BAMBOO MOCKUPS

Written by Stefana Simic, Co-Founder Gigagrass

​Making a physical architectural model is a fascinating exercise. It is on the one hand a 3D representation of a design and proof of concept but on the other hand, the model itself and construction thereof is a protagonist in its own right, a thing of wonder, with its own technique, devotion and craft. We were inspired to commit a few months, with full time dedicated work of our in-house team, to developing these series of models iterating a new construction technique utilizing laminated bamboo straps and simple metal joinery.

We harvested bamboo from our own garden, cut and shaved strips, boiled them in water and curved them according to very precise templates printed to scale that were derived from technical digital models and CAD drawings. 

The models represent designs for light-weight "nomadic" structures to be covered in textiles, and easily assembled in remote locations. Some of these designs form part of the Caravane Village project, which is an undergoing initiative being developed in collaboration with Caravane Foundation. The first full scale prototype of the Caravane Village will be inaugurated at the Venice Biennale of Architecture in 2021 (originally scheduled for 2020).