Unfortunately i still only have a cheesy certificate saying i don't know what i'm doing yet
I don't think it's really the structural design that would be the hard part. That's challenging mostly b/c of the material and variations in logs. I think it was clear that from past bonfires and the commission's report, it is possible to build the structure safely.
I think the construction and safety planning would be the challenge. The true appeal of bonfire was the actual labor and the teamwork needed to accomplish it. Of course the "horseplay" was fun too, but we saw the results of that. The best way to minimize risk would be to take the hand construction out. the best analogy I can come up with is that we don't dig trenches with shovels anymore and we keep people out of open trenches as much as possible. The danger is too high, so we use machinery. Stupidly, I never thought of the danger when I was working on or around stack. Now, it's hard to see past it. In hinsdsight, I still can't believe how i took everything on faith that the reds and browns knew what they were doing with the structure. That was my ultimate lesson from school and I think about it all the time.
I don't see how anyone could put students in a position to actually build bonfire without putting them at risk. Nobody was happy with the commission's ideas and Bowen's plan b/c bonfire would have been student organized but not student built.
The other major reason I couldn't is personal. My bonfire career began with one death and ended with twelve. I saw countless serious injuries as well. If that's the price for students to build it, i can't say it was worth that.
FYI, in today's construction safety is an absolute key, so i don't think you can that a laborer is less concerned with safety than any future bonfire worker.
