Bamboo grandeur

Bamboo is the stuff of green dreams these days. Not only is it a winning combination of strong, lightweight and flexible; it also scores highly in the sustainable stakes, being super fast growing and easy to harvest locally in many parts of the world. What’s more, it is increasingly being lauded for its aesthetic qualities. None of this is news to any architect worth their salt – but one in particular, Vietnamese virtuoso Vo Trong Nghia, stands out for his exceptional bamboo designs.

The cafe’s frame measures 30 feet high and features an opening at the very top of the dome that allows daylight to stream inside. Like many other Vietnamese structures, it is covered in a local bush plant, which evokes an African-esque aesthetic. And contrary to what you might think about building with natural, local materials, the end result is not “homemade” looking at all and is actually rather streamlined and majestic.

This is a trail blazer in several ways-

- It’s possible to design large structures with natural , renewable , biodegradable materials

- It is possible to design something this huge without a nail

- The structure built can look awesome and inspiring

- The wisdom of a culture can find new and beautiful expression while creating a sustainable world

Each industry is plagued with self and world limiting beliefs . Creations such as these jolt , delight , inspire us to look afresh and create anew.

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5 Responses to “Bamboo grandeur”

  1. GP says:

    Interesting and innovative !!

  2. Diti says:

    excellent usage of natural material.. this should inspire architects all over the world :)

  3. Suzanne says:

    Someone once sent me a powerpoint showing all kinds of things made from bamboo. I have been fascinated with the stuff ever since. Imagine my delight when I found socks and underwear made with bamboo fibers! I would love to see more on architectural designs using bamboo. Thanks.

  4. Arvind Kaul says:

    Extraordinary! Par Excellence!!

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