los olivos report final 280711 (for print)

8/4/2019 Los Olivos Report FINAL 280711 (for Print)

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Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights shows that

adequate, dignified buildings and housing are fundamental to our human rights.

Article 25 Report on Los Olivos: A New Eco-Settlement in Rural Colombia

Student Chapter Live Research Project 2010-2011


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Contents

1.0 Introduction

2.0 Context

3.0 Site & Plot Planning

4.0 Design of Individual Facilities

5.0 Water Provision & Sanitation

6.0 Sourcing Power and Energy on Site

7.0 Material & Vernacular Building Techniques

8.0 Social Housing

9.0 Conclusion

10.0 Bibliography

A Farming Community in Colombia


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1.0 Introduction

.This report represents collaboration between Los Olivos,

Article 25 and the Article 25 Student Chapters network to

further the aims of Project Mingueo to provide replicable

and sustainable solutions to rural communities in

Colombia.

Research for the Los Olivos Project was initiated by the

President of the Nottingham University Student Chapter.

When the project was discussed with Article 25 it became

instantly clear that the scope of the project presented ahuge range of interesting research, which could easily be

spread across the entire Student Chapter network. The

aim was to engage the Student Chapters in a

collaborative research and design exercise that would be

truly innovative and exciting. By using a framework of

lectures and workshops provided by Article 25, each

Chapter involved could tailor their activities around the

project research area they had chosen.

The research programme was broken down intocategories, each with its own outline brief and learning

outcome. The project briefs consisted of Site and Plot

Planning, Design of Individual Facilities, Water Provision

and Sanitation, Sourcing Power and Energy, Materials

and Vernacular Building Techniques and Social Housing.

The collaborating universities included University of

Liverpool, Birmingham City University, University of

Sheffield, and University of Nottingham.

The resulting submissions have been collated by Article

25 and will form the basis for further research and

collaboration around the Los Olivos project.


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2.0 Context

ContributingAuthor: University of Nottingham

Geography

The Los Olivos community is situation in the Cesar district, northeast Colombia, bordered by the states of Guajira (north),Magdalena and Bolivar (west), Santander (south), Notre deSantander and the country of Venezuela (east).Cesar was created in 1967 and is made of 24 districts over 22.905km2. It consists of two regions: the highlands, a mountainousregion of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta with low temperaturesand the lowlands belonging to the valley of the rivers Cesar andMagdalena which has warm and dry temperatures.

Valledupar is the state capital of Cesar and was founded byCaptain Hernando de Santana on 6 th January 1550. The nameoriginates from Valle de Upar, in honour of an indigenous chief.

Economy

The main source of income in the Valledupar area is agriculture

and livestock. The main crops are cotton, rice, sugar cane, Africanpalm, plantain, coffee and yam. The service industry consists ofcommerce and mining. Industry includes the production of oils anddairy products.

The Native Population

Before the Spanish invaded, Indian tribes inhabited the land hunting, fishing and farming for survival. The tribes differed in theirspoken language despite close proximity to one another. According to National Geographic they are closely related by

myth and memory, they share a common way of life and the samefundamental religious convictions.

The predominant group in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta werethe Arhuaco. The Arhuaco, according to a paper in theGeographical Review, was the name given to the natives by theSpaniards because they were thought to hide gold. They do notrecognize the name themselves but use the names of the tribesinto which they are divided. The three largest are the Iku to thesouth of the massif, the Kogi to the north, and the Peivu to theeast. Tribes were lead by a mama, or cacique, who acts asdoctor, priest, judge, and governor. He is usually self-appointed,

reaching his high estate after a long novitiate by dint of his abilityto cure the body, comfort the soul, settle disputes, and commandrespect. He performs the marriage and funeral rites, cooperatingwith the padre in those outlying parts of the massif whereCatholicism has made its imprint.

Location Map

Neighbourhood of Novalito located in the north of Valledupar andthe Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Mountains in the background

Local woman pounding corn Goajira Indian


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Culture

Spanish colonization and the introduction of the Roman Catholic Religionand Spanish architecture affected the traditional practice of indigenoustribes in religious rituals, housing, family structure and the arts. Thisincludes the introduction of Christian festivals such as Baptism,Confirmation and Marriage where the upper class marry in church as adisplay of wealth and the lower class have civil or consensual marriages.

Housing

Poorer areas consist of large families in small houses made of cinder

blocks, covered in adobe and hay. Congregations gather around churchesor local monuments with few formal parks outside of cities.

Family Structure

The upper classes have many children where the Father is head of homeand the Mother is responsible for child rearing, homemaking andeducating children. Lower and middle class wives may work in city or infields near kin. Families live close together and parents tend to leave theirproperty to their children when they die, particularly in rural areas wherechildren grow up learning to work the land.

Arts Vallenato

Vallenato is music influenced by African, European and Colombianrhythms and folkloric sounds. It originated in Valledupar and is the mostpopular form of folk music in Colombia. The music has traditions ofstorytelling and legends. Myths or stories are passed down fromgeneration to generation and decorated with glorious or heroic rhetoric.Musical groups consist of various instruments with four rhythms of varyingspeeds. The festival celebrated every year in Valledupar is the Festivalde la Leyenda Vallenata in Valledupar and caters for community. Danceaccompanies the music with two major dances: El Pilon and Love-Love.These take place in communal spaces in a circular form providing

entertainment for all age groups.

Vallenato Dance Presentation

Family working an early loom

History was often passed down through music

Early Roman Catholic Church


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Maximum

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DailyMin imum22.4 23 .1 23.6 24.1 24.1 24 24.2 24 23.5 23.6 23.1 22.8

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Mean Total Precipitation (mm)

Mean TotalPrecipitation (mm)

Climate and Geography (Valledupar)

The location of Los Olivos on the Koppen Geiger climatemap shows that Los Olivos has a tropical (hot humid)climate. This means there is high annual precipitation andyear-round high temperatures.

