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Friday, April 22, 2011

Completion of the Structure


The shade structure is complete! But the momentum of this project continues... The next step is the introduction of various elements, including work surfaces already in the works by the next wave of Cal Poly students!

Attaching the Shade Sails


The shade sails were custom made to fit, making this one of the simplest parts of the whole construction process. The hardware includes stainless steel turnbuckles for tensioning, carabiners for attachment to the metal ring, and stainless steel rings at the corner of each sail for added reinforcement.

Installing the Branches

What a puzzle!

Once we had the vertical bamboo and the metal ring in place, it was time to start assembling and installing the branches. We quickly discovered that the branches had to be installed in a very specific order. Once properly installed, the branches worked as added structural support to the column as a whole.

Plugging the Branches + Capping the Bamboo


In order to prevent water and humidity from collecting inside the hollows of the bamboo, we needed to cover the bamboo end openings. To do this, we created galvanized metal caps out of altered candle holders for the vertical bamboo members, and used wood putty to plug the bamboo "branches."

Final Connection Details