Industrialization has taught us that steel and cement are the best ways to construct things. What we seem to forget is that sometimes, we just need to look at nature for the materials we need.
Locals at Davao took the initiative to build a bridge crossing the Matina River, and used bamboo as their main material. The tense fibers of the plant make it extremely flexible, allowing it to bend without breaking.
In fact, houses made of bamboo can withstand up to magnitude 9 earthquakes.
The locals used Dendrocalamus asper bamboo, a type of bamboo common in the city’s outskirts. They partnered with architects, including Indonesian bamboo architect Andrea Fitrianto, and Indonesian traditional bamboo carpenters to build it.
To enforce the bridge, the main joints were held with bolts and cement was added inside the canes. Reinforced concrete were used to make it more stable and grounded.
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