It lies near to the equator and thus solar angles are high, asshown by the sun path diagram below.

The average temp of Los Olivos is 29C, with around a third

of the year experiencing over 23C. Thus lowering theinternal building temperature with air conditioning requireselectricity and equipment. It is normally more effective toventilate using breezes drawn in through openings in walls.

The rainfall in Valledupar varies with the time of year, withhigher levels in summer. The alternating conditions meanthat buildings need to be suited to all seasons, and bedesigned to prevent insect/mould attack and decay.

Los Olivos

Koppen Geiger Climate map of South America

Sun path diagram for Valledupar

Graph of average monthly temperatures, Valledupar Graph showing monthly mean precipitation, Valledupar

0 10 20 30 40

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

NovDec

Temperature 'C

Daily Maximum

Daily Minimum


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Site Infrastructure

The Los Olivos site is located nearby the two villages of Guacoche andGuachochito. The villages are linked by road and a bus serviceconnecting residents with the City of Valledupar approximately 20kmaway. Valledupar contains a university and an airport.

Guacoche has also recently organised a natural gas pipeline, hence aconnection to the Los Olivos site may be possible in the future.

Site orientation

Terrain between Guacoche and Guachochito

Water supply installationChiva local bus service connecting rural areas


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3.0 Site and Plot Planning

3.1 Urban Planning

3.2 Initial Site Design Development

3.3 Planning Concepts

Project Brief

The seven hectares allocated to the Los Olivos community has been divided into 45 plots of 450m2 each for 30 families. The

plots have already been established and the community are drawing up a site map which will be made available as soon as

possible. For the community to make full use of the site and nurture a positive environment for living and working, the

following areas of research will be explored:

- Traditional models of village planning in Colombia.

- Location of village amenities: community hall with communal kitchen, community church, community school, communityhealth centre, communal agricultural plots, transport infrastructure.

- The provision of services: water collection points/standpipe layout, waste management, electricity infrastructure

- Individual plot planning: ratio of building to farming land per plot, layout of housing to make best use of plots

Botanical Gardens, Medellin, Colombia by Plan B Architects

Contributing Authors: University of Sheffield, University of Liverpool, Birmingham City University


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3.1 Urban Planning

Before addressing the Los Olivos community, examples ofcontemporary and traditional practices in Colombian urbandesign were examined.

Contemporary Urban Planning

Medellin and Santo Domingo are used as precedent studies tohighlight elements such as good practice and socio economicand cultural parallels to the Los Olivos community. Rapid

urbanisation in Colombia provides an interesting case study onthe trajectory of urban planning and emerging trendsinfluencing policy design.

Medellin, Colombias second city has recently undergoneextensive redevelopment as part of an initiative by thecountrys central government. New developments emphasisethe importance of using good quality infrastructure, particularlyfootpaths to establish physical connections betweensettlements. Many public spaces and buildings have beencreated in the city.

Santo Domingo is a hillside barrio (neighborhood) in

Medellin; the area is noted for being home to many migrants

from the country. Although the area suffers from much

poverty, residents have managed to build themselves a

community of hillside shacks. Dwellings are linked by a

system of bridges and stepped paths and families socialize

on terraced rooftops. Flexible design is valued, as working

class houses are often extended or added to over time.

The Antonio Derka School, designed by Carlos Prado, is an

example of a new public building in the area. The schoolattempts to create a humanized, open environment in what

can be a deprived, dangerous neighborhood. The building

stresses the importance of contextual design, which can

refer to a buildings physical surroundings, the local

materials and construction methods at hand and prevailing

social conditions. Tectonically it is a hard wearing concrete

construction, softened and contrasted by timber louvers. Its

spatial program seeks to encourage social interaction with

public spaces for students, teachers and local residents

alike.

Antonio Derka School

Santo Domingo

Medellin City


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Traditional Hispano-American Urban Planning

Colombias capital city, Bogota, can be called a model of

Latin American urban planning. The organization of

Bogotas centre is based on traditional Hispano-American

urban planning which becomes more modern towards to

edges of the city. The Hispano-American model of urban

planning can be found in settlements of all scales and can

serve as a basis for the design of a new settlement.

The Streets

In the traditional Hispano-American plan, the streets are laid

out in a grid plan; streets are advised to be narrow in hot

climates to offer protection from the sun and heat. Blocks in

the street plan either function as plots for houses or as

commons space (parkland, pasture etc). The settlement

should allow for expansion, either outward or into commons

space, which must not be removed completely. There should

be a water source running through or around the settlement,

Colonial laws advice that a river should be to the West of the

settlement.

Housing Plots

The traditional settlement plan is designed for a minimum

of 30 households, with each household having its own plot

of land. The plot would provide space for both a family

house and farmland as stipulated in the Los Olivos project

brief. It is recommended that the individual buildings of the

settlement be stylistically consistent.

The grid system is a simple and efficient method of planning

a settlement; however it does not take into consideration

whether the settlements inhabitants have any special

cultural rituals or conventions that will affect the symbolism of

an urban plan.

The grid plan can be distorted to fit local topography,

as is the plan of Santo Domingo.

Hispano-American Urban Plan

Grid Plan and street view of Santo Domingo


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They also explored different village layouts aspart of their overall urban strategy that did notnecessarily follow traditional Colombiancustoms. For instance:

Circular

The round village layout shows the homesradiating out from a central point. Thisfocussed village life in the very centre of the

village.

Axis

The village as a crossroads acted as thenatural meeting point of all traffic travellingthrough the village.

3.2 Initial Site Design Development

The University of Liverpool explored potential village layouts that took into account of the historical settlement and urbanplans. The traditional urban layout as detailed in the first sketch below offered an easy repetition of the housing thatcould be adapted even when following the topography of the land.


