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- Overview
- BamX UIO is a research pavilion developed in collaboration with weaving artist Alison Martin and the Geometric Computing Laboratory (GCM) at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). The project was realized during a seminar on lightweight structures at the Master in Advanced Architectural Design program organized by the Universidad de las Americas (UDLA) in Ecuador. Initially conceived as a temporary interior installation for the Faculty of Architecture building at UDLA, the pavilion was later moved to an exterior patio of the university.
- Design and Structure
- The pavilion was designed as an ultra-lightweight structure built from 12 deployable curved cylindrical components. These cylinders seamlessly interconnect at three woven nodes and one spatial woven node, which enables the approximation of 3D lattice structures. By surpassing the constraints posed by conventional valence 3 nodes with symmetrical edges, this spatial node allows for the creation of more complex double-layered segmented shells. This innovative design not only enhances stability but also elevates the pavilion’s aesthetic allure.
- Material Specifications
- The primary material used for the pavilion was raw bamboo from the Phyllostachys family, sourced from the Pacific region of Ecuador. Harvested at approximately 4-5 years of age, the bamboo poles had a cross-sectional diameter of about 5.6 cm. Each pole was carefully split into six slats, with each slat measuring approximately 2.9 cm in width and 9 mm in thickness. To ensure consistent material quality and avoid mixing thin and thick slats, particular attention was given to utilizing the central portion of the poles whenever possible.
- Construction Details
- Total Material: The structure utilized 28 bamboo poles of 5 meters.
Geometry: The design draws inspiration from the geometry of a mangrove tree, a native species of Ecuador, and was conceived as two types of overlapping tripod structures connected by a central element.
Dimensions: The pavilion spans 10.6 meters in diameter and reaches a height of 5.10 meters.
Deployable Straight Cylinders: Each cylinder, when deployed, has a diameter of 70 cm and is shaped as an irregular quad-grid. Each grid is formed by 12 spiral curves, with 6 curves per family.
Total Slats: A total of 168 bamboo slats were used, resulting in a lightweight structure with a total weight of less than 120 kg.
Team
- Geometric Computing Laboratory (GCM), EPFL
- Filip Goc, Florin Isvoranu, Prof. Dr. Mark Pauly, Samara Ren, Dr. Seiichi Suzuki
- Weaver, Independent Researcher
- Alison Martin
- Students Universidad de las Americas, UDLA
- Gabriel Alomoto, Luis Bravo, Xavier Brito, Camila Cobos, Augusto Coloma, Edison Cordero, Andrea Cueva,Nilo Estevez, Vicente Frías, Johanna Garces, José Inuca, Emily Izurieta, María José Lovato, Flavio Mejía, Miriam Morales, José Paez, David Recalde, Anthony Romero, Iván Ushiña, Xavier Vaca, Danny Vallejo, María José Yepez, Pablo Zapata
- Technical support for construction
- Klever Anchundia, Juan Mario Crespo, Marcelino Melo, Klever Quiroz
- Local coordination
- Renato Ávila ,Kenny Espinoza, Esteban Naranjo, Ana Medina
