Resilient Home.

Structures built in bamboo are typically built with experience and precedent. There is very little codified guidance on the structural properties of bamboo. A key aspects of the project included carrying out in-depth research to structural properties and typical bamboo connections.

Once the team had established a set of structural properties and design principles, the design development focused on a strategy that allows the structure to withstand high-winds and seismic accelerations. The natural limitations of bamboo means that designing the dwelling to remain fully intact under full hurricanes forces and extreme earthquake events is impractical and betrays the low-cost, easy to build criteria.

The structure is designed to fail incrementally. To relieve pressure on the primary frame under high-winds, the cladding systems are designed to be constructed in small pieces which can break away and fail before the pressures on the primary structure become excessive. It was considered that by minimising the risk of collapse of large elements this would reduce the danger to human life and also reduce the cost of rebuilding, should a hurricane occur.

The Resilient Home’s structure is simple, comprised of 6 roof trusses which rest on columns connected with horizontal elements and cross bracing for stability. The building is elevated from the ground, resting on a series of concrete piers which provide resilience against flooding.