Update #2: Preparations
Searching for wood
Besides soils and topography analyses and preparing the terrain for the construction, the most difficult task was to find the wood for the station. We used fallen or dead trees from the surrounding grasslands and forests that were cut and extracted trying to minimize the impact of the process. They were many times in difficult locations and had to be transported by mules through swamps and forest paths. After over one month and a half of hard work, we managed to collect all the wood that we needed for the research station. We were lucky to find different local hard-woods that will assure that our research station will last for many years in the future.
The design
The design was a donation from architect Mariangela Rodriguez-Buriticá, Master in Sustainable Design, with the input and collaboration from the Foundation members and friends. It is a simple two-stories space that can host up to 40 researchers in hammocks or mattresses, located on a hill with a wonderful view to the wetland and to the forest, and constantly bathed by the fresh Magdalena River winds. The walls are basically mosquito mesh in wooden frames, to maximise air flow and natural cooling while keeping mosquitoes out, allowing researchers to work at ease inside the station. The design also reduces heat radiation from the roof tiles but allows a great surface for rain water collection and for solar panels.
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