Problem
Our team were challenged to create a low-cost greenhouse solution, that could easily be erected in rural communities in Cambodia alongside the work being undertaken by the Cambodian Rural Development Team. Greenhouses would allow an area of controlled climate, opening the opportunities to increase the diversity of crop plantations in these communities, and provide a nursery for seedlings and the like. The
We identified there were five key areas that needed to be considered in our design process: Durability, Community, Plantation, Environment, and Cost.
An extensive 12-week design process was undertaken as a team to come up with a concept that could work towards solving the issues identified.
Solution
Our solution was a greenhouse which utilised local bamboo supplies and recycled plastics to suit the needs of villagers in rural Cambodia. Using our design sketches and SolidWorks, I was able to create an Computer Aided Design (CAD) Assembly that mated complicated sections and surfaces to produce a virtual embodiment of our design.
Bamboo and plastic were chosen strategically as materials. For one, the use of locally abundant bamboo in our design meant that materials were not only easily able to be sourced, but also made it biodegradable by design. Bamboo can also be used for other purposes after it's service life (such as in paper products). By reusing plastics, we could also offset a small amount of plastics that contributed to the plastic waste problem locally.
The structure could also be made using building and manufacturing techniques that were feasible under the regional constraints. The removal of starch in the bamboo was an example of a technique needed to ensure a longer structural lifespan and joint strength. Joints only needed basic understanding, and could be built by the people in the community using existing tooling.