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Proposed co-location of housing plots

In addition, University of Liverpool developed anumber of potential layouts for individual housingand how those layouts reflected and responded totheir neighbours and to the wider context of theirenvironment

Some of the issues explored included public space,public/private and private space as well as privacyand security.

Considerations included gender, family hierarchy,and social and cultural relationships.


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The second conceptual village layout proposed by Birmingham City University explores a more conventional urban plan

A series of elevations that describe the conceptual massing, height and visual impact of the village

Birmingham City University also proposed two conceptual village layouts. The first explores the traditional urban planning of the

area through a cluster arrangement of houses.

Village Layout Concept

House plan


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3.3 Planning Concepts

The University of Liverpool produced a series of conceptual street views that investigate the relationship between homes andagriculture and social spaces.

The potential site plan attempts to connec the village to the farmland using the natural topography of the land.

External view of the village Inner street view of the village

Plan view of the village


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4.0 Design of Individual Facilities

4.1 Eco-homes

4.2 Chapel

4.3 School

4.4 Community Facility

4.5 Hospital

The following individual facilities will make up the buildings on the site. The design of each requires research into previous

examples and their strengths and weaknesses, and must respond to local climatic conditions, consider accessibility, and

incorporate sustainable construction strategies:

Eco-homes: For families of 6 members and above (2/3 or more bedrooms).

Chapel: To accommodate the whole community. Although the community is made up of both Catholics and

Protestants, all members use the same chapel and church attendance is also a form of social networking. Most of

the older generation attends church regularly. The chapel needs to be simple, welcoming, and accommodate

benches.School: For approx. 55 children ranging from infants to adolescents. Other children from nearby villages may be

attracted to attend school here if the facilities are of a good standard.

Community Hall and communal kitchen: To host a variety of events and activities. This will be the central meeting

point for the whole community who are very sociable. A communal kitchen should be incorporated to be used for

events.

Health Centre: To cater for the whole community. Other children from nearby villages may be attracted to use these

facilities if they are of a good standard.

Contributing Author: Birmingham City University

Eco-housing Sketch


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4.1 Eco-Homes

A precedent study of Eco-homes undertaken by Birmingham City University identified a series of images that showsimilar eco-homes from around the world that utilize vernacular architecture and locally available materials.

These homes shared common features such as size, construction methods and materials as well as a strikingsimilarity in their form.

Mountain Hut, Colombia

Contemporary hut, Africa Traditional hut, Africa

Hut in the Caribbean


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These hand drawn plans created by Birmingham University explore the contemporary round eco-house design. The designsshow the traditional construction methods and materials combined with contemporary facilities such as an internal bathroom.

Front and side elevations reveal design details such as light and ventilation

The plan and floor plan examine the contemporary internal layout residing within the traditional building


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The hand drawn concepts are reproduced as CAD drawings showing an advanced design that incorporates greater detail.


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Colonial Design

The precedent studies for the chapel concentrated ontwo existing chapel designs in Colombia. The first isLas Lajas Cathedral which was constructed in 1916in the Guaitara river valley and according to legend

was where the Virgin Mary appeared.

The second is the Iglesias El Molino chapel in the cityof Valledupar which is an example of traditionalcolonial design.

Las Lajas CathedralEl Molino, Valledupar

4.2 Chapel

Birmingham City University explored two concepts for the chapel design. One focuses on community space in the round andthe other is based on more traditional Spanish Colonial and European design.


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The chapel design based on the study of existing chapels in Colombia and the Valledupar region is detailed below. Thechapel is designed to let maximum amount of light penetrate the space and provide flexible walls for air circulation whilstmaintaining the traditional shape of a chapel with antechamber and main congregation space.

The walls would be constructed using a daubed earth with bamboo columns and a lime wash finish. All glazing panels wouldbe fixed to bamboo columns with head and side braces.


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Vernacular Design

The second chapel design draws inspiration from Simon Velezbuilding at Hanover 2000 Expo. It uses local materials andfocuses on enhancing community engagement with the spacethrough flexible design features including movable walls andseating.

This chapel is designed to complement the Community Hallfacility and is connected by an adjoining raised walkway.

Simon Velez building Hanover Expo (2000)


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4.3 School

The concept sketch drawn by Birmingham City University places the playground area in the centre of the complex withthe school buildings surrounding it. This places emphasis on elements such as security, monitoring, and social inclusionand provides a natural focal and collection point for children to gather.


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4.4 Community Facility

Birmingham City University designed a building thatcould offer multiple uses for a community includingofficial offices, a gallery and an event space.

The traditional internal layout has been contrasted witha curving roof that creates a flowing, undulating form.

The raised roof provides ventilation and rainwaterharvesting potential.

The image below has been colour coded to clearlyhighlight the individual areas and spaces.

Key:Blue: official officesGreen: meeting roomPurple: photographic galleryOrange: toiletsGreen: storage spaceRed: event spaceBlack: kitchen


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4.5 Hospital

The hexagonal shape of the hospital is designed to beeasily expanded as the local community grows and itsneeds change.

The front reception, accessed via a ramp, provides aninitial consultation area and dispensary. Leading off fromthe reception area an inner corridor leads to wards,consultation rooms and toilets.

All the principle spaces face into an inner courtyard thatprovides a secluded and protected recuperation area forpatients.

Although the overall hexagonal form is contemporary itis envisaged that the construction method is a traditionalbamboo or timber frame with mud brick infill. The innersurfaces would need to have a polished finish to assistwith cleaning and hygiene.

Reception and Waiting Room

Hospital Ward

Internal Courtyard

Hexagon Shaped Hospital


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5.1 Rainwater Management

5.2 Provision of Services

5.3 Site Water Requirements

5.4 Water and Waste Collection Concept Drawing

5. Water Provision and Sanitation

The provision of clean drinking water and adequate sanitation is vital for self-sufficiency, and the Los Olivos site currently

has no central service provision. Research will include:

- Methods of onsite water extraction and rainwater collection systems.

