Local publicity and Social Implementation
As shown in the scheme of the project structure, this part is one that starts at arrival until departure. So it is not a stage bound to any time. The goal of the local publicity is to introduce the project (again) and ourselves, which is polite to the people of El Rama. This is the first step of the social implementation. It is important that the project and research done becomes known around the village and that people feel involved.
The social implementation is the most important part of the project. A social bamboo house design and construction for the Nicaraguan population is only really useful if the local population is involved. The purpose of the social implementation is two-fold: the sharing of information and the acquisition of information ("The sharing of knowledge and expertise”).
The first thing we will do is to be done in Nicaragua is have an introduction meeting with the Director of Planification of El Rama. A follow-up meeting may be possible with the whole council and people who were involved last year. This will take place in the first week. Important is to not involve people who are not familiar with the project, otherwise they would be biased for the house interviews).
A second meeting could be organized to keep the people updated and interested in Bambú Social.
In the last week a final meeting will be organized. All the processes and activities done for the project will be discussed and shared with the people from El Rama (the people who helped, but also those interested in the project). The results are presented, but the word is given to the population, what their plans for the coming months and years are with regard to bamboo.
- Introduction meeting week -4 (contacting) Marie-Louise
- Final meeting week 12 Marie-Louise
1. Evaluation Research: The built model house
In 2014 the first team of Bambú Social did a lot of research on social housing and bamboo. After an expanded social research and different physical bamboo experiments, the first model house in El Rama was built. Based on this design and feedback another design was made for the social house. In order to make any technical improvements, a physical bamboo research has to be done. The house hasn’t been maintained after the departure of this team.
Our first task is to investigate the different (physical) aspects of the model house. This forms an evaluation of the work done in 2014.
Status of the bamboo
In order to investigate the current quality of the bamboo, different environments have to be distinguished. For example: bamboo used in the tank likely to suffer from fungus due to the humid environment, while bamboo used for the roof may suffer from dehydrations due to exposure to the sun. Therefore the bamboo quality is split up to two categories:
- External quality of the bamboo in the model house (water tank, water filters, roofs, connections, foundations)
- Internal status of the bamboo (the walls, lights, kitchen, toilet)
Inner climate
By this task we’ll focus on the ambiance inside of the model house. This part is subjective, therefore also the opinion of a couple of local people is asked. The components are: ventilation, light and temperature.
Building process
This is not a physical aspect, but an organizational aspect. Here we will interview different parties that were involved in the building process. The team has to know in advance what the approach of the building process of Bambú Social was, and how it came over to the locals. The team will mostly speak to the local employees who were the most involved.
The team will investigate the buildings steps, the planning, the logistics, division of the tasks, the safety during construction and the responsibilities. Also the opinion regarding the design of the house built will be taken in account.
After doing all these steps, it will become clear for the team what components of the bamboo house could be improved, in terms of physical improvements and building process.
- Physical research week 1 / 2 Marie-L. & Thomas
- Organize a meeting with local employees week 2 Marie-L. & Thomas
- Write a report about the findings and conclusions week 3 Marie-L. & Thomas
2. Social Research: The need for bamboo housing
Designing and constructing a (social) house with bamboo for the people of Nicaragua wouldn’t be of any sense if their opinion was left out. At the moment the people need housing, for that, their desire is a safe home which fits with their living standard what doesn’t cost too much.
Unfortunately, building with bamboo isn’t a standard yet, and therefore, the people of Nicaragua don’t see this bamboo construction method as a solution for the housing needed. So their needs don’t fit with our solution (there’s dysfunction of Demand Articulation of Innovation Systems) (Alphen, 2008). To make the opportunity fit with the needs, people have to see any chance of success, and they have to see if it works. Therefore it is interesting what the current use of the model house is, or if it is currently closed.
To make this happen you need to let the people feel as if they came up with the idea to use bamboo. Then you have the feeling that they own this method and that’s it their project. When this is so, people feel connected with this goal and it will motivate them intrinsically. If the people of El Rama have the idea that it’s our project (Bambú Social), they will not feel that involved and connected with the project.
Through the interviews and brainstorm with the local people, to ask what they think of bamboo in general and the house, we want to trigger a self-stimulation to activate them into a thinking and designing process. In the end, they came up with new and maybe better ideas for some construction elements.
