The big bamboo comeback
- Source: Global Times
- [10:12 September 08 2010]
- Comments
The bamboo interior of the Vietnam Pavilion. Photo: IC
By Liu Mengyue
While the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai has been the ultimate showcase for advancements in world architecture, a number of countries have employed more traditional methods and materials in designing their pavilions. Bamboo has historically been used in walls, furniture, window frames and gates. And designers at the Expo have been adapting the material for use on a much more ambitious scale.
Mi casa su casa
The Madrid Pavilion, in the Best Practices Area in Puxi, features a bamboo house and an "air tree" dedicated to producing wind energy. And while the design is nothing new from an architectural viewpoint, the structure is interesting as a replica of a social housing building promoted by the Municipal Land and Housing Authority of Madrid in 2007.
Designed by Alejandro Zaera, the building has 88 apartments with communal recreation and green areas. To reduce heat from sunlight, the architect has surrounded the floors with 1.5-meter enclosed balconies, covered with sliding bamboo panels that tenants can open or close as they please. As the bamboo surfaces in different rooms open in different ways, at different times, the exterior appearance of the building is constantly changing.
On one side of the wooden is a bamboo panel; while on the other side sits a glass wall for each apartment. Leticia Chen, the pavilion's protocol department, said the original building in Madrid: "Residents can drink coffee by their gate on the wooden terrace, with the bamboo panel opened a bit, or they can use the open balcony to stock some children's toys; it's a place children can play safely." She also explained the bamboo walls will be changed every 10 years. "Although, the bamboo is specially treated to protect it from insects and humid conditions, as a totally natural material, it is still not as durable as man-made materials."
Vietnam's Expo Pavilion covers 1,000 square meters and is made from more than 80,000 bamboo canes. The wavy patterns on the outside of the pavilion are a reminder of the many rivers surrounding the country's capital, Hanoi, and express a natural affinity for open space in the Vietnamese traditional aesthetic sense. Technically speaking, the bamboo cover helps reduce heat inside the pavilion. On the inside, the walls and the ceilings are all made of bamboo curved into different shapes. The arches and gates have been designed to give the space the look of a grand hall.
Feng Jun, the pavilion's general representative assistant, told the Global Times that all the bamboo is fastened with strings, instead of nails, to better echo the theme of an environmental-friendly construction. According to Feng, parts of the bamboo were shipped directly from Vietnam, while the rest were from Zhejiang Province. He said that bamboo has a special history in both Vietnam and China. He also points out that bamboo is being heavily promoted as a building material. This is largely because of its ecological and cost advantages - bamboo grows to maturity in a much shorter space of time than most tree species, making it quicker and cheaper to use. "Another trait of bamboo is that it cools down in the summertime and traps heat in the winter," said Feng. "So it's a good idea for people to use elements of bamboo in their daily lives, be it in bamboo beds, chairs, windows or lamps."
