The Dry House Weekly – Week 2

Welcome back to The Dry House Weekly! In this series we’re exploring how to construct a tropical villa using only dry construction techniques – no concrete, no plaster, no wet applications.

Last week we prepared our site and laid the foundations without pouring a single drop of concrete. This week we start assembling the structural frame, the skeleton that will hold our tropical villa together.

Phase 2: Structural Frame

1. Engineered Bamboo Frames or Cross Laminate Bamboo

Engineered bamboo products – laminated boards, scrimbers and reconstituted composites – turn fast‑growing bamboo into robust structural members. Unlike raw culms, they are processed by cutting, heating, carbonizing, drying and gluing to create uniform boards and beams. These boards can be used as columns, beams and roof purlins and even as reinforcement in concrete. Their advantages include:

• Low carbon and renewable – bamboo is a rapidly growing plant that reaches maturity in four to six years and sequesters carbon during growth.

• High strength-to-weight ratio – engineered bamboo products have high tensile strength, excellent strength-to-weight ratio and good stability.

• Lightweight and ductile – the material is lightweight yet strong, offering earthquake and impact resistance due to its ductility.

• Versatile applications – laminated bamboo can replace engineered wood for beams, boards and panels, and bamboo fibers can even replace steel reinforcement in concrete.

2. Connections & Joints

Dry construction uses mechanical fasteners like screws, bolts and friction‑fit joints rather than wet adhesives or mortar. For the Dry House, connections are designed for easy assembly, strength and demountable.

- Modular connection plates and brackets join the bamboo, light steel and timber members, allowing them to be assembled with hand tools.

- Stainless steel bolts and timber screws provide high strength without welding or glue. Galvanized hardware resists corrosion.

- Pin joints and slotted holes accommodate structural movement and make the frame resilient to earthquakes and wind.

- Demountable joints allow components to be replaced or recycled at end of life.

These connections are pre‑engineered and pre‑drilled to ensure quick, accurate assembly on site.

Our structural frame strategy successfully combines engineered bamboo, light steel and modular timber to provide a sustainable, high‑performance skeleton without concrete:

- Hybrid system leverages each material’s strengths – bamboo’s tensile capacity and low carbon footprint, steel’s precision and long spans, and timber’s warm aesthetics and insulation.

- Prefabrication and dry assembly minimise waste and shorten construction time, reducing disturbance on site.

- Mechanical connections make the frame demountable, repairable and recyclable, supporting a circular economy.

- Using renewable materials such as bamboo and timber alongside recyclable steel reduces embodied carbon while meeting structural requirements.

With this integrated approach, Phase 2 creates a resilient, low‑carbon skeleton ready for enclosure.

Next Week

In Week 3 we’ll look at how the Dry House’s external envelope wraps around the structural frame with lightweight insulating panels, airtight membranes and durable finishes to create a comfortable, efficient envelope.