coyweng :): Design Studio Project 1 : Bamboo Bridge (Sem 7 Diploma in Architecture)

T H E S T A R G A T E

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN STUDIO IV –
Project 1: Bamboo Bridge

everything starts from this conceptual 3d model
which was done in early midnight within few minutes click from initial design.
(initial design was on the left)

9^th MAY – Presented design idea along with a not quite well made mock up model which failed to convince and really interpret the design idea, have insufficient time to build the mock up model beforehand.

Presentation material :

We had a few important and critical parts or flaws regarding the design being pointed out and threw upon us, but with a group consists of ambitious and determined group mates, we have no doubt in this direction and continue to move towards completion of the real stuff, under all of the negative thoughts, laughing eyes and all of the risks involved. We had faith.. The path in front wasn’t really that clear at this moment. Since we are taking the challenge of achieving the longest span among peers for this project, definitely we have to work harder than other groups, and we are prepared to face it.
We had couple discussions among group mates, had everything sorted out and discussed almost every technical part from surfaces into the deep detail regarding the model making, the concept, the forms and feeling we want to achieve to have every details and design be further confirmed so that we all stand at a same position, be well informed and have a clearer picture what we are going to do and face later on.
Every group member are excited about it. The day ended while everyone took a good rest before the battle.

The phase of construction starts from now

10th MAY - We planned to get material on this day but the class ended late (around four), and furthermore there are a meeting of PADI which made it slightly worst. When the meeting ended it is already almost 6, so we stayed overnight and decided to hunt some bamboo somewhere, in the dark.

Kelvin cutting down the bamboo. Photo taken around [9:00pm].

11^th MAY - We wanted to get more bamboo or material, ended up after class there is a heavy rain until 7-8 in the evening. Ignoring the heavy rain and neglecting our health, we drove around town and tried to cut down some bamboo but still couldn't make it under the rain. So we decided to replace the material for the entrance panel to some wooden stick for the head/tail part(shown on the pic below) which are easily obtainable from art shop and which right after the purchase we spent just 6 hours to finish the head/tail part.

us doing the truss with wenyun as the cameraman, the timestamp for the photo: 11 May at 00:47am

After some sense of satisfaction and minor celebration of finishing off the wooden panel in 6hrs, we straight away proceed in doing the truss and the platform part which including making the walking satay sticks sheets, cutting some bamboo strips which will be representing the member in the trusses to be tied later on. After the cutting is done, we started to tie those bamboo strips into triangular truss shape, according the planning. This all used up 80% of time on 11^th May. We literally been sawing and tying those bamboo until midnight 00:00 24hrs straight, and continued on 12^th may 00:00

12^th MAY – [06:00] We went out of bamboo and had borrowed some bamboo from other group and continued on the truss part, den we went and bought 75 bamboo strips when the bamboo shop just opened in morning after we had our breakfast [10:00am]. we didn’t sleep throughout the night, we resumed our work after purchasing the bamboo. After some repetitive of tying and dividing those bamboo strips, those triangular truss for the bridge are finally finished. [18:00]

all of the required triangular member trusses are finally completed. Photo taken at 19:04pm

We went back home for some bathing and rest and planned to come back to studio midnight later.

13^th MAY - We tied and completed the whole truss + platform structure , and await teammate to reunite again. [17:00]

Tying those trusses to form the 5.7meter long platform. Photo taken at [02:10am]

Then we started to enhance the panel head/tail to make it stronger [20:00] and successfully designed the foundation [21:00]

the "foundation"

and completed a simple 5 string 1 star structure as shown in this pic :

The panel lifted up, platform landed and the overall structural system is done. Photo taken [23:00pm]

This photo is taken in early morning 5am the next day after we had showered and arrived back to studio to continue the work, realizing other course mates used the string as clothes hanger to dry their tower.

14^th MAY - We further discuss and studied about the strings part, trying to further refine the design and complete the bridge string part. Construction and tying of the strings begun and everything is progressing according to plan.

Photo of the construction of the strings(cable) part, photo taken at 14^th May 2-4pm.

When the bridge string part reach 80% of the total progression, the phase of designing for the presentation board begun. It was 6pm on 14th may.
The string completed along with the whole model at 4am in the morning.

The drawing was 90% done on 6am of 15th may.
Drawing was printed on 16th may and presented on 10am sharp.

Presentation Board

PHOTO OF THE COMPLETED MODEL

frontal view with a bit of the side


more frontal view


facade front view

overview of the bridge body part

right side of the strings view

left side of the strings view


internal space and view of the bridge

Photo during presentation:

testing loads on bridge

testing loads on bridge2

group photo with the lecturer (whats with my eyes!? meh)

Group Photo

As a conclusion, regardless of all the hassle and sleepless hours spent in this project, every group mates enjoyed the whole process and everyone learnt something new. The project and the model would not be successfully completed without the presence and the great commitment of any single member in the group. As the team leader for this project, I am glad that the design are able to comes to life and in no word to describe this wonderful experience i had in the whole process.The design turns out to be unexpectedly good and received far more attentions and appreciation that we could imagined. This shall conclude the post regarding this project. Thanks, and thanks all for the attention and appreciation. Thanks for viewing.

Group Member (from left to right in the group photo):

Kelvin Yong Loy Fatt
Tan Soo Hua
Caleb Ong Yan Weng
Sum Wen Yun
Yew Chun Yeh

*side note and self opinion:
the whole construction of the bridge was done in literally five days, of which in total I didn't even had 24hrs of rest D: basically its like working for continuously 20/30hrs+ and accidentally get into sleep for 4-5hrs and it repeated for the rest of the process, the model making and the whole thing are on tip top stress edge all the time before completion as if anything bad happen on any of the group member will directly affect the progress of the project by a lot, grateful that the whole team survived that and everything are just nice to be completed within the time frame given. Credit to the whole team.*

Update Oct 2012:
Project and model being featured in the 1 month architecture exhibition, celebration for 40th anniversary of SOT over Bangunan Tun Tan Siew Sin at TARC.