Natural Building Bamboo and Furniture Workshop

Workshop description

Learn the natural building construction techniques using bamboo and how to create awesome furniture for every day use or advance in craftsmanship skills to take your bamboo work to the next level.

The workshop is for anyone, with or without experience, who wants to learn the techniques of cutting, preserving, drying and assembling bamboo guadua and phyllostachys aurea, either to make buildings or furniture, or who wants to deepen their knowledge by receiving the guidance of a teacher Expert with more than 35 years of experience.

After the workshop, there is the possibility of extending your stay and practicing even more, receiving additional instructions and individual guidance. You can extend your stay for 1, 2 or more weeks (ask for special prices for long-term courses) until you feel you fully master all the techniques.

Highlights

• Instruction from expert master craftsman with more than 35 years of experience. See more about Rodolfo Sáenz.
• Suitable for any level. From no experience to expert.
• You must be over 18 years old.
• All sample and practice will be in 1/10 scale
• We serve delicious vegetarian and vegan meals with fresh ingredients.
• Fresh fruits, tea and coffee will be available throughout the day, free of charge.
• Sale of artisanal ginger beer (non-alcoholic medicinal drink)
• There will be at least one night of guided meditation.
• You can request a massage, a Reiki session or a guided personal healing session.
• Additional information and travel instructions will be sent by email upon registration.
• You can extend your holiday stay and take advantage of the central location of Bamboo School.
• There are hiking trails nearby. The Carara National Park is 40 min. by car and we are 1 hour by car from the beach.

Thematics

• Learn about bamboo varieties, harvesting, processing, treatment and curing methods.
• Select the appropriate bamboo from the plantation and cut it.
• Cleaning and curing method.
• Demonstration of tools and how to make a special knife.
• Bamboo furniture making using artisan techniques
• Bamboo cuts and assemblies for building construction

Practice sessions

You will coordinate with the instructor to work on a small furniture piece.

During construction practice, we will work together to make a small part of a cabin or make improvements to the student dormitories.

What you will learn:

• Proper use of tools.
• How to divide, bend and lash the bamboo.
• How to make a fish mouth.
• Make bamboo nails.
• All kinds of holes.
• Split panels
• All possible carpentry techniques.
• All kinds of assemblies
• Many valuable tips from one of the most experienced bamboo artisans in Costa Rica

Schedule

Arrival: Arrive the night before the workshop begins. Dinner is included.
Departure: Saturday after lunch

Instructor

Rodolfo Saenz began his career as a craftsman, manufacturing furniture and as a builder more than 35 years ago and as teacher more than 12 years. He first learned to work with wood and later received training in a variety of bamboo techniques from a Taiwanese master, who led him to design bamboo furniture combined with hardwoods and other materials.

Originally trained in conventional construction, it changed gears to natural construction methods and design, focusing on bamboo plasters, cob and plasters. Rodolfo is a passionate teacher of sharing his skills and knowledge in sustainable construction and design and has more than twelve years of teaching experience.

In addition to his career and experience in the construction of bamboo and handicrafts, he has cultivated his healing gifts in the form of Reiki and massage therapy.

More about Rodolfo Sáenz.

Location

The course will take place at the beautiful property of Rodolfo Saénz, where he currently lives and where he built his amazing bamboo house.

It is located in Turrubares, ten minutes by car from Orotina and 1 hour from Alajuela International Airport

Bring for the course

For the workshops

• Half inch chisel
• Pencil
• Hammer
• 5 feet tape measure

For accommodation

• Warm weather clothing and light night sweater
• Umbrella or cape
• Closed work shoes
• Repellent
• Other personal and personal care items

Accomodation options including the workshop

For your stay we have in the house of Rodolfo 2 rooms at your disposal. You can also choose to stay in a big tent with up to six people or you can bring your own camping tent. Additionally we can accommodate you in one of the nearby cabins with which we have partnered for more accommodation options.