Monday, March 26, 2012

Traditional Treatment for Bamboo at Wonder Grass

Team Wonder Grass is working to expand the offerings for bamboo based building system. Our latest attempt is to experiment with traditional method of bamboo preservation.

The Bamboo poles are cut to size and kept immersed in a stream for a span of 8-12 weeks. This way, the starch inside the pole is stripped off from the body of the fiber and washed away in the water.

This treatment is commonly practiced method across the Indian subcontinent in villages and bamboo rich regions. 


Team decided to pilot run the method for treatment of the bamboo poles, which we use for fabrication of the building components.

These bamboo poles are going to be used for building of some of our products and building systems. So that we can offer our discerning clients a choice, between a contemporary chemical treatment or traditional treatment system.

Second batch of bamboo poles treated using traditional method of treatment are now out.


The next in the line is to introduce a smoking treatment, which again is traditionally proven method of preservation for bamboo.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Kiosk for Selco Solar Lights, at Bangalore

Energy Access point: A Kiosk for Selco Solar Lights, at Tubrahalli

SELCO, a well known enterprise known for its innovative and inclusive business model that strives to bring solar power within easy reach of those who have no access to electricity.




The project brief, was to build a kiosk in one of the slums (also known as workers colonies), which primarily house a motley migrant population largely involved in construction industry. the kiosk will function as a charging point for solar-lanterns which are going to be rented to the surrounding slum dwellers at affordable price.

The brief for kiosk; An affordable built-form, easy to dismantle in case the kiosk needs to move and it should be safe, since it will contain valuable material like solar lantern etc.

Corporate office for Surabhi Living Heritage Center, at Mumbai

A corporate office for Surabhi Living Heritage P Ltd, at Andheri, Mumbai.

One of our recently completed projects is a corporate office for Surabhi Foundation's new and upcoming project of Living Heritage center being proposed at Kharghar, Mumbai.






The project is an effort on a grand scale to reinterpret and re-imagine the rich and diverse cultural heritage of India and put it across to the young audience in the format that is more interactive and informative.

The small team of this initiative began with a bold decision to work from an office built in the built-form made using bamboo, mud and similar green ideas.



it was certainly a show of faith from the distinguished team at Living Heritage center to give us an opportunity to build their office with bamboo.

It was a challenge to re-jig our building system to address the needs of modern comforts like Air-conditioning etc.




The project came out pretty well. Th office was built and ready for occupation in the span of 20 days.