The Green School in Bali boasts the 19-metre wide Arc, highly regarded as one of the most iconic constructions ever crafted from bamboo.
Architecture studio Ibuku created the structure in April 2021, using around 12.4 tonnes of Dendrocalamus Asper, otherwise known as Rough Bamboo or Giant Bamboo, to construct a lightweight structure.
The building in question is certainly an eye-catcher, which demonstrates bamboo's strength and versatility. Its environmental credentials, furthermore, make it an attractive choice for the construction industry - helping to reduce its carbon footprint.
Bamboo plants, similar to trees, absorb carbon while they are growing, and therefore can act as carbon sinks storing more carbon than many types of trees.
A report by the International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation (INBAR) and Delft University of Technology of the Netherlands found that a hectare (2.5 acres) of bamboo plantation can store 401 tonnes of carbon, which is considerably more than a plantation of Chinese fir trees, which can store 237 tonnes of carbon per hectare.
This plant is one of the quickest expanding plants on Earth - certain types can develop up to one metre each day.
Additionally, bamboo is a type of grass, and therefore when the stem is cut the plant will regrow, unlike the majority of trees.
In Asia, use of it in construction has been longstanding, yet in Europe and America it remains an uncommon building material.
For flooring, kitchen tops, and chopping boards, the use of bamboo that has been subjected to both heat and chemicals is becoming more commonplace in certain markets, yet rarely is it used as a structural material.
Christopher Matthews, from London-based structural engineers Atelier One, stated that one of the issues is a lack of familiarity.
According to Mr Matthews, the Bali School project presented a considerable hurdle in that there was no experience with engineering using bamboo.
We had to put it to the test, so we tried it out by loading it up with sandbags to determine its strength.
According to Mr Matthews, there has been a surge in demand for bamboo, as 30% of his company's customers are now utilizing it. He continued to say, "So, we have commenced working on various bamboo structures."
He indicated an educational institution's premises in New Mexico, and buildings such as a yoga center in Costa Rica, as well as a bridge and a pavilion in the Philippines.
In the nations where it is already employed, this resource is very economical and abundant, and the workers are adept in utilizing it. If Europe began utilizing it, the price would be higher at the start. Nevertheless, as its use increases, there is no rationale for the price not to decline.
He states that the firm is in initial talks to facilitate the construction with bamboo in the UK in the near future.
Growing bamboo in Europe could be beneficial, yet the hardier varieties are not suited to cooler northern climates.
BambooLogic is looking to alter the status quo - they are pioneering the cultivation of bamboo on a large scale in Europe.
Jan Detavernier, a consultant at BambooLogic which has bamboo plantations in Portugal, states that undoubtedly, it necessitates a considerable amount of sunlight, and some watering too.
He states that in the southern areas, there is an abundance of sunlight which can renew the soil that is no longer useful. "In the south of Portugal, where we cultivate, the soil is in a bad condition. Through the collecting of carbon dioxide by the bamboo and putting it back into the earth, the land is improved."
Mr Detavernier declares that his company is collaborating with associates who are formulating fresh products for the European market.
He declares that the problem lies in the absence of standardisation. "In Europe, we are not familiar to dealing with bamboo as a material. There is a lot of information on this matter within Asia, however, there is sparse data available across Europe."
Bhavna Sharma, assistant professor of architecture at USC's School of Architecture and also a member of the taskforce crafting international rules for bamboo construction materials, concurs.
She states that it is still difficult to utilize bamboo in building as it is still an unconventional material.
It is essentially about increasing our knowledge base, examining how the materials will operate in different applications. To give an example, if we are planning to construct a building in Amsterdam, then we have to find out how it will cope with the weather and climate conditions there compared to if it were in Indonesia. With this data, we can expand the range of buildings we can build.
Mr Sharma states that the International Standards Organisation published the initial engineered bamboo testing specifications last summer. He added that this will assist people associated with the material, such as practitioners, engineers and designers, in incorporating it into their projects.
BamCore, founded in 2019 in California, is a sustainable building materials firm that provides a panelised framing system made of engineered bamboo and wood, or eucalyptus and wood. These panels are suitable for constructing structures as high as five stories, for either residential or commercial applications.
At BamCore, Kate Chilton, chief sustainability officer, recounts customers starting as single home buyers or architects looking for sustainability.
As our team has commenced to expand, we are taking on developers as customers. She highlights D.R. Horton, the most gigantic homebuilder in the US, which she states is trialing its bamboo product across a few developments in the US.
Dendrocalamus asper, or Giant Clumping bamboo, is the bamboo of choice for BamCore, which imports it from South America and Asia. Nevertheless, Ms Chilton has revealed that talks are taking place with a bamboo plantation owner in Florida who is currently running a trial involving this type of bamboo. is being developed all the time.
Business technology is constantly evolving.
There is a surge of those taking advantage of the creative potential of bamboo. For example, Natchlab, an event marketing agency, has been tasked with constructing a 650-sq m temple from recycled bamboo for the arts and music event, Boom Festival, taking place in Portugal in 2016.
Mr Sibthorpe, the creative director of Nachtlab, proclaimed at the Green conference - part of the Amsterdam Dance Event - that open plan, well-ventilated, tall buildings are exactly what is necessary for a festival.
Bamboo is malleable, able to be bent and shaped.
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