Timarai Bamboo Beach Resort
The Timarai Bamboo Beach Resort in Costa Rica was a great example of green architecture with Guadua bamboo. The use of 100% eco friendly building materials and the adaptation to its natural surroundings (not the other way around) made this bamboo construction project a unique reference point in the region.
Timarai which stands for: Tierra – Mar – Aire (Land, Sea, Air) was located on Playa Palo Seco beach and was designed by architect Esperanza Callego and Colombian engineer Alejandro Restrepo. In 2005, Timarai obtained the 1ste price in the National Architectural Contest.
Unfortunately, this resort suffered major storm damage in 2010 that destabilized the entire Peninsula, causing the government of Costa Rica to withdraw the insurability of ALL properties in the area. The storm washed out bridges, land mass, and buildings, and caused salt water to wash over the land between the sea and the backwater, rendering it sterile.
Timarai has since been gutted completely, with the previous owner removing EVERYTHING of value, right down to the windows and light switches.
Even though the property suffered this humiliation, locals had assembled a major financing initiative to recondition the property to its previous glory, but since the government of Costa Rica will not insure the property or its improvement, it is now doomed to rot into the sand.
Short-lived and much-loved - RIP Timarai!!
I am working on a floating house design and would like to use bamboo as a floating foundation. Now my question is how long will bamboo that is partially underwater last?