BANGA

Sale and renovation of several plastic bungalows BANGA

Due to Pamela Voigt's many years of work as an architect in the field of building with plastics, she was informed of the impending dismantling and thus the disposal of an Italian holiday complex of a total of 26 bungalows made of glass fiber reinforced plastic called BANGA. The current owners have not used these holiday homes for 10 years and would like to finally part with them.

In April 2013, Pamela Voigt inspected, documented and measured these BANGAs. Talked to the owner and thought about the future possibilities of this design garden house.

In April 2014 the first two sale contracts were signed and the first four BANGAs were immediately shipped from Italy. A year later, two restored BANGAs were presented and handed over to buyers and other interested parties. In April 2017 the third restored BANGA was installed in Mallorca and October 2020 the fourth in Leipzig. The latter in its own Schrebergarten; for private pleasure, professional research and presentation for curious people.

You can visit the BANGA in Leipzig or enjoy a few days in the heart of Mallorca. I’m still looking for prospective buyers. Enquiries should be sent to:

Contact: pamela.voigt@kunststoffbauten.de

Object description

Architects and designers of the 1960s / 70s were also swayed by the fascination with minimal living, a secluded retreat, escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and relaxation in the middle of nature. Thanks to new pliable materials, plastics, their free formability, lightness and especially their novelty, they developed cubicles and second houses for vacation or the garden.

The BANGA is such a very small holiday home with a total of 8.1 square meters of floor space. It offers space for up to three people thanks to a bunk bed, which can be folded down as a sofa during the day. A small bathroom with wash basin, shower / toilet, a small kitchen unit with sink and water heater and numerous integrated shelves and storage spaces ensure a pleasant and very well organized stay. The original design intended for a canopy or tent to increase the private space and allow to reside outdoors in the shade of ones own home.

The garden house BANGA was designed by the Italian developer and designer Carlo Zappa and produced and sold between 1971 and 1985 by Bungalows International SRL, Milan. The outer shell consists of two very thin layers compared to other plastic structures with 2.5mm GRP coats and a mineral wool foam core of max. 20mm. This ensures the required minimum level of thermal insulation. The interior fittings, partitions and furniture are also made of GRP.

The windows and the vent in the ceiling correspond to adjustment to hot summers. They are relatively small, provide independent shade and forgo any kind of seal to allow a constant air flow. The BANGAs were produced fully furnished in the factory and brought to the site as a whole. According to the owner, this was done by ship and truck.

Condition before the restoration

The painted surfaces show signs of wear and tear, including cracks as a result of external mechanical impact or incorrect stressing of the outer shell during transport in the 1990s. Due to the long vacancy and the aggressive sea air, the surfaces are damaged even further, all metals are corroded and, above all, the supports are badly impaired. Hence, a professional renovation is therefore unavoidable.