Environmental charity Arboretum Marbella has announced an ambitious project to build the first building in Marbella and the first classroom in Andalucía made using the principles of bio-construction.
This 140 square metre classroom is known as a Domo (dome) and will be made of 100 per cent local and natural materials such as cane, clay, stones and natural fibres. It will be used as an open classroom where they can give courses and educational sessions on environmental issues for nearly 8,000 visitors and school children each year, and be an example of how alternative building methods can be used.
The Domo will be made up of 8,200 canes, taking a team of 16 skilled ecological builders two months to finish. It is being constructed by experts CanyaViva, who use cane to build flexible and organic structures that are strong and stable enough to withstand winds, floods and even earthquakes. They combine the structures of bamboo and cane with other natural materials, including various vegetable fibres and earth, to create many permanent and temporary structures such as porches, gazebos, sculptures and, in this case, a classroom.
Benefits of bio-construction:
– Uses natural materials
– Uses local materials
– Half the price of conventional building methods
– Sustainable
– Minimal carbon footprint in terms of CO2 pollution
Arboretum Marbella has already built one bio-construction, an eco-toilet which beautifully displays the possibilities for this building method and is the first part of the DOMO project.
There’s massive potential for this building technique on the Costa del Sol to produce stunning, sustainable and useful structures in the garden such as chill out areas, outside bars, children’s play areas and much more.
Boutique Bio-Construction
An example of this technique being taken to the highest level is The Red Pepper House on Lamu Island in Kenya, an exquisite boutique beach hotel that uses bio-construction methods to create spaces which blend with nature and are luxurious as well as eco-friendly.
Designed by Spanish architect Urko Sanchez and built by local Swahili artisans, it comprises five beautiful and spacious buildings covered by a Makuti thatched roof and complete with luxurious bedroom and bathroom areas finished in the traditional Swahili manner.
Walking to Fulfil a Dream
Arboretum Marbella have cleared the space, collected a huge amount of materials and contracted their building company, with work due to start in spring 2015. However, as a charity they need help to raise the €71,388 needed to complete the project.
Arboretum’s director, Alejandro César Orioli, will be taking part in the Marbella 4Days Walking event between 9 and 12 October and walking 120 kilometres dressed as a tree. Arboretum is asking individuals and companies to sponsor his steps for €0.20 per step in order to raise at least €30,000 to go towards the building project. In total he will take 150,000 steps, which is what separates the dream from the reality.
Alejandro explains, “As we trust that many people will help us to make our dream a reality we have named this project the “Domo Confianza” (“Dome of Trust”) and we need your help to make our dream come true!”
Arboretum Marbella: www.arboretummarbella.org
Domo construction support: www.pasoapasoxarboretum.org; maria@arboretummarbella.org
