Urban Materials of Construction

“Materials which have contributed to the construction industry to create an ideology of permanence and stability amongst other materials in the construction industry.”

Urban materials of construction such as concrete and steel were initially the most viable solution when vegetal materials failed to provide for a “permanent household” or a “pukka ghar”. But now as the concern has shifted from viability to sustainability, it is essential to explore the usage of building materials that consume low energy, is renewable, vegetal and easily available. The Design Thesis proposes Engineered Bamboo as the future “Urban Material of Construction”; a material which is treated, processed and standardized. Engineered Bamboo is developed by splitting, flattening, compressing and providing with a particular cross section. Since the material is lightweight and can take sufficient amounts of load it can be used as a material designed for disassembly, modularity and the flexibility. The idea is to intervene in an area where the context has a prevalent construction of concrete and steel and the site has difficulties regarding constructing with the materials already in use. These sites generally act as small pockets to multiple large projects with amalgamated sites.

An architectural strategy of scripting was adopted as a system of development of the architectural unit and built form. Scripts are Modular Architectural deviced strategies which allow for exploration in Form, Space and Structure which is to be provided to the User. These scripts act as changing elements which could universally be used in a set unit design. Three types of scripting strategies are used- Service Scripts, Volume Scripts and Structural Scripts

Service Script revolves around the concept of demarcation of an Area with respect to Served and Service spaces. The idea of Scripts is an addition where Service spaces are allowed to be flexible and replaceable with respect to the current User consuming the Space.

Volume Script allows for flexibility in the volumetric aspect during lack of variability and adaptability in the planning due to designing compact areas and facing space crunch. The concept of scripts includes additive and subtractive operations conducted on a base script.

Structural Script includes different kit of parts of the structural unit of an apartment when combined together completes the designed scheme. The idea is for the structure to not be permanent rather a changing intervention as per the owner of the building which is possible with the help of Dry Construction system of Engineered Bamboo.

As an intervention on small sites, it is important to note the same strategy could be applied and developed on for construction of different such similar structures across the city with varying function and typology. The scripts as an architectural device could be used separately or in combination as per design development. The project tries to break the notion of Urban Materials of Construction and gives a new vision to the future of Construction Technology.