Guesthouse construction update

The guesthouse is coming along strongly with wall panels coming up with several varieties and choice for flooring are coming in. We have tried using artistic features on the mud paneling system by using imprints of leaves and organic material. We have also constructed the rafters and truss systems for the 1st floor of the guesthouse. While the ground floor will be an area for visiting professionals and designers to work and design more bamboo structures.

We are concurrently working on surveying several village including Peth on housing needs, priorities, and housing brackets that Wondergrass could invest in. While the results are coming in, there is some very
valuable information concerning the needs and wants of rural families in central India. The value of this survey will tell us the current perception of people's opinion as bamboo for a building material. It will also tell us the role of a families income, size, and wants into our rural housing prototype home.

For the guesthouse, we have been using several different types of paneling systems that are good for bamboo. The traditional lathe and plaster or wattle and dab is being used for the ground and first floor walls. We are also trying out imprinting natural patterns seen in nature on the mud walls, as well as using bamboo sections as window patterns.




We are trying to use local materials while still appearing attractive to a possible user. The adaptability of mud and plaster for bamboo buildings or other, is the ease of application and use on any surface.



These materials also offer the choice of user to choose what design, thicknesses, and or smooth surfaces they would like on their walls. SImilar to bamboo, these materials give users more control over the appearance of their homes compared to main-stream construction methods.
The schedule of the completion of the guesthouse will be in seven days or less, and one of our interns will be moving on on the 1st floor. While the ground floor will be a place for current designers to have a place to coordinate, design, and innovate bamboo projects.