- Analysis of quantities of water needed for subsistence farming and personal use in rural Colombia.

- Research into sustainable toilets, baths/showers and irrigation options.

Contributing Authors: University of Sheffield and University of Liverpool

Diagrammatic Sketch of a Water Recycling Plant


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5.1 Rainwater Management

The ability to harvest and manage rainwater will bevital to the welfare of people, livestock and crops inLos Olivos where water shortages for irrigation arean important issue. Dams and reservoirs arepotential methods for environmentally managingwater that could be employed on the site.

The first image shows a shallow valley dam inSouthern New South Wales with a rear over flowchannel which offers simple protection to the main

structure during rain storms.

The second image shows a two dam system whichsimultaneously stores water and controls erosion ofpastures in a natural valley.

The sketch below details the simple constructionmethod for a reservoir dam.

A shallow dam

A pair of dams

A reservoir dam


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5.2 Provision of Services

Water and Agricultural Irrigation

Despite the high rainfall in Columbia, agricultural irrigationis a significant issue, due to the extreme variability ofrainfall throughout the year. In fact 900,000ha ofagricultural land is irrigated in the country, at a total cost of19 million US dollars a year.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)of the United Nations (UN), agricultural land typically

needs 0.5litres/second/hectare of rain or irrigation in atropical climate. This equates to 129mm of rainfall amonth, which only occurs in the area around Los Olivos inMay and October. Thus for 10 months a year the landneeds irrigation. In fact to reach the FAOsrecommendation of 0.5l/s/ha, each 450m2 plot needs300,000litres of irrigation a year.

One way to alleviate this problem would be to designate afew plots to Pole Barns, which are barns with RainwaterHarvesting Roofs, connected to huge tanks, either directlyunder the barn roof, or on other plots. These barns could

also e ordinary public buildings, with underground tanks. Inthe rainy season, the tanks can store a vast amount ofexcess rain, and go some way to all alleviating theproblem of irrigation in the driest months.

The graphs and diagram model to the right depict asituation where there are 30 agricultural plots, and 3 PoleBarns, each taking up an entire plot. There are1.2 millionlitres worth of tanks to store water, distributed between allof the plots and the barns. Without the pole barns, the 30plots would be 9 million litres of water short every year.However the barns and storage would reduce the need for

external irrigation to 6.6 million a year - a saving of 2.5million litres. Clearly this is not the whole answer to theproblem, but it provides a substantial environmental andeconomic saving none the less.

To maximize the efficiency of this system, the number ofpole barns, the number of plots and the amount of storagemust all in proportion. If you have too many barns withoutenough storage, water will be wasted, but having too muchstorage may become economically unviable.


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5.3 Site Water Requirements

Water and Agricultural Irrigation

How much water does each plot need per month?

1. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), agricultural land typically needs0.5litres/second/hectare in a tropical climate.

2. Each plot is 450m =0.045ha

3. Therefore, each plot needs (0.045*0.5) = 0.0225 litres/second

4. Therefore, each plot needs (0.0225*60*60*24*30) = 58320litres/month

How much rain does each plot get a month, and thus how much additional irrigation is needed?

From this we can see that each plot is 304650 litres short of water each year.

Now we have calculated how much additional irrigation is required for each plot, we can calculate how much would be required for

30 plots, and how much of this could be provided by three pole barns and the 1.2 million litres of tank that these would fill.

The total shortage of water is 6,628,650 rather than (30*304650) = 9,139,500. This represents a 2510850 saving in the additionalamount of water needed.


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Domestic water and waste management

Shower

A Bristan flow limiter gives a shower a flow of 4litres/min.

If each person has a 2 minuet shower a day that gives amonthly usage of: 30 days x 2min x (4letres/min) x 6people = 1440 liters per month

Toilet

An economical toilet takes 6 liters/flush. Assuming eachperson uses the toilet 4 times a day, monthly usage of:30days x 4flushes x 6litres per flush x 6 people = 4320liters per month.However according to Yes Reed beds, a reed bed can

recycle 80% of the water used in a toilet, thus this need isreduced to: 864 liters per month.

How much water does a six person household with a shower and a toilet need per month?

This gives a total monthly water usage of 4104 liters.

However, since all of this water can be recycled using the grey water recycling system, its reasonable to assume that that at themost half this amount of water will be needed. This gives a monthly water use of 2052 liters.

How much water is collected?

A conservative estimate of the size of a 6 person house might be 100m, thus the amount of water collected each month are thus.

Therefore January and February do not get enough water; however a 200letre tank, filled during the wetter months can supply thedeficienc , as is shown b this table and the ra h in the text.

Thus every month the house has enough water.


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5.4 Water and Waste Collection Concept Drawings

University of Liverpool provided a series of drawings that explored concepts of rainwater harvesting and biomass collectionmethods

Site section indicating water and waste collection techniques

Site section indicating rainwater harvesting method

Site section indicating biomass collection method


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6.1 Renewable Technologies

6. Sourcing Power and Energy on Site

Contributing Author: University of Sheffield

The Los Olivos site is off-grid, with no connections to mains power supplies. Currently the growing of Jatropha trees is

being considered, as it can be used to create biodiesel. Research will therefore include:

- Examining the feasibility of Jatropha trees as a solution.

- Exploring different methods of energy-sourcing from the site, at low cost, using low technology, and in a sustainable

manner.


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6.1 Renewable Technologies

Wind

Wind power is a tried and tested method of providingrenewable energy in this area. Just north of Los Olivos,lies the Jepirachi Wind Power, which at its secondmonitoring report was producing about 19.5MW ofelectricity. This comprises 0.4% of Columbias estimated21GW of potential wind power, which would be enough toserve the countries needs twice over. In the Jepirachi

project, a single wind turbine is producing 1.3MW ofpower. If Los Olivos could produce just a one 50th of this,every one of the 30 households would have constantaccess to 1kW of power. This would be enough to have 70low energy light bulbs running continually.

