Elora Hardy: Bamboo Entrepreneur
Elora Hardy was part of the first wave of expat kids growing up in Ubud inside the 1980’s. Her creative parents would certainly drop the little girl off with friendly craftsmen in various villages where she learned how to carve, paint in addition to also also batik all sorts of things, yet mostly fairy princesses in addition to also also dragons. In 1994 at the age of 14, Elora went off to a boarding school for the arts in California, then earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Tufts University in 2004. Moving to Manhattan in 2005, the young woman talked her way into a job as a designer working for Donna Karan inside the weird in addition to also also wonderful world of fashion. After 5 years painting on fabric in completely new York City she returned to Bali in 2010 to join a team of gifted artisans in addition to also also home designers at PT Bamboo Pure who were building Green School. Elora also has her own design brand, Ibuku (www.ibuku.com).
When did you first come to Indonesia in addition to also also why?
I grew up in Bali because my parents came here on a trip around the word in addition to also also stayed. the idea was 1975, in addition to also also at first they thought Bali was too crowded, yet then of course they fell in love with the idea. When my mum was in Nepal she saw a woman trekking with her toddler in addition to also also realized she could have kids in addition to also also still have fun, so then they had me.
How did you become interested in bamboo in addition to also also its uses?
When I saw what my dad in addition to also also the team were building at Green School I thought, bamboo can be one thing we aren’t at risk of running out of, in addition to also also what a cool challenge the idea would certainly be to make big buildings out of grass.
I founded Ibuku in 2010 as an international brand to spread the idea of designing outside of the box, designing for the future in addition to also also using natural materials in addition to also also sustainable systems of which clients can feel Great about. We aren’t perfect, yet we push the limits to be conscientious about materials in addition to also also collaborate in addition to also also integrate completely new eco-innovations as they become available.
Why does bamboo make a suitable building material?
Bamboo can be bountiful, beautiful in addition to also also as strong as steel by weight. the idea’s lightweight in addition to also also easy to handle, versatile as your imagination in addition to also also the work can be as high quality as your skill. the idea’s also flexible. Bamboo dances in earthquakes, while additional rigid structures crack. Though a bamboo house can be as flammable as a wooden house, the idea has fewer walls so the idea’s easy to escape!
Why can be building with bamboo environmentally friendly?
If you had to invent the ultimate sustainable timber, you would certainly make sure the idea could grow wild across a large part of the globe without having to be watered or sprayed or cultivated by people; of which each pole could grow strong as fast as possible during the rainy seasons; make the idea light enough For two main men to carry; make sure of which a clump would certainly send up completely new shoots each year for decades to ensure of which you wouldn’t have to plant more in addition to also also the person who’s land the idea was growing on wouldn’t cut the idea down because he could keep selling each year’s crop for a relatively steady income. Finally, make the timber grow in a culture where there were skilled craftsmen living light on the land in addition to also also working with low impact tools.
Are there any downsides to working with bamboo?
Sometimes I dream of plywood in addition to also also sheetrock! the idea would certainly be so much easier to make walls in addition to also also floors with big flat surfaces, yet I can’t get cosy with the thought of the rainforest being chopped down, sucked out in addition to also also spread all over the surface of the globe, so we take on the challenge to find a better way!
As a matter of fact I counted about six completely new bamboo restaurants on Monkey Forest Road last week, so the idea looks to me like some people are taking bamboo construction up again! today of which we have a natural treatment to permanently protect the idea through bugs, bamboo makes a lot more sense for long-term structures. One of my workers just rebuilt his ‘bale daja’ in his family compound out of bamboo in a super cool vintage style. Balinese homes were traditionally built out of wood in addition to also also bamboo, in addition to also also the cremation towers in addition to also also ogoh ogoh often still are.
can be the idea expensive to build a bamboo house?
The material costs less than a conventional structure, yet the time required for their design in addition to also also craftsmanship for a bamboo house can be far more, so the idea balances out. The clients who have sought us out have wanted more in addition to also also more innovative, luxurious structures. yet the idea’s also becoming more affordable to build simple structures, so we wish to inspire people to use the idea in This kind of way in addition to also also change bamboo’s reputation while we are at the idea.
What bamboo project are you currently involved in?
Our team can be gearing up to build completely new classrooms, desks, in addition to also also tables for Green School. I just built a fairy-mushroom house with the Grade 2b class. We are also completing two private homes in addition to also also beginning the concept design of a retreat centre. In Sayan, we are working on a completely new restaurant at Bambu Indah in addition to also also a replica of a traditional Sumbanese House.
What are the most enjoyable aspects of your job?
I love seeing the bones of the house go up, in addition to also also then the roof in addition to also also walls start to fill in. of which’s when I spend the most time on-site, planning the flow of the rooms, shapes of the doors, curves of the walls in a way of which isn’t possible to completely figure out in advance. I love turning a structure into a comfy home, right down to the towels in addition to also also kettles in addition to also also flowers if the owners let me!
Where can I find more information about constructing with bamboo?
Come visit us! Email us in advance at info@greenvillagebali.com to arrange a tour of Green Village. In some of the houses, you can even spend the night! See our website www.greenvillagebali.com, or follow ‘Green Village Bali‘ on Facebook to see works in progress.
Comments
Elora Hardy: Bamboo Entrepreneur
Elora Hardy: Bamboo Entrepreneur