My Bamboo-esthetic is Incomplete, Can You Help?

Fugitive Energy · May 4, 2018

Thank you for reading this. In my fantasy setting, I want to establish a bamboo esthetic. I have devised wooden tenements and skyscrapers, entirely of bamboo. These high-rises have elevators operated by hydraulics and, rope-bridges connecting near-by towering edifices.

What other features do I include to make the bamboo feel and, look, more complete?
While reading similar material, what features would you want to see in a bamboo background and foreground? Nothing is too small to include.

Polenth · May 4, 2018

I'd suggest looking at real things made of bamboo. It can be a great material, but it does have some issues. It can absorb water, so risks cracking and rot. Insects love bamboo, which isn't so great in a house. Construction bamboo is usually treated to avoid these issues. Things like bamboo instruments have threads bound around them to help prevent cracking (the bansuri is a popular bamboo flute). There's a lot of stuff out there about using bamboo, which'll help make the setting feel more real.

Fugitive Energy · May 4, 2018

Polenth said:
I'd suggest looking at real things made of bamboo. It can be a great material, but it does have some issues. It can absorb water, so risks cracking and rot. Insects love bamboo, which isn't so great in a house. Construction bamboo is usually treated to avoid these issues. Things like bamboo instruments have threads bound around them to help prevent cracking (the bansuri is a popular bamboo flute). There's a lot of stuff out there about using bamboo, which'll help make the setting feel more real.

Thanks, for the guidance, Polenth.

MaeZe · May 4, 2018

Pinterest: Bamboo buildings architecture: https://www.pinterest.com/search/pi...rm_meta[]=architecture|autocomplete|undefined

I cruise Pinterest for all kinds of images. Set up an account (free) and create categories then surf other people's images the way you surf Google and pin the images you want to refer back to.

Fugitive Energy · May 5, 2018

Thanks, MaeZe. I had a look on Pintrest. So many amazing structures.

blacbird · May 5, 2018

How does this bamboo technoology figure into your story? Unless it makes a significant point in your story, I, as a reader, couldn't care less what your world's buildings are made of.

caw

Crowned in Fireflies · May 6, 2018

There are ways to treat bamboo to keep it durable. Look at this TED Talk video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK_UjBmHqQw
Bamboo is actually great for building: it's light, has the tensile strength of steel, compressive strength, and it grow very fast. One of the things the speaker mentions is you have to pick structures that suit bamboo, so go with curves instead of straight lines when building. Looking at the shapes used in the video. For your skyscrapers, you'll probably need to layer curving shapes instead of just just making a bland, rectangular block.

As for other things you could build with it to further the aesthetic, you could try furniture, vehicles, bridges, maybe even scaffold-like fashion accessories (it could look like what the Kryptonian council wears in man of steel: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/b5/55/09/b55509e9c5ccb1cc78b8e94a4cca167d--steel-news-superman-movies.jpg )

Fugitive Energy · May 6, 2018

Crowned in Fireflies said:
There are ways to treat bamboo to keep it durable. Look at this TED Talk video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK_UjBmHqQw
Bamboo is actually great for building: it's light, has the tensile strength of steel, compressive strength, and it grow very fast. One of the things the speaker mentions is you have to pick structures that suit bamboo, so go with curves instead of straight lines when building. Looking at the shapes used in the video. For your skyscrapers, you'll probably need to layer curving shapes instead of just just making a bland, rectangular block.

As for other things you could build with it to further the aesthetic, you could try furniture, vehicles, bridges, maybe even scaffold-like fashion accessories (it could look like what the Kryptonian council wears in man of steel: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/b5/55/09/b55509e9c5ccb1cc78b8e94a4cca167d--steel-news-superman-movies.jpg )

Thanks, Crowned in Fireflies. I was seeking designs in the articles you've mentioned.

Fugitive Energy · May 6, 2018

blacbird said:
How does this bamboo technoology figure into your story? Unless it makes a significant point in your story, I, as a reader, couldn't care less what your world's buildings are made of.

caw

Yes, blackbird. The setting itself will hopefully be a character.

frimble3 · May 6, 2018

Don't forget that bamboo can be processed, either mechanically or chemically, into fabric. As for bamboo construction being subject to cracking, rot and insect activity: so is wood, and we've built in wood for centuries. It just requires regular checking and maintenance, which, in turn, means jobs!
Inspectors, maintenance teams, supply yards, someone to take messages when the public drops by to complain about loose walkways, chewed areas, gaps, etc. ('Detours' from one side of a high-rise to the other when the maintenance people close a walkway or elevator.)
I was a kid in a town where everywhere, except right downtown, was accessed by boardwalks. The town office spent a lot of time and energy replacing plank roads, fencing, etc. It's just the nature of the material. Like contemporary people complaining about potholes etc.

Dennis E. Taylor · May 7, 2018

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale
a tale of a fateful trip,
that started from this tropic port,
aboard this tiny ship.

