generation 1: SURVIVAL
JULY 2018
Generation 1 was the beginning of Ekawa (we hadn’t even thought of that name at the time!). 20 British university students came with us on an expedition to the rainforest, to set up a campsite and begin our explorations with bamboo. We experimented with curved beams and bamboo arches in the construction of our first ever structure in this territory. At the same time, we felt the empowering experience of rainforest survival.
generation 2: WONDER
AUGUST 2019
Having created our home in the rainforest (and built a few more structures with a local team of craftspeople) Generation 2 took place at a time of expansion for our project. We were ready for an evolution of the experience of wonder, and with a group of 15 participants and a team of 4 locals, we created the primary structure of the Studio. During the month-long gathering there was a palpable sense of community living and a spontaneous sharing of wellness experiences and ceremonies.
generation 3: GROUNDING
FEBRUARY 2021
At the time of Generation 3 we began to feel rooted to the extent that there was a need for a plant nursery and the creation of an edible garden. At the same time, we felt a calling to refine the palette of finishes in our bamboo creations, for instance through the use of Tadelakt. The gathering focused on the interior works of the Moon House and the primary structure for our plant nursery (Sewing Seeds). A beautiful outpouring of creative energies from participants led to yoga classes in the circle of trees, ecstatic dances by the moonlight, hiking adventures and delicious feasts.
generation 4: WEAVE
FEBRUARY 2023
At the time of Generation 4, a 100-year-old heritage house with rammed-earth walls and a crumbling roof (Casa Soná) had become part of the Ekawa territory. As part of a renovation project, we conceived a design of bamboo cupolas that would support an expansive roof of rafters, to open the social spaces of the house to the surrounding vistas. Weaving ancient heritage with the future potential of bamboo, Generation 4 constructed the cupolas, interlacing bamboo splits into structural domes with an oculus, to open each room to celestial light.
