From Madagascar

[elmer]

Hi Gaieus,
You sure learnt well in school boy, that was in 1772,just imagine what it could have been at that time!
So you win a new picture: teack shingled wood
I use as roofing here.
Have a nice day,
Patrice

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[Gaieus]

Ah, those are very nice. We (almost) only use wood shingles during the renovetion of historic buildings nowadays... There are a couple of people making them though (and you probably know you cannot saw them only carve or what so that they don't get soaked that easily).

As for my studies, I graduated (plus ever since have finished all the courses but been postponing to hand in my postgrad PhD thesis for years now) in history, too

[elmer]

Lucky Hungary...
Wood shingles is my favorit choice for it's very good integration in the tropical landscape and the thermal insulation.
We usualy saw them but they are still lasting a long time , all depending on the underneath ventilation.
We also use vegetal leaves from satrana palm tree and ravinala, the "traveler tree".
Next shots,
Have a good day,
Patrice

[elmer]

shots coming,

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[elmer]

And a link to the event of the year:
http://www.malagasycup.com

[Gaieus]

Nice shots, really! (And it's getting colder and colder here )

[elmer]

Thanks Gaieus for following me in madagascar,for this morning: mrs maki and maki house,enjoy,
regards,
Patrice

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[Gaieus]

Also nice avatar!

Thanks for keeping posting, too!

[elmer]

You're welcome Gaieus!
Morning pics!
I had to fight with Mrs Maki this morning as she definitly loved seating right on my desktop.....not that easy to type or play sketchup!

Have a good day,

Patrice

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[Gaieus]

That house looks to be a very pleasant place to live in. And if the sea is so close too, then I think you're just having a holiday there!

I hope Mrs Maki wasn't seriously hurt in the fight though!

[elmer]

Don't worry Gaieus, Mrs Maky has recovered and knows now that it's much safer for her to stay at least one meter from the computer, but still glancing at me with those particular eyes that says that if she could be closer, she would love to!
Well, all these houses I sent pics from, were drawn by me (and some time built), for private clients while I was leaving here, eleven years from 1991 to 2002!
Still working with residential projects, lots of fun!
Right now it's 32°over here, with just a little good rain every two or three days to keep the green shiny! Love that.

Patrice

[Gaieus]

Well, and here it's about 5° and raining and windy and foggy. I start to hate it already! (Although I really hate very hot - especially humid - weather, too).

Near the sea, where there is always a nice, fresh breeze but the weather is warm so you can build houses without heating and with big openings so that you can live in them while almost outdoors too - well, that's (or at least would be) my style.

[elmer]

I understand your feeling Gaieus, I'll fly back to France by the end of next week and doesn't want to think right now what I am going to find unboarding! Fortunately I live in the south of france where winters are not that bad.
Here, the moisty season is from january to may but the temperature never gets above 35° but even though, I tell you, you swet and swet and swet......
Anyway building here is, as you say, quite simple and we don't have to go through all a bunch of building codes and others European laws. Keeping the inside shady and orienting the building, according to the wind so that a gentle breeze goes through all day and night and you're just fine. I try all my best to make houses where you don't need any artificial climatisation device, but I agree, a good ceiling fan is your best friend here!
Have a good day,
Patrice
ps: I agree with St Thomas Aquinas!

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[Gaieus]

@unknownuser said:

... agree with St Thomas Aquinas!

Well, it's always fun to find a nice quote that can have some kind of meaning here "aboard".

Anyway, here there is also a tendency (or rather "just" a certain "school") to get back to natural materials, "organic" building etc.
Adobe, clay, wood, hay, straw - all are being used and experimented with and the outcome is often surprisingly good! The only thing is that it does not fit well with our mass-production style of living and thinking about the world.

[elmer]

Hi Gaieus, hi folks,
You are absolutely right Gaieus,and that is what I'm looking for in this country, something different, not yet in "THE SYSTEM"!
We also use adobe and hand pressed bricks a lot as well as some nice wood like teack, quinina, nanto(hard grain brownish local tree)and a few others like palissander, rose wood and ebena for inside furnitures...
But well, today I go for tourist life

Have a good day,
Patrice

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[Gaieus]

Mmm... That fish...
I'm getting hungry!

[elmer]

Hi Gaïeus,

Well I'm back in France. The last days in Nosy Be were very busy and I had no time to jump in the forum. This was worth as I contracted two new buildings here, a 60 bedrooms beach hotel and a commercial and condos.
I also took time to plant a few coconuts, bananas trees and bougainvilliers;)

See you soon some where on SCF, thanks again for your following me over there, and thanks also for your great work on "the" forum.

Regards,
Patrice

[Gaieus]

At least it's been sunny and nice, warm here for the last couple of days, too.
Thanks for the pics so far!