen years after its predecessor and inspired awe by some of the members and guests of the Annual Bamboo Society Meeting in Miami. New Bamboo through a series of magnificent photographs exhibits much of the works done by Simon Velez since the introduction of Tropical Bamboo and includes articles by experts such as botanist Ximena Londono. A slight departure from Tropical Bamboo, New Bamboo also highlights Marcelo’s own work from structures to bamboo and wood furniture and artifacts. These books will undoubtedly enthuse several new generations of bamboo aficionados.

Simon and Marcelo arrived to Miami International airport on the evening of February 9th remarking that the best thing about Miami is its proximity to the United States as this has become the second home to over 350,000 Colombians. The next day February 10th began with an inventory of the necessary tools and a tour of the proposed site. Several cups of Colombian Coffee later Simon armed with his note book began to draw the individual elements of the Koolbamboo Pavilion. The design a two sided roof (“dos aguas”) Structure with a complicated series of feet emanating from concrete footers equipped with stainless steel cones, a bench-mark of Simon Velez’s architectural style. The feet are set comfortably inside the ten foot overhang rise at angles to the roof trusses and through another series of “pata de gallina” rooster legs that support the roof trusses. In bamboo construction it’s important to give the structure “shoes and a hat” to protect it from the elements especially sun. The architectural style used which probably has its origin in Roman and Moore architecture and refined by the Spanish is known as “Par y Nudillio”. This structure was a departure from previous works in that the common boca de pescado (fish mouth joint) also known as a bird mouth was eliminated through the use of Marcelo Villegas’s innovative bronze washer system. The fish mouth joinery system filled with mortar is most common in these types of constructions but creates excessive waste and takes a skilled hand to produce. The workers in Colombia can produce about 30 per day with a chisel and hammer not including the fitting of threaded rod, transversal pins and filling with mortar. Some may remark that a hole saw is easier which is true however, Guadua bamboo from the Andes dulls the blades of everything it touches quickly so there is the added expense and a bit of accuracy is lost with machinery. As the details of the structure began to unfold Marcelo prepared to build a scale model so as to understand the movement of the structure and the building process. Incredibly this task took several pots of coffee and over 8 hours to complete. The next step was to create a life size model of the complete joinery system to understand the angles of the supports and double check them with the drawing. The participants of the course arrived Sunday evening to slide show of Simon’s and Marcello’s recent works. This time also served as an unveiling of the model and mach up so students could begin to understand the task at hand. The next days were occupied with lengthening poles 15 in all to accommodate a structure that measures 40 ft x 24. The support structure was prefabricated on the ground and once filled with mortar and allowed to harden the entire assembly was then moved to the site. The relocation of task required the attention of every person involved and a medium sized fork lift. With the structural elements in place and extensive measuring for pitch and yaw had been completed the footers were filled with rebar and concrete.

Simon Velez and Marcelo Villegas have built their reputation on creating structures that can withstand earthquakes, and this would be no exception, considering the active hurricane season we are experiencing in South Florida. Simon Velez and Marcelo life long friends have worked together in professional symmetry from the beginning and it should be noted for being the founders and creators of the mortar filled connection joinery system. With the course coming to a close Simon and Marcelo and the Koolbamboo team including Stewart Mcleod (co founder) and Daniel Cheyne (Guadua Tech, Architect) the participants and a host of others who support our work we were able to complete the basic structure. The course officially ended with a party and the chance for Family and friends to view the construction. The participants were given the opportunity to work with the finest in the field of bamboo construction and without their diligent participation it would not have been possible. We were all humbled at the meticulous and intensive pace that these masters of bamboo construction labored. Simon Velez and Marcelo Villegas graciously gave up their vacation time to be a part of this event which has not been replicated since 2003 Quimbaya Colombia and due to their arduous work schedule will not be repeated for years to come. To the credit of those involved the course resulted in a keener understanding of this type of construction and the first and only example of this type now exists in North America.

Click here to see more photos about the workshop

Click here to see the Article "BUILDING WITH BAMBOO"
published in NEIGHBORS, Sunday, February 5, 2006