Photovoltaic

Predicting the output of PV cells is difficult as heat, sunlightand humidity all have to be taken into account. The regionin which the Los Olivos community is located has a fairly

extreme climate with regard to these factors thereforemaking an accurate estimate even hard to obtain.

Normally an estimate can be obtained using the PV WattsCalculator; however, this calculator does not have weatherdata for Columbia. It does have data for the City of Accra,the capital of Ghana, which has a comparable climate toLos Olivos, and according to this calculator a single squaremeter PV cell could provide on average a 0.22kW powersource. This could potentially be enough energy for eachfamily, if each household had their own square meter cell.Though in practice, it would be better if all the cells were

kept together, to ease maintenance.


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7.1 Bamboo as a Construction Material

7.2 Bamboo Construction

7.3 Wattle and Daub

7.4 Bahareque Construction

7.5 Adobe

7.6 Passive Building Design in Response to Climate

7.7 Earthquake Proofing

7.0. Material and Vernacular Building Techniques

Contributing Author: University of Nottingham and University of Liverpool

The natural materials available locally which could be used for construction are: clay; living fences; bamboo cane (thin).

All other materials would need to be sourced locally.

Bahareque construction: this construction type is local to the region and refers to a mixed timber, bamboo, and mud wall

finish.

Research includes:

Examples of bahareque architecture.

Understanding how bamboo can be used in construction.Various structural systems for bamboo cane architecture.

Design constraints: size, height, shape.

Relative speed of construction.

Relative costs of construction.

Ability to withstand different natural disasters.

Vernacular Building Materials


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7.1 Bamboo as a Construction Material

There are many regions of the world where constructionbamboo naturally grows. Bamboo is the largest of thegrasses. There are over 1600 species with 33% native toLatin America. Depending on the age of the plant whenharvested, it can be used to facilitate various activities.

- Under 30 days eating- 6-9 months weaving baskets.- 2-3 years construct bamboo boards or laminations- 3-6 years construction- Over 6 years begins to gradually lose its strength for up

to 12 years of age.

Construction bamboo has been used in a variety ofapplications both traditional and modern.Guadua Bamboo is the species best suited to the Los Olivosarea with an average diameter is between 9 and 13cm.Guadua bamboo reaches its maximum height (15-30m) inthe first 6 months of growth and can be harvested after 4 to5 years. There is an average productivity of 1,200-1,350culms per hectare per year. Guadua bamboo has a high

tensile strength of up to 40kN/ , where timber has a

tensile strength of 5kN/ .

Social and Ecological Advantages

- Eco-friendly- faster CO2 converter- Fastest growing plant in the world- Easy to grow, and work with- Self-regenerating- High yield, low waste- Inhabitants, who themselves are involved in the

construction tend to develop a close spiritualrelationship to it.

- Bamboo architecture symbolises the entire cosmos insome cultures.

- New development efforts are finding new buildingsystems that are being developed for low-income,

middle-income, and even high-income houses.

Global Bamboo Cultivation areas

Bamboo growing regions of Colombia

Turkman Yurt with Bamboo Panelling


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Construction Advantages

- Light weight building material- Foundations can be minimised- Superior earthquake resistance- Each node has a dividing/transverse wall that maintains strength and allows bending, preventing rupturing when bent- Deforms elastically- Inexpensive and can be grown on site- Construction techniques allow the building to be easily dismantled and re-erected when desired.- Bamboo can also serve functions such as flooring, wall panelling, water pipes, drainage and furniture in addition to being

a structural element.- High tensile strength

Construction Disadvantages

- Short life span without treatment owing to vulnerability to weather, pests, bacteria and fungi- Flammable- Lack of uniformity due to varying stem diameters.- Round profiles of connections lead to complicated geometry at the knot- specialized techniques needed- Fibres within a bamboo pole grow in only a longitudinal direction implying that loads in cross direction are not sustained- No material to tighten the bamboo in the middle of the cane due to its hollow nature- Exposed face of the bamboo cane is hard and slippery, and can create inaccurate construction.

Factory hall under construction; Pensilvania, Colombia, Simon Velez, 1990


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7.2 Bamboo Construction

Foundations

Bamboo should never be in direct contact with the ground as moisture causes rot, which undermines the integrity of thestructure. Potential details are shown in the following images:

An alternative foundation solution uses resin: Using the top part ofa bottle as a mould, resin is poured into the bamboo, as it hardensit becomes the connection between the mild steel bar and thefoundation.

Column embedded in the concrete Wall base with concrete blocks or similar material andconcrete filling

Technical drawing of bamboo in concrete


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Joints

The best joint for bamboo is drilled lashing.

Further applications of drilled lashing style joints in varying levels of complexity


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Walls

To construct walls, the main bamboo posts are erected at all corners, and throughout the house. The walls are constructed asinfills between bamboo columns. Split bamboo grids are assembled by rope or wire ties and are fixed to the plinth and bambooposts. Chicken wire is used to reinforce the structure. Cement based mortar is plastered over the bamboo and wire to provideoverall stability to the wall infill's. Prefabricated timber frames are mounted for windows and door openings. The main imageshows the appropriate use of bamboo throughout a structure.

Schematic showing the appropriate bamboo use throughout the structure


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Roof

Bamboo can be used either as the structural support for the roof or as the roofing material itself. Traditionally palm frondshave been used over the bamboo supports or split bamboo is used as shingles or tiles. These roofs are not very durable; theycan last up to 10 years in a dry climate with steep angled roofs. If the bamboo is preserved it can last up to 7 years even in awarm humid climate. Modern technology has led to the production of corrugated bamboo roofing sheets which offer enhancedweather and pest resistance.

