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Son Builds Mom a Bamboo House with a Moon View in Costa Rica

05/21/2010

by Bridgette Meinhold

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Bamboo House

What do you give the woman who brought you into this world and raised you? For architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe, the answer was a beautiful bamboo retreat in Costa Rica. Some years ago, his mom stole away to the jungle in Costa Rica and constructed her own hideout from scrap wood and plastic bags....<br><br><a href='https://inhabitat.com/son-builds-mom-a-bamboo-house-with-a-moon-view-in-costa-rica/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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Bamboo House

What do you give the woman who brought you into this world and raised you? For architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe, the answer was a beautiful bamboo retreat in Costa Rica. Some years ago, his mom stole away to the jungle in Costa Rica and constructed her own hideout from scrap wood and plastic bags....<br><br><a href='https://inhabitat.com/son-builds-mom-a-bamboo-house-with-a-moon-view-in-costa-rica/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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Bamboo House

What do you give the woman who brought you into this world and raised you? For architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe, the answer was a beautiful bamboo retreat in Costa Rica. Some years ago, his mom stole away to the jungle in Costa Rica and constructed her own hideout from scrap wood and plastic bags....<br><br><a href='https://inhabitat.com/son-builds-mom-a-bamboo-house-with-a-moon-view-in-costa-rica/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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Bamboo House

What do you give the woman who brought you into this world and raised you? For architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe, the answer was a beautiful bamboo retreat in Costa Rica. Some years ago, his mom stole away to the jungle in Costa Rica and constructed her own hideout from scrap wood and plastic bags....<br><br><a href='https://inhabitat.com/son-builds-mom-a-bamboo-house-with-a-moon-view-in-costa-rica/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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Bamboo House

What do you give the woman who brought you into this world and raised you? For architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe, the answer was a beautiful bamboo retreat in Costa Rica. Some years ago, his mom stole away to the jungle in Costa Rica and constructed her own hideout from scrap wood and plastic bags....<br><br><a href='https://inhabitat.com/son-builds-mom-a-bamboo-house-with-a-moon-view-in-costa-rica/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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Bamboo House

What do you give the woman who brought you into this world and raised you? For architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe, the answer was a beautiful bamboo retreat in Costa Rica. Some years ago, his mom stole away to the jungle in Costa Rica and constructed her own hideout from scrap wood and plastic bags....<br><br><a href='https://inhabitat.com/son-builds-mom-a-bamboo-house-with-a-moon-view-in-costa-rica/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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Bamboo House

What do you give the woman who brought you into this world and raised you? For architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe, the answer was a beautiful bamboo retreat in Costa Rica. Some years ago, his mom stole away to the jungle in Costa Rica and constructed her own hideout from scrap wood and plastic bags....<br><br><a href='https://inhabitat.com/son-builds-mom-a-bamboo-house-with-a-moon-view-in-costa-rica/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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Bamboo House

What do you give the woman who brought you into this world and raised you? For architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe, the answer was a beautiful bamboo retreat in Costa Rica. Some years ago, his mom stole away to the jungle in Costa Rica and constructed her own hideout from scrap wood and plastic bags....<br><br><a href='https://inhabitat.com/son-builds-mom-a-bamboo-house-with-a-moon-view-in-costa-rica/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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Bamboo House

What do you give the woman who brought you into this world and raised you? For architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe, the answer was a beautiful bamboo retreat in Costa Rica. Some years ago, his mom stole away to the jungle in Costa Rica and constructed her own hideout from scrap wood and plastic bags....<br><br><a href='https://inhabitat.com/son-builds-mom-a-bamboo-house-with-a-moon-view-in-costa-rica/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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Bamboo House

What do you give the woman who brought you into this world and raised you? For architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe, the answer was a beautiful bamboo retreat in Costa Rica. Some years ago, his mom stole away to the jungle in Costa Rica and constructed her own hideout from scrap wood and plastic bags....<br><br><a href='https://inhabitat.com/son-builds-mom-a-bamboo-house-with-a-moon-view-in-costa-rica/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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Bamboo House

What do you give the woman who brought you into this world and raised you? For architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe, the answer was a beautiful bamboo retreat in Costa Rica. Some years ago, his mom stole away to the jungle in Costa Rica and constructed her own hideout from scrap wood and plastic bags....<br><br><a href='https://inhabitat.com/son-builds-mom-a-bamboo-house-with-a-moon-view-in-costa-rica/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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Bamboo House

