Bamboo: The Latest Architecture and News

Through the analysis of an innovative bamboo grid structure created using augmented reality by architects Kristof Crolla and Garvin Goepel in August 2023, we delve into the intricate world of bamboo architecture, focusing on its application in dome structures through a series of detailed illustrations that uncover the depth of this sustainable material's capabilities.

This article was originally published on Common Edge.

In her Dhaka, Bangladesh–based practice, Marina Tabassum seeks to create a language of architecture that’s simultaneously contemporary yet rooted to its place. One of the first buildings she undertook after establishing her own practice in 2005—the Bait Ur Rouf Mosque in her own city—won an Aga Khan Award for Architecture, which recognizes design that addresses the needs and aspirations of Muslim societies.

Bangladesh’s Museum of Independence, which she designed with her former partner, Kashef Mahboob Chowdhury of the practice URBANA, has become a national landmark. But Tabassum also works at the intimate scale of housing, pursuing innovative modular space-frame designs constructed of bamboo. She’s taught at architecture schools around the globe. Recently, she was recognized with an award from the Architecture, Culture, and Spirituality Forum and identified by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people for 2024 for her work in sustainable, socially responsible design.

“The Mindfulness City will be a sustainable city. To be mindful is to be aware — to perform best,” said Giulia Frittoli, partner and head of landscape at BIG. The Kingdom of Bhutan is a landlocked Buddhist country in the eastern Himalayas, nestled between China and India. It covers 14,000 square miles and has a population of nearly 800,000.

The Royal Office of Bhutan asked BIG, Arup, and Cistri to develop a plan for a new Mindfulness City in Gelephu in southern Bhutan, near the border with India. The city will span 386 square miles and include a new international airport, railway connections, hydroelectric dam, university, spiritual center, and public spaces.

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Bamboo, renowned for its strength and eco-friendliness, often faces a formidable adversary: insects and fungi. Despite its resilience, these pests can compromise its durability over time. However, there exists a simple yet effective solution to bolster bamboo's longevity and sturdiness. In this article, we unveil the Vertical Soak Diffusion (VSD) method—a budget-friendly approach that ensures your bamboo projects stand the test of time.

By recognizing and analyzing the multiple architectural possibilities of bamboo—a construction material mostly native to warm and tropical areas—the following questions arise: How can we take advantage of its qualities and enhance its use in colder climates? Such regions necessarily require a certain level of thermal isolation in walls, floors, and roofs—but for these climates, we can combine bamboo with materials that complement it.

We spoke with Penny Livingston-Stark, a designer and professor of permaculture who has worked for 25 years in the field of regenerative design based on non-toxic natural materials, to understand the opportunities offered by combining bamboo with earth.

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The ArchDaily projects library is managed by our curators who constantly seek to populate our stream with the most interesting global works, showcasing evolving focuses and criteria. While we usually share our reader’s top 100 favorites, this year, we also decided to initiate our editor’s picks on the ArchDaily Instagram account, where our curators highlight some projects that include interesting themes and unique traits. 

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Amid the ongoing environmental crisis, bioeconomy has gained significance across different domains, particularly in the construction sector, where efforts there is a push to enhance sustainability. This shift in mindset has also influenced the realm of interior architecture. With a growing awareness of climate change and the imperative to protect our planet, architects and designers are increasingly embracing biomaterials. The result is the creation of spaces that not only captivate visually but also demonstrate a proactive commitment to the environment.

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Architecture is a lifelong journey in constant evolution, where passion, learnings, collaboration and the unexpected shape your career. 

In the inspiring context of Bali we meet Javi Diaz, Spanish architect who has been on such a journey, that took him from Spain to Portugal, Brazil, Fiji and then Indonesia, where he has developed the unique Bandido Bali project – an architectural destination embedded into the lush nature of Bali, and connected with its culture.

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Following the extreme floods that affected Pakistan in 2022, architect Yasmeen Lari the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan pledged to help build one million resilient houses in the country. In 2022, 33 million people have been displaced, and an estimated 500,000 houses have been destroyed or severely damaged. In September 2022, Lari’s NGO launched a target program to start rebuilding and to help communities protect themselves against future disasters. The program is built on Lari’s expertise in working with the communities and employing vernacular and local building materials to achieve resilient and sustainable structures. According to the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan, one-third of the goal has already been reached.

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