Palm Frond Roofing detail Bamboo as structural support for the roof

Bamboo as the roofing material Corrugated Bamboo Sheet


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7.3 Wattle and Daub

Wattle and daub is a building material used for making walls in which a woven lattice of wooden strips called wattle is daubedwith a sticky material usually made of some combination of wet soil, clay, sand, animal dung and straw. It is a well knowtechnique across northern Europe but could also be used as a solution for Los Olivos.

Wattle rods are not strong individually, but strength comes from the tension put into the material by the weaving process. Thedaub coat is then layered (15cm thick) so that the wattle is completely covered and protected from termites. Although wattleand daub is an ancient traditional technique it is becoming popular again in more developed areas as a low-impact sustainablebuilding technique as the mud application requires little skill and is inexpensive.

Traditional wattle and daub consists of a structure made from cylindrical wood or, potentially bamboo (guadua), filled with earthand straw inside a double structure made from bamboo strips or thin canes.

Construction and finished Wattle and Daub house

Construction of a Wattle and Daub HouseWattle and Daub corner detail


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Conventional wattle and daub is a more modern version of traditional wattle and daub and is the most widely used. It has

sections of cane or bamboo poles fixed with wires and nails to a sawed wooden structure which enables a better finishedassembly.

Traditional Wattle and Daub Corner Details

Traditional Wattle and Daub Wall Details

Conventional Wattle and Daub Corner Details


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Prefabricated panels are also available to aid this style of construction. The "Quincha" prefabricated panel is a sawed wooden

frame, filled with interwoven cane or bamboo battens, inserted in such a way that they are self-anchoring. After beingassembled these panels are walls which will be plastered with earth and straw mortar with an initial layer and then a thinfinishing layer. The advantage of prefabricated panels is that they enable co-construction of the panels and the structure thatwill carry them in the wall, thus reducing assembly time.

Conventional Wattle and Daub Wall Details

Prefabricated Panels Joint Details


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7.4 Bahareque Construction

The bahareque construction type refers to a mixedtimber, bamboo and mud wall construction technique.Bahareque structures are primarily of residential useand only one story. Each house is typically ownedand occupied by one family, who also built it over 75man days with no external expertise. They costapproximately 15USD per m2 to construct. Thedaytime occupancy of these houses is about 5 andovernight occupancy is 5-10.

The structural walls are mostly composed of verticaltimber elements and horizontal struts which are eithermade of timber slats, cane/reed and bamboo or treelimb. These members are generally 2- to 3-inchesthick and are fastened at regularly spaced intervalsfrom the base to ceiling height at the verticalelements

A bahareque building is typically constructed with anearth on in-situ plaster floor; the framework isgenerally trimmed timber and the roof wooden barswith clay tiles or corrugated iron. The foundations are

of mud or field stones and concrete

Bahareque wall detail

Framing Methods

Prefabricated Panels Plastered with cement mortar A bahareque community

Bahareque houses with Guadua Bamboo growing in the background


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Walls can also be made of bamboo matting in place of the mud infill.

Generally Bahareque construction does not qualify for earthquakeinsurance as the walls and roof normally lack lateral resistance. Thiscan be improved by adding diagonal bracing to the walls or infillingwith mud reinforced with organic fibres. Lateral resistance is furtherreduced by not setting the corner posts deeply and firmly into theground. Cost-cutting measures, rapid deterioration of buildingmaterials and inadequate structures (such as using heavy tiles on aroof designed for lightweight thatching) also results in buildings withhigh seismic vulnerabilities.

Further problems with the bahareque construction include the pooradaptation of traditional methods to newly popular materials. The roofis designed to support lightweight palm fronds but heavy burnt adobetiles are now regularly used. The roof is (at best) only secured to thewalls at the corners; better connections are needed to support theextra weight.

Wooden and bamboo elements often deteriorate due to the climateand vermin, wood preservatives such as petrol (or at the columnbases) lime mortar are most usually used. This leads to the potentialdanger of flammability.

Humidity also often leads to plaster dropping off the walls. This isexacerbated by general wear and tear and poor connection to thestructure of the building. The use of lime-based plaster reinforced bybarbed wire or wire netting can reduce this..

Deterioration of plasterwork

Example of bamboo matting infill in Ecuador


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7.5 Adobe

The use of abode dates back centuries in traditional earth-building areassuch as North Africa, the Middle East, South American and the UnitedStates Southwest. While in some areas use of this building method is indecline, it is still in widespread use in others.

Dramatic examples of vaulted and domed structures built entirely of earthbricks still stand after centuries in the Middle East, testament to adobestimeless beauty and structural integrity.

While in developing countries its use is mainly confined to areas too poor to

obtain other building materials, in the Southwest U.S. abode is often usedby the very rich illustrating its wide appeal. Adobe is appropriate in areaswhich are labor-rich and capital-poor as it is labor intensive to construct andgenerally requires only local materials and simple tools.

Abode can take an infinite number of shapes and sizes which are utilizedfor specific techniques (i.e. small flat square bricks used to build leaningarches and domes in Iran). After the bricks have been dried for severaldays, they are turned on edge for further drying then stacked for transportor use on site. The abodes are laid on an appropriate foundation (usuallystone or concrete) using typical masonry techniques with thick joints to takeup the differences in size of the abodes. Typically mud mortar is used, but

a concrete or lime-based mortar can also be used.

Adobe House in Africa

Adobe Building in SW USA

Adobe Block Making


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Elevated Housing

Big Roof Strategy

Window Positioning

Section of Soe Ker Tie house

The Soe Ker Tie houses

7.6 Passive Building Design in Response to Climate

One of the key aims in building design in hot humid areasis the minimising of solar gain and to maximise theventilation to prevent heat accumulation. There are twodesign features which can help address this.

