Bus stop – Chulucanas
During my time as INBAR National Coordinator for Peru, we as a team emphasized the benefit of a well known local material like bamboo, which people until now call it “caña de Guayaquil”. It was about promoting a material from which communities could benefit in all the steps of the value chain. So, a Construction Workshop with Guadua Angustifolia for builders (women and men) in the city of Chulucanas was offered and very well received. This was also possible thanks to the collaboration of the Municipality of Chulunas, the Regional Government of Piura, specially to Elba Merino and all the beautiful Piuranos.
The idea was to build something useful and not so large so it could be ready in less than one week. I designed a bus stop. A shaded, comfortable and a eye-catching public space at a strategic city-site as part of Chulucana´s urban equipment.
This bamboo specie grows at Piura´s highlands, not so far away from Chulucanas so it is familiar to the inhabitants. The workshop design allowed time for sharing information in a classroom, where bamboo benefits were shown. We shared stories and worked for 2 days in groups. We remembered the properties of their grandparents material and through the design I shared an added value within a new construction system.
The design was planned in order to make different types of joints, as well as to work with a mixed construction system where concrete was used as well.
Everyone participated and collaborated actively. Through this process of previous knowledge and transmission of new technologies, the builders visualized in the exhibition and through models what we would build in the following days at the City’s main street. Two disabled people participated from their wheelchairs, demonstrating an inclusive and happy process for all.
The construction took us approximately 3 days thanks also to Juan and Javier Carrillo, brothers and bamboo workers from Cañete. People took turns to clean, cut, assemble the materials. This experience was enriching for everyone, the group got together and then there was a multiplier effect where some of the participants took this knowledge to their respective workplaces.
