Ana Gatóo

University of Cambridge | Cam · Department of Architecture

The relationship between structural form and natural force allowed medieval master builders to construct spaces that still inspire awe today, many of which would be difficult to recreate. But with an understanding of antique knowledge, traditional construction, and contemporary computation we can once again explore the form and structure of centuri...

This research aims to evaluate a realistic timber adoption scenario as a way of reducing carbon emissions of construction in Chile and the UK for the period 2020-2050. The study finds that a gradual increase of timber construction could complement the emission reduction targets set by traditional materials, providing the needed carbon storage. This...

The Centre for Natural Material Innovation in the Department of Architecture at the University of Cambridge is a cross-disciplinary centre, bringing together people and research in plant sciences, biochemistry, chemistry, fluid dynamics, engineering, and architecture. Through innovative research and experimentation, we aim to transform the way we b...

This working paper is an evidence submitted to the Royal Institution for British Architects that makes the case that the built environment must drastically reduce its carbon emissions to work towards net zero. Here we advocate for climate repair through the built environment by decarbonising UK’s building sector through both improved energy efficie...

This research aims to evaluate a realistic timber adoption scenario as a way of reducing carbon emissions of construction in Chile and the UK for the period 2020-2050. The study finds that a gradual increase of timber construction could complement the emission reduction targets set by traditional materials, providing the needed carbon storage. This...

The Rwanda Cricket Stadium, completed in 2017, uses compressed soil-cement tiles, thin-tile vaulting, and geogrid reinforcement for seismic stabilisation in Kigali's moderate risk earthquake zone. The vaults follow the natural resolution of forces toward the ground, closely mimicking the parabolic geometry of a bouncing ball and evoking the cherish...

In recent years, there has been a rapid rise in the development of engineered bamboo materials, which have the potential to play an important role as alternatives to conventional building materials. Despite the growing diversity of bamboo products available on the market, the international standardization of both bamboo products and their constitue...

En noviembre de 2013, una de las mayores tormentas tropicales registradas en la historia azotó Filipinas, el segundo país más propenso del mundo a ser afectado por desastres naturales según el ‘World Risk Report 2014’. Un equipo del grupo ´Materiales Naturales y Estructuras´ de la Universidad de Cambridge, que investiga sistemas de construcción de...

In November 2013, one of the biggest tropical storms in history hit the Philippines, the second most vulnerable country in its exposure to natural hazards according to the World Risk Report 2014. A team from the group Natural Materials and Structures from Cambridge University, that researches low cost constructive systems, designed an emergency hou...

In November 2013, one of the biggest tropical storms in history hit the Philippines, the second most vulnerable country in its exposure to natural hazards according to the World Risk Report 2014. A team from the group Natural Materials and Structures from Cambridge University, that researches low cost constructive systems, designed an emergency hou...

Engineered bamboo is increasingly explored as a material with significant potential for structural applications. The material is comprised of raw bamboo processed into a laminated composite. Commercial methods vary due to the current primary use as an architectural surface material, with processing used to achieve different colours in the material....

Bamboo is a rapidly renewable material that has many applications in construction. Engineered bamboo products result from processing the raw bamboo culm into a laminated composite, similar to glue-laminated timber products. These products allow the material to be used in standardised sections and have less inherent variability than the natural mate...

Bamboo is a rapidly renewable material that is available globally and comparable in strength to modern structural materials. The widespread use of bamboo in construction is limited by the inherent variability in its geometric and mechanical properties, and the lack of standardisation. Engineered bamboo aims to reduce the variability of the natural...

On the 8th of November 2013, Typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda) ripped across the central Philippines. Yolanda is the most powerful storm ever recorded, estimated in some areas around 370 km/hr. The proposal is a transitional house for the communities of the area of Roxas in the Philippines that were affected by Typhoon Haiyan in November 20...

The investigation of natural products for use in construction continues to grow to fulfil the need for sustainable and locally available materials. Bamboo, being globally available and rapidly renewable, is an example of such a material. Structural and engineered bamboo products are comparatively low-energy-intensive materials with structural prope...