First, elevated housing with piles beneath the buildingpromote air movement beneath the building and preventheat accumulation whilst protecting against flooding. Theheight of the building and openings encourage stack

ventilation. The overhangs collect air streams and shadeoutside areas, creating extra living space

The big roof strategy is widely used in hot humid areas,worldwide. The thin walls prevent the accumulation ofheat from solar gain. The large roof protects from bothrain and sun, the vents at the apex encourage stackventilation. The overhangs collect air streams and shadethe interior.

Windows on the east and west allow for the greatest

solar gain due to the lower solar altitude. Howeverwindows on the north or south are more suitable for theclimate as the sun does not shine directly onto them.

The Soe Ker Tie houses in Thailand make the most ofindigenous materials with local techniques and skillsused. They are raised from the ground to avoid damp androt. The butterfly roofs encourage ventilation andrainwater collection while providing overhangs forextended living space in the shade. The foundations areconcrete in old tyres and the budget was just 7,300.


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The best solution in a hot humid climate is thedetached house- where all walls are exposed to windand airflow, thus at night it will cool quickly.

The second best solution is the town house. Despitewind and air flow being unable to reach all facades, astaircase within the multi-storied town house can createairflow. The buildings should be orientated with regardfor ventilation.

Tall buildings can create sufficient airflows to smallerbuildings, but the wind paths around tall buildings are

very complex and some create vortexes behind thebuilding. Other wind can be blocked and rebounded offthe front or wind can be thrown over the top andaccelerates towards the bottom.

Urban planting should not block the ventilation.Therefore trees should be tall with foliage at the top.Planting should only be in areas where shade isneeded by play parks, seating and paths otherwiseplanting should be low lying or grasses as these will notblock cooling breezes.

Detached House

The Town House

Stairs used as Ventilation

Urban Design Principles

Tall Buildings EffectAir Movement

Parks and Planting


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7.7 Earthquake Proofing

There is a great deal of information available regardingthe features in the design of a building that will helpmitigate the effects of earthquakes.

These two examples examine a traditional buildingadapted for earthquakes and a sketch diagram thatexplores common features of earthquake buildingdesign.

The images on the right show a Tibetan house that

seeks to mitigate an earthquake impact by ahierarchical design approach. The ground floor is heavystone that provides initial stability whilst the upper is alighter material that uses diagonal bracing to increasestructural stability.

The image below sketches out some of the generalknowledge about earthquake construction and how thatrelates to a building design.

A Traditional Tibetan House

Earthquake Resistant Building Design


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8.0 Social Housing

Contributing Author: University of Liverpool

8.1 A Brief History

8.2 Examples of Social Housing

8.3 Benefits of Social and Participatory Housing

Conceptual drawing by University of Liverpool

Housing provision and land tenure is a very prevalent issue in international development. The government do buildsome social housing in Colombia, but it is generally of poor quality. In order to learn from previous examples researchincludes:

Research into past models and examples of self-build and community housing, locally and around the world

Understanding of social housing provision by the Colombian government and its impact on rural development

Models of ownership for social housing and self-build community housing

Mapping and understanding of the links of the community to other settlements in the area. This includes both

physical links (transport, trade routes etc.) and non-physical networks (family, social networks, schooling etc.).Understanding the expectations of the farmers ofLos Olivos for the living conditions for themselves and theirfamilies.


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8.1 A Brief History

Throughout history and around the world, ordinary peoplehave come together to secure the resources necessary fortheir survival. This translates into social housing wherecommunities have formed and created organizations to directthem to their required objectives, and nowhere is this moreapparent than in Colombia where many people struggle tosurvive on little more than their own effort.

The spark that generated an increase in self-helpconstruction stems back to poor government response in the

1980s. Politicians became increasingly interested in tacklingthe population boom and subsequent decrease in quality ofliving in urban and rural poor that had occurred in theprevious 20 years as a means of gaining electoral share.

The reforms that followed were poorly executed. Theintention was to provide an additional 114,000 dwellings, jobsand stimulate construction activity actually only subsidized 36,000 homes and left many people with long term loans which onlythose on minimum wage were able to afford. The homeless and long-term unemployed were left out.

For those lucky enough to be housed, the new developments posed problems of their own. The speed with which the dwellingshad been constructed resulted in crumbling walls, leaking roofs and windows, and sagging joints giving many of the houses an

unfinished appearance. These gray expanses of identical concrete pill boxes were littered over every major city.

People soon turned to illegal settlements, breaking out of the cement block buildings on the land to build their own homes. Notonly did dwellers begin to develop a new housing system, it created a community spirit generating cooperation between peoplein similar situations. These settlements and homer were twice as large (70 m2) and half the cost of the government initiatives.

The governments greatest improvement has been institutionalizing these settlements, making them legal, socially acceptableand worthy or private and government support. This institutionalization also allowed the set up of legally recognized bodiescalled JACs that govern specific geographic locations. This scheme allows groups of people to apply to JACs for constructionpermits, loans and land. The construction then employs labor from the village communities, and once development is completedthey can purchase the homes back at cheap rates. Larger scale developments are set up by housing association which canhave thousands ofunits which are run by users and arent funded by governments. They rely heavily on self-finance and self-

labor from future users.

Example of self-build housing


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8.2 Example of Social Housing Schemes

Ecobarrio Suerte 90: Colombias First Eco-Village

Environmentally and socially sustainable eco-village in Cali includes222 homes as well as recreational facilities and community gardens.The low cost earthquake resistant homes were constructed by theresidents themselves through mutual help.

Wherever possible, environmentally friendly building materials havebeen used, including recycled debris and sugar cane ash to makecement, bricks and blocks.

The project provides secure land tenure to families.

Housing units are incremental, with a basic 30.8m2 single-storey unitcovered by a concrete slab, which allows for future upward expansionof 29m2, for a total are of nearly 60m2.