What do you give the woman who brought you into this world and raised you? For architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe, the answer was a beautiful bamboo retreat in Costa Rica. Some years ago, his mom stole away to the jungle in Costa Rica and constructed her own hideout from scrap wood and plastic bags....<br><br><a href='https://inhabitat.com/son-builds-mom-a-bamboo-house-with-a-moon-view-in-costa-rica/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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Bamboo House

What do you give the woman who brought you into this world and raised you? For architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe, the answer was a beautiful bamboo retreat in Costa Rica. Some years ago, his mom stole away to the jungle in Costa Rica and constructed her own hideout from scrap wood and plastic bags....<br><br><a href='https://inhabitat.com/son-builds-mom-a-bamboo-house-with-a-moon-view-in-costa-rica/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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Bamboo House

What do you give the woman who brought you into this world and raised you? For architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe, the answer was a beautiful bamboo retreat in Costa Rica. Some years ago, his mom stole away to the jungle in Costa Rica and constructed her own hideout from scrap wood and plastic bags....<br><br><a href='https://inhabitat.com/son-builds-mom-a-bamboo-house-with-a-moon-view-in-costa-rica/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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Categories: Architecture, Innovations

Cocoon-Like Vertical Bamboo Towers Are High Tech and Primitive at The Same Time

03/24/2011

by Bridgette Meinhold

Bamboo Housing SAINT VAL Laurent

These towering vertical <a href="http://inhabitat.com/unique-bamboo-living-pod-concept-is-a-study-in-disaster-proof-design/">bamboo houses</a> caught our eye with their impressive mix of natural and renewable materials with high tech engineering and design. Designed by <a href="http://www.archiportale.com/progetti/saint-val-laurent/haiti/bamboo-housing_35991.html" target="_blank">Saint Val Architect</a>, Bamboo Housing is an exploration into a new housing typology that breaks out of the box of traditional square homes. <a href="http://inhabitat.com/index.php?s=bamboo">Bamboo</a> poles and metal joints form the frame of the five story home with living quarters accessed by a central spiral staircase. We're intrigued by the concept, which is both primitive looking and high tech.

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Bamboo Housing SAINT VAL Laurent

Bamboo poles are connected together with high tech metal "X" joints to create the exoskeleton of the home.

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Bamboo Housing SAINT VAL Laurent

Round platforms serve as the floors, which are accessed by a circular staircase that wraps around a central support member.

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Bamboo Housing SAINT VAL Laurent

Wooden slats and glass panels curve up the exterior in a double helix to let in light and encourage ventilation.

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Bamboo Housing SAINT VAL Laurent

Finally the whole structure is wrapped in canvas to seal the inside in.

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Bamboo Housing SAINT VAL Laurent

The ground floor serves as the entrance and contains a bathroom and small kitchen and the next three floors are used as bedrooms. Finally the top floor helps distribute heat up and out and serves as extra living space.

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Bamboo Housing SAINT VAL Laurent

Saint Val Laurent Architect designed the woven vertical residence for Port au Prince, Haiti to aid in the rebuilding efforts with the intention of using local sourced materials.

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Bamboo Housing SAINT VAL Laurent

The design was inspired by traditional basket weaving and using natural plant fibers from the local habitat to mold a cocoon shape.

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Bamboo Housing SAINT VAL Laurent

Detail of the metal bamboo joint.

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Bamboo Housing SAINT VAL Laurent

Detail of how the joints and bamboo poles work together to create the exoskeleton.

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Bamboo Housing SAINT VAL Laurent

Bamboo joints in action.

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Bamboo Housing SAINT VAL Laurent

While we're not certain if this is the best fit for Haiti as it is far from their local vernacular, we applaud the concept in general and look forward to seeing one built.

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Bamboo Housing SAINT VAL Laurent

These towering vertical bamboo houses caught our eye with their impressive mix of natural and renewable materials with high tech engineering and design. Designed by Saint Val Architect, Bamboo Housing is an exploration into a new housing typology that breaks out of the box of traditional square homes. Bamboo poles and metal joints form the frame of the five story home with living quarters accessed by a central spiral staircase. We're intrigued by the concept, which is both primitive looking and high tech.

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Categories: Architecture