Sim?n V?lez: Architect Mastering Bamboo

Pierre Frey

ISBN 10: 2330012373 / ISBN 13: 9782330012373

Published by Actes Sud, 2013

About this Item

Simon Velez was born in Manizales, Colombia, in 1949, and began his career forty years ago. Velez is renowned for his joinery systems that brilliantly utilize bamboo as a permanent structural element in both residential and commercial structures. Num Pages: 256 pages, Illustrations. BIC Classification: AMB. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 256 x 197 x 24. Weight in Grams: 804. . 2013. Paperback. . . . .

Seller Inventory # V9782330012373

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Sim?n V?lez: Architect Mastering Bamboo
• Publisher: Actes Sud
• Publication Date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 2330012373
• ISBN 13: 9782330012373
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

Simón Vélez was born in Manizales, Colombia, in 1949, and began his career forty years ago. Vélez is renowned for his joinery systems that brilliantly utilize bamboo as a permanent structural element in both residential and commercial structures. For four consecutive years he has been invited by the Vitra Design Museum and the George Pompidou Centre to conduct workshops in France in which structures of bamboo-guadua were built as an instructive exercise. In this monograph, illustrated by Deidi von Schaewen’s photographs, Pierre Frey offers us a rare insight into the works of this architect. Throughout the book, texts and images introduce us to a panorama of constructions as well as to the architect’s idiosyncratic construction techniques, which are part of a vernacular architecture that the author considers as ‘symptomatic of the state of the world and societies populating it’. Whether he is working with concrete, steel or other forms of wood, he works in the same way. He energetically defends his status as bambousero and is skilled at distinguishing materials and assigning them functions in accordance with their performances. He has persuaded his richest clients to build luxury residences from the material most used by simple peasants. He has also managed to convince many large public administrations, town council or businesses concerned about the environmental impact of their activities to adopt and promote guadua bamboo.

About the Author

Pierre Frey (1949) a fait des études d'histoire de l'art, de géographie et de germanistique aux universités de Genève et de Lausanne. Il est docteur en sciences techniques de l'Ecole de polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, où il est professeur à la faculté de l'environnement naturel, architectural et construit. Il est l'auteur de plusieurs ouvrages sur l'architecture suisse, ainsi que de Learning From Vernacular (Actes Sud, 2010), qui a reçu le grand prix du Livre d'architecture 2011.