The eco-village includes individual and collective vegetable gardens,community facilities such as community centre, drugstore, restaurantsand shops.

Caprichan Do Amorada

The main objective of this project was to develop sustainable solutionsfor small independent and family farmers. A partipicatory approach isused to mobilize and organize families and help them build, improve orexpand their homes. The project is community led and managed, andconstruction work is carried out by families themselves through self-build.

The main aims have been to create sustainable livelihoods, generateincome and food security through agro-ecology, and create social

impact through the development of associations, cooperatives andcollectives.

Self-build

Life in the Community

Housing in Caprichan

Community Meeting


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Innovative Rural Housing & Habitat Development inKuthambakkan Village, India

This is a project that uses an integrated rural habitat and economicdevelopment approach to improve living conditions in rural Indianvillages.

New homes are built to last and have improved lighting andventilation. Residents have the opportunity to actively participate inthe planning and execution of the projects; they also producedcompressed earth blocks and provide labor for housingconstruction.

Earth blocks are created using reduced cement content, andfoundations are built using available granite rubble. Biogas andsolar energy is used to eliminate the burning of coal and Co2emissions. The village panchayat is constitutionally responsible forproviding non-conventional energy sources, safe drinking water andmaintaining green cover.

Businesses have been set up that are not capital intensive such asdairy farming, baking, poultry and mud block production and greatercommunity integration and collective decision making has beencrucial to encouraging local people to ownership of the village.

Indira Awaas Yojana: Indian Social Housing Scheme

The Government of India has been implementing Indira AwaasYojana since 1985 with the objective of providing assistance to theBelow Poverty Line (BPL) rural households.

Houses are constructed under the Innovative Stream for RuralHousing and Habitat Development. Strong emphasis is on cost-effective, water resistant materials. The construction of a house isthe responsibility of the beneficiary and is not to be constructed or

delivered by any external agency such as a governmentdepartment.

Participants are given an assistance of Rs 20,000 to constructhouses. This includes Rs2,500 for infrastructure.

Block Making

Government Social Housing

Community Meeting

Scheme Beneficiary


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8.3 Benefits of Social and Participatory Housing

Getting people involved in the planning, design, construction and general management is a key element for asuccessful social housing program. Discussion and collective decision making are required. This will encouragecommunal behavior and local people to take ownership of the development, develop a sense of hospitality andsolidarity amongst neighbors and thus will provide a secure and sustainable environment. It will also create new andstrengthen existing social networks and help local people to learn new skills and generate future income.

Environmental sustainability should be seen in terms of the use of available eco-friendly materials in design andminimization of concrete. A key point in the design and development of social housing schemes in rural locations isalso that agriculture is included as a means of producing eco-food, generating income and securing food supplies for

the village. Equitable land distribution is essential, avoiding class division in order to overcome social difference.

Design solutions should promote social establishments and at the same time generate future income. A successfulsocial housing scheme will provide life-homes with low energy demands and low or no maintenance.

Participatory approach to design


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9.0 Conclusion

The research contained within this document has aimed to understand the context and key aspects of development of the LosOlivos community. In doing this we have applied creativity and innovation in exploring the use of materials, vernacular design andnew technologies to make locally appropriate design recommendations going forward.

There is scope to expand and further develop certain areas of the research. This will require a review of current research objectivesand briefs and the development of further research requirements based on community needs. We believe that this will be anevolving process that will develop through ongoing and open communication with the Los Olivos Community.

We are excited to be involved in future development of Los Olivos and continue to build mutually cooperative relationships. We aredetermined to help Project Mingueo create replicable and sustainable built environment solutions which address the economic,

social, environmental and spiritual needs of a community. We hope that this document will form the basis for future support,fundraising initiatives and further collaboration between the Article 25 Student Chapters and Los Olivos.


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10.0 Bibliography

University of Nottingham

(n.d.). Retrieved from http://bambus.rwth-aachen.de/eng/reorts/buildingmaterial/buildingmaterial.html

Abari Adobe and Bamboo research Institute. (2009). Retrieved from http://abari.org/bamboo-truss-4

Architectural Review. (2010).

Bambus . (2010). Retrieved from Bamboo as a Building Material: http://bambus.rwth-aachen.de/eng/reorts/buildingmaterial/buildingmaterial.html

Building Materials. (n.d.). Retrieved from Staff City 2010: http://www.staff.city.ac.uk/earthquakes/Bamboo/Bamboo.htm

CIA Factfile. (n.d.). Retrieved from (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/co.html)

Community development Library. (n.d.). Retrieved from Wood Tiles:http://www.greenstone.org/greenstone3/nzdl;jsessionid=A3B8FC588C0387EDCB67778F38E5ABEC?a=d&d=HASH3d7086457fc697a42e03b0.5&c=cdl&sib=1&dt=&ec=&et=&p.a=b&p.s=ClassifierBrowse&p.sa=

Hanbury-Tracy, J. (1944). Journys in the Northern Andes. The Geographical Journal, 145-165.

National Geographic. (n.d.). Retrieved from (http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0410/feature3/index.html)

T.D Cabot, W. W. (1939). The Cabot Expedition to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta of Colombia.American GeographicalSociety, 587-621.

Veulez, S. A. (2000). Grow Your Own House. Weil Am Rhein: Vitra Design Museum.

Wollaston, A. (1925). The Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, Colombia . The Geographical Journal, 97-106.

University of Sheffield

Bednarek, N (ed), Cruelty & Utopia: Cities and Landscapes of Latin America (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2003)

Oliver, P (2006), Built to Meet Needs: Cultural Issues in Vernacular Architecture, London, Architectural Press, Elsevier.

Webb, M (2011), AR Special Issue, Recent Work in Colombia, the Architectural Review 1368, 38-66.

los olivos report final 280711 (for print)

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