TUSA BAMBOO ROOF

Brief. This project involved a guadua (bamboo) roof that had already entered construction under a different design team. Early assembly revealed structural buckling due to a miscalculation, prompting the client to bring in a new design team, which included me. The mandate was to rebuild the infrastructure without changing the existing steel columns, delivering a lighter and stiffer roof with clear load paths, improved connections, and buildable modules compatible with on site craft.

My role. Working alongside architect Natalia Dulcey with 15 years of guadua (bamboo) experience, I co led the redesign of the structural layout. We reconfigured member orientation, spacing, and hierarchy to channel forces efficiently to the base supports, and introduced triangulated bays. What made the new design work was respecting guadua natural behavior and lightening the loads. The result was a roof that met strength and serviceability targets, aligned with the retained steel grid, and supported predictable assembly and tolerances.

The design process was demanding, and the hardest task was resolving a joint where fifteen elements converged. Developing this node required precise 3D modeling, tight tolerances, and understanding of load transfer, sequencing, and connection behavior. We built physical models to clarify geometry, reveal assembly constraints, and validate the joint strategy. On site, the scale model explained complex points to the crew, aligned expectations across trades, and reduced errors. In conclusion, the project was a deep learning experience, especially with guadua, a material with specific handling, grading, and connection requirements. The immediacy of the assignment demanded decisive, well coordinated problem solving. The mix of rigorous 3D modeling, physical models, and close collaboration turned a difficult brief into a reliable roof and expanded my toolkit for natural materials under real constraints.