The mate was a mighty sailin' man,
the Skipper brave and sure,
five passengers set sail that day,
for a three hour tour,
a three hour tour.

Sorry, couldn't resist. But it does bring up the question--how serious vs tongue-in-cheek is the story? Do you have to stick to what's possible from an engineering POV, or can you go all steampunk?

Fugitive Energy · May 8, 2018

frimble3 said:
Don't forget that bamboo can be processed, either mechanically or chemically, into fabric. As for bamboo construction being subject to cracking, rot and insect activity: so is wood, and we've built in wood for centuries. It just requires regular checking and maintenance, which, in turn, means jobs!
Inspectors, maintenance teams, supply yards, someone to take messages when the public drops by to complain about loose walkways, chewed areas, gaps, etc. ('Detours' from one side of a high-rise to the other when the maintenance people close a walkway or elevator.)
I was a kid in a town where everywhere, except right downtown, was accessed by boardwalks. The town office spent a lot of time and energy replacing plank roads, fencing, etc. It's just the nature of the material. Like contemporary people complaining about potholes etc.

Frimble3, you got the idea of what I was going for.

Fugitive Energy · May 8, 2018

Dennis E. Taylor said:
Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale
a tale of a fateful trip,
that started from this tropic port,
aboard this tiny ship.

The mate was a mighty sailin' man,
the Skipper brave and sure,
five passengers set sail that day,
for a three hour tour,
a three hour tour.

Sorry, couldn't resist. But it does bring up the question--how serious vs tongue-in-cheek is the story? Do you have to stick to what's possible from an engineering POV, or can you go all steampunk?

You got the idea, Gilligan's tech with an old civilization based off it.

Fugitive Energy · May 8, 2018

Is bamboo-punk a thing? My tale is exactly that.

Polenth · May 8, 2018

Fugitive Energy said:
Is bamboo-punk a thing? My tale is exactly that.

You might want to look at solarpunk, because it sounds like you're possibly heading in that direction.

Roxxsmom · May 8, 2018

Fugitive Energy said:
Yes, blackbird. The setting itself will hopefully be a character.

Setting makes a difference to me. One reason I lose myself in fantasies and other works of speculative fiction is the feel and aesthetics, and that sense of being able to see/feel/smell etc. an alien setting. Not all readers are the same, of course, but many readers of speculative fiction do care about these things. This doesn't mean you need to get lost in explaining how it's possible, of course.

Fugitive Energy · May 8, 2018

Roxxsmom said:
Setting makes a difference to me. One reason I lose myself in fantasies and other works of speculative fiction is the feel and aesthetics, and that sense of being able to see/feel/smell etc. an alien setting. Not all readers are the same, of course, but many readers of speculative fiction do care about these things. This doesn't mean you need to get lost in explaining how it's possible, of course.

I share those beliefs.

Helix · May 8, 2018

I don't know if this will fit into your story, but -- if you haven't already -- try an image search on fishing platforms Indonesia. They're remarkable structures set up in what can be very rough water. (As you can often tell from the amount of cut bamboo that washes up on some beaches!)

blacbird · May 8, 2018

It's a Fantasy/SF story. How about some native material that works a bit like bamboo, but has some useful/strange differences?

caw

Fugitive Energy · May 8, 2018

blacbird said:
It's a Fantasy/SF story. How about some native material that works a bit like bamboo, but has some useful/strange differences?

caw

Good idea.

Fugitive Energy · May 8, 2018

Polenth said:
You might want to look at solarpunk, because it sounds like you're possibly heading in that direction.

I took a look at solar-punk, Polenth. It is very close to what I want.

Barbara R. · May 9, 2018

I visited a store recently in New Orleans, in which every item was made of bamboo. Those included clothing, place mats, pocketbooks, furniture, hats...Can't remember what else, but it was quite impressive to see what can be made with bamboo. We actually just installed bamboo flooring in our kitchen, which looks amazing. Good luck with the book!

Fugitive Energy · May 9, 2018

Barbara R. said:
I visited a store recently in New Orleans, in which every item was made of bamboo. Those included clothing, place mats, pocketbooks, furniture, hats...Can't remember what else, but it was quite impressive to see what can be made with bamboo. We actually just installed bamboo flooring in our kitchen, which looks amazing. Good luck with the book!

Thanks, Barb. Your floor must be breath-taking.

My Bamboo-esthetic is Incomplete, Can You Help?

Fugitive Energy

Polenth

Mushroom

Fugitive Energy

MaeZe

Fugitive Energy

blacbird

Crowned in Fireflies

Fugitive Energy

Fugitive Energy

frimble3

Heckuva good sport

Dennis E. Taylor

Get it off! It burns!

Fugitive Energy

Fugitive Energy

Fugitive Energy

Polenth

Mushroom

Roxxsmom

Beastly Fido

Fugitive Energy

Helix

socially distancing

blacbird

Fugitive Energy

Fugitive Energy

Barbara R.

Old Hand in the Biz

Fugitive Energy