Bamboo & Banyans: 3D modeling with SpeedTree – 2023-09-26

Screenshot of SpeedTree showing an attempt to model a banyan with realistic prop roots

The presentation started with an introduction to living architecture, the practice of growing houses out of trees. For planning projects, visualization is important. During the second part of the presentation, we looked into SpeedTree, a software for designing trees in 3D. It is primarily used in the gaming and movie industries. We created a simple …

Bamboo & Banyans: Prototyping – 2023-07-01

Bamboo & Banyans Architectural Prototyping

We started with laser cutting parts for a model of the squatter house ruin visited during our session in May. There were five participants, Simon and his two children as well as Effy and Victoria. Meanwhile I gave an introduction to living architecture and to our site. In the second part of the workshop, participants …

Bamboo & Banyans: Site visit – 2023-03-25

On a Saturday morning, we met at Mui Wo Ferry Pier. It was just two of us. Another hacker wanted to join. Unfortunately, he went to the wrong pier. Saturday morning’s are not the most convenient times to meet, but we had to take what we get. The site is nearby private land, and coordination …

Bamboo & Banyans: Hacking nature for architecture – 2023-02-21

Our first presentation since Covid was well attended. After an introduction to the topic, Felix presented real world examples, from Baubotanik in Germany to the living root bridges of Meghalaya, India. When explaining the history of this emerging field, he touched on arborsculpture. Not all living architecture is started by humans. Having just come back …