BAMBOO IN ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

Why is Bamboo so popular nowadays in Architecture & Design?

Are you wondering what the hype is all about for using bamboo in architectural design? It’s being used all around the world nowadays, not only furniture within the home, hotels, and restaurants but is also being used for entire building structures. Therefore, we wanted to look into it a little more to understand exactly why this natural resource has become so popular. Japanese and Chinese cultures have been using bamboo for centuries, with some Chinese bridges dating back as far as the 10^thcentury AD!

There are 1,400 documented species of bamboo spread around the world. A large percent of these, 900 to be exact, grow in Southeast Asia. There are different variations and colours of the plant, depending on its origin.

Bamboo has a unique look when adding it into the design, it incorporates nature in a special way and can turn a pretty standard space into an artistic creation.

We know it looks beautiful and aesthetically very pleasing, but it’s also becoming more popular in design thanks to its sustainable, flexibility and hardwearing qualities.

The rainforest is in crisis, cement has a carbon load that is fuelling climate change, there needs to be a drastic change. This is where bamboo comes in. Bamboo trees are one of the fasted growing plants there are in the world, which means it is ever so sustainable. A bamboo shoot can become a structural column or beam within three years and will be a part of that structure for a lifetime. It also takes very little maintenance to grow and can be grown ecologically.

Photo Credits: Green School Bali 

Above is one of our favourite sustainable bamboo buildings, not only because of its architecture but its entire concept. The Green Village school in Bali, was built with a purpose of educating younger generations on sustainability, providing them with a natural learning environment and teaching them a holistic and purposed lifestyle that is combined with taking care of our planet. The entire open structure is built with local bamboo and it teaches children to think locally and give back to the land that surrounds them.

Photo Credits: Elle Decor

Photo Credits: Co-Lab Design Office

Sustainable hotels & buildings all around the world are adopting this sustainable method of development. Another inspiring project is this Co Lab Temple in Tulum where they have used Bamboo to create a nature-inspired, tranquil atmosphere. Using the material as an aesthetic choice but also providing a symbolic message, to help raise awareness of these sustainable ways of developing.

If you’re interested in seeing some fantastic bamboo architecture around the world. Here is a link to Design Boom which showcases hundreds of architectural structures and how they’ve incorporated this eco-friendly material in their designs.