丨缅甸丨Blue Temple

Housing NOW proposes housing typology using bamboo and vernacular building techniques

Social Housing and Co-Living

,

Temporary Structures

Housing NOW proposes housing typology using bamboo and vernacular building techniques

A project started by Blue Temple in 2019, Housing NOW explores cost-effective vernacular construction typologies using bamboo.

Bamboo playground in the French School of Yangon - Blue Temple | Image © Nyan Zay Htet

Project: Housing NOW

Location:

Myanmar

Architects:

Blue Temple

Typology:

Social Housing and Co-Living

,

Temporary Structures

Housing NOW is a project started by Blue Temple in 2019. The proposed architectural project is a housing typology implemented in a series of completed constructions. Therefore, the project presents a constellation of manifestations of the same housing typology.

Housing NOW- Blue Temple | Image © Nyan Zay Htet

Blue Temple explores the wonders of bamboo design and construction, actively taking part in the transition from a

vernacular construction

technique to an engineered one.

The architecture design studio based in Myanmar since 2017, debuted with projects ranging from micro-architecture proposals to public space designs on an urban scale, to data-driven mapping projects on a national level.

Sport court-Housing NOW- Blue Temple | Image © Alex Dyl

Housing NOW- Blue Temple | Image © Nyan Zay Htet

Amongst all existing bamboo species accessible on the local market, tiny bamboo represents an untapped, abundant and

cost-effective

resource. By utilizing this resource to build houses, the cost of a single unit can be reduced to that of a smartphone. During three years of research, Blue Temple refined and mastered the design; the findings have since been published in a series of academic papers on small-diameter bundle bamboo low-cost construction.

Opening ceremony for a preschool in a refugee camp | Housing NOW- Blue Temple | Image © Raphaël Ascoli

Playground in a Myanmar local middle-school | Housing NOW- Blue Temple | Image © Matias Bercovich

The assembly of the structural frames at the implementing site, followed by the construction of finishes including walls, floors, and ceilings, is done in collaboration with the local community, with Blue Temple employing and training members of the community during the construction of their own homes. That has allowed the organization to create a network trained workers from vulnerable communities to act as a deployable task force. This long-term collaborative approach creates new job opportunities for the workers, who can subsequently provide for their family.

Housing NOW- Blue Temple | Image © Nyan Zay Htet

Housing NOW- Blue Temple | Image © Alex Dyl

Since the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, nearly 2 million people have been internally displaced in the country.

Accordingly, Blue Temple’s architecture design studio is seeking support to scale up the production of low-cost bamboo housing for refugees in slums in Myanmar.

Following three years of research, prototyping, and piloting, Blue Temple is currently in the midst of scaling production to increase housing access in vulnerable communities. All forms of help are greatly appreciated.

Housing NOW- Blue Temple | Image © Matias Bercovich

Project Images