Rising Canes for the Beijing Design Week 2015:

For the Beijing Design Week 2015 we explored the power of a true ecological, modular Building Tool. Over the last year our studio developed a structural system, which is entirely made out of Bamboo and ropes. Needless to say: Bamboo is a fantastic material, which currently leads a underrated existence in the architectural process of construction.

No nails or screws were is used for the structure and all materials are 100% recyclable. Furthermore the Bamboo does not get drilled in the process. All joints are tied with ropes, which leaves the materials unharmed so it can be reused after the installation. We see our project strongly connected to the ‘Cradle to Cradle’ movement, which proposes a holistic economic, industrial and social framework that seeks to create systems which are not only self-sufficient, but also essentially waste-free. Last but not least, the Pavilion for the Beijing Design Week was constructed with a ‘do it yourself’ approach by our incredible team of pendas, in order to gain a better insight of the structural behaviour to design larger developments for the system.

Further Vision for Rising Canes:

We believe that in present times a sustainable way of construction is more valuable than ever. The current state of irresponsible city planning, air-pollution and economic crisis asks the architecture profession to rethink the process of building. The use of natural materials like Bamboo and connecting it in a smart, modular system, gives the structure the freedom to grow in every direction. By adding and connecting new bamboo canes, the structure grows and becomes a stronger system that is able to take on more loads to the building.

To ensure a steady building material supply, a neighbouring bamboo grove gets planted. For each culm of bamboo taken as a construction material, 2 new trees needs to get planted to the forest instead. This approach secures the demands of building elements in the long run and creates a beautiful bamboo forest surrounding the development.

Starting with a small structure for the Beijing Design Week, the individual elements get delivered to another site in order to expand its size. Located in Anji County, the largest export region for Bamboo in the world, the system can grow to a habitat for 20 families within the first 9 months.

As the number of inhabitants keeps growing, the structure gets extended to accommodate multiple communal spaces, bridges and even floating systems.

By 2023 the bamboo development is extended to an urban configuration, which inhabits a population of 20.000 people and a bamboo grove of 250 acres.

With this patient and natural expansion, the project describes a true ecological approach of growth, which leaves no harm on the surrounding environment nor on the building material itself and is therefore a counter-movement to a conventional way of the present construction process.

Photocredits go to Xia Zhi and Hua Su.

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Bamboole everyone!