Besides the people from El Rama, a lot of potential also lies at the universities. We want architects and students to get more active with bamboo and do more research in order to make new designs of other kind of houses. Eventually bamboo becomes a new material standard, only if they think it’s their responsibility, as if they own the project. Having said all that, our role in during this whole project must seem very passive, where it is in reality very active.
This research will start simultaneously with the first one. The goal is to get to know more about the housing needs of the people and to see if this could fit with bamboo housing. We cannot generalize the people of Nicaragua; therefore a division of different populations have to be distinguished. These groups are:
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Local (El Rama) |
Capital (Managua) |
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Youth |
Students |
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Small families |
Adults |
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Big families |
|
The activities are split up based on the location.
Municipality El Rama: First we’ll do visual interviews; the people have to make drawings of what they desire as a house. The bamboo material nor house is mentioned, so the people could not be biased. This will take place in the first to and third week. This will be prepared during the first phase preparations.
After that we’ll invite people from El Rama to the model house and document their reactions. The group must start a discussion about the house and bamboo and if they could live in these bamboo houses.
A possibility is to invite women (the ones who mostly cook in Nicaragua) to the model house and ask them to cook and interview them on what they think of the kitchen.
University UCA: The team will visit the university to discuss (social) housing in Nicaragua with students and some teachers. Their housing background differs probably, so they would first explain what common designs for their houses and social houses are. After that we’ll take a look at the current design and how bamboo is used. We’ll ask what they do and do not like of the house.
After these meeting the team will have a better view on what could be possible improvements concerning the design.
- Organize home visits at the people of El Rama week 1 – 4 Sophie & Veronica
- Organize gatherings at the model house week 1 – 4 Sophie & Veronica
- Visit the university for a brainstorm (part 1) week 3 (16-21 nov) team 2 + Ver.
- Write a report of the findings and conclusions week 5 Sophie & Veronica
As a final part of this social research, the team will also investigate if there is any space and opportunity for a bamboo market. A business model for a future local bamboo company is made where both the municipalities as the universities are a partner. This is done according to the business model canvas taught at the course Sustainable Entrepreneurship (WM0565TU) at the TU Delft. You can find this model in the appendix. In the chapter Project Continuation this model is reflected.
3. Technical research: Design and Construct improvements
After completing the first two stages, two reports will be written. Based on these reports it must become clear what aspects and components of the bamboo house could be improved. At least one component must be improved. This will be done by making multiple design options and afterward constructing and testing them.
Two parties will be involved; each of them contributes in a different way (design and construction).
University UCA: During the first meeting with UCA, or maybe a second one later on, the design part of the bamboo house will be discussed. While bamboo will, over the period, be brought more to attention, this will naturally lead to a brainstorm on bamboo housing. The team will write out a design case and the students and architects will elaborate and bring up a design. This way the students themselves come up with new designs. This part is crucial for the continuation (see next chapter).
Supervisor on site: Henky Borgstein is a Dutch man who has been involved in the previous project. Since then he continued to experiment with bamboo connections. During the preparation phase (in The Netherlands), he provided the bamboo. Bamboo itself needs to be chopped, cleaned, handled and dried. This takes longer than a month, so Henky provided us already in bamboo. Because of his experience he could be of lots of help. Together with him and the local employees we’ll fine tune the design and construct it.
Because of various influences on the design and construction part (experienced local craftsmen, Dutch students and young architects) the team thinks that the result would be well founded and professional. This will process will be documented extensively.
Not only the practical part, but also the building process will be documented. During the construction the team will also have to idea to ask what the parties involved think of the idea to put the whole bamboo housing into practice, and about an automatic building process.
Output design: technical design (for example connections) and an architectural design.
- Visit the UCA for a brainstorm (part 2) week 3 (16-21 nov) team 2 + v.
- Meet up with the local employees (design) week 5 Thomas + M-L
- Interview local employees about business model week 5 – 10 (not defined) Thomas
- Assist Henky in the bamboo preparation not defined team 2 + v.
- Technical design an improvement week 5 Marie-Louise
- Research on previous design (skype) week -3 Sophie
- Architectural design improvement week 5 – 7 Sophie
- Construct the improvement week 6 – 11 Marie-Louise
- Test the improvement week 6 – 11 Marie-Louise
- Write a report of the findings and conclusions week 12 team 2 + v.