From a modular housing prototype to a disaster-proof yoga studio, we’ve rounded up 10 bamboo architectures from Dezeen’s archive that use the ancient construction material in new and unusual ways. After being abandoned in favour of concrete and steel in the 20th century, bamboo is increasingly being integrated into modern buildings due to its lightness and flexibility. Due to its rapid growth, the biomaterial is affordable, rapidly renewable and able to sequester large amounts of carbon from the atmosphere. At the same time, researchers say its strength could make it a sustainable substitute for traditional rebars as well as creating structures that are resistant to natural disasters such as earthquakes and hurricanes.“I think bamboo and laminated bamboo will replace other materials and become the ‘green steel’ of the 21st century,” Vietnamese architect Vo Trong Nghia told Dezeen. Read on for a selection of projects that make the most of this versatile grass.

By Jennifer Hahn / www.dezeen.com / Read Full Articles