Engineering 101

This morning we received some really good news from Galapagos. We now know that we have bamboo drying. This is huge, as it gives assurances that the project is really going to be built. The concrete columns from yesterday were set and we discussed the difficulties of the bottle formwork and other problems that need to be resolved before the weekend. An important problem are the diagonal columns that support the roof, these seem to change from day to day. We managed to get ourselves a meeting with Finn-Erik Nilsen, the engineer that calculates the structure and statics of the building. Later we were approached by Christian to do a small scale test on how to protect the aforementioned diagonal bamboo columns from water - since this is an issue in general. Overhangs and water-protection of the bamboo is important in bamboo constructions, and we need at least half the height of the building (where the bamboo is exposed) as an overhang in order to protect it from the elements. Unless you treat it in a way that keeps it dry and protected during harsh weather. Tips are welcome, but for now have a good weekend!