Architect: Sanders Pace Architecture Location: Manchester, Tennessee Project Team: Brandon Pace, Michael Davis, Michael Aktalay, Larry Davis, Matthew Davis, Carah Ferry, Will Spencer, Garrett Ferry, Ashley Pace, John Sanders, Stephanie Dowdy, David Scott, Shane Elliot, Leslie Smith Project Area: 900 SF (x2 pods) Project Year: Summer 2011 Photographs: Sanders Pace Architecture
By creating a 30′ x 30′ grid of 1.5″ diameter bamboo poles, the installation provided a spatially interactive experience, both visually and physically. While selectively removing specific pieces throughout the mass of bamboo, zones of privacy and enclosure are formed. The internal spaces located within the field benefited from the tight placement of the poles, which provided valuable shade during the Summer event. The installation resulted in an “inhabitable thicket” that gave the festival attendees something unique to experience and explore.
With a limited time-frame for installing on site, the set-up process was designed to be efficient with the repetitive grid. Through coordinated efforts, the team put up 2500 bamboo poles in less than 24 hours.
By relying on a single material, sustainably harvested bamboo, the installation created minimal impact on the existing pastoral setting. In addition, the standard 10′ length of the bamboo was used to minimize waste. When the festival concluded, the material was removed and sent to the nearby Arnold Air Force Base in Tullahoma, Tennessee for use in their training exercises.
