The Starry Bamboo Mandala is a new interpretation of an ancient legacy of sacred spaces. Mandala, which means “container of essence” in Sanskrit, has long symbolized both a microcosm of the universe from the human perspective as well as spiritual centers of meditation. In contrast to the 2-dimensional mandalas of Hindu and Buddhist religions, however, this mandala has been translated into 3-dimensions. Seen from above, the eight columns are arranged in a circular pattern on the ground, symbolizing an 8-spoked “wheel of life” as it is known in Buddhism. Midway up the structure, the horizontally extending bamboo arms transform this wheel into an (8/3) star polygon… a geometric pattern found frequently in Islamic art. Further up, a shift in the arrangement of horizontal bamboo poles creates an (8/2) star polygon, also known as the Star of Lakshmi. The structure terminates at an invisible point 55 feet up from ground level, at the vertex of a star point as seen from ground level. The structure´s principal dimensions of 55´ high x 55´ wide essentially enclose it in a giant invisible cube… and the star polyhedra´s center at the 27.5 foot midpoint define a giant sphere within that cube. Furthermore, a Fibonacci sequence of numbers, found in nature´s countless geometric patterns, is also found within the structure (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, and so on… ): The structure´s lack of a physical center (0), the progression in # of poles making up the columns (5,3,2,1), the star polygon shape and number of columns (8), the diameter of the structure´s base (34), the height of the structure (55)...

Though it may seem like a pointless number game to the casual observer, these geometrical proportions are, in fact, common to art and architecture since humankind´s earliest inclination to create. I also believe they reinforce a certain sense of harmony and intelligence we feel in nature and see interpreted in such ancient monuments as the Pyramids of Giza or Machu Picchu. It is a wonderful challenge to imbue a structure with both practical use and universal “data” which offers an aesthetic pathway of sorts... As I draw and redraw the scheme, I have stumbled across other mathematical and aesthetic coincidences that, once revealed, make perfect sense.

In choosing bamboo as the principal material, I believe it represents the very best in alternative ways of living and expressing oneself: is both strong, light, and incredibly flexible; is multifunctional and highly renewable to the point of being indispensable in cultures ranging from Latin America to Asia; it exudes a curious mixture of humble abandon and dignified poise.