Building with a sustainable material - Bamboo

In the year one of my master studies , I did a studio project that is a mixed used residential project in Cambodia. Starting from that time, I became aware of natural building materials that is low cost and sustainable. Therefore, timber, bamboo, thatch has come to my mind.
There are not much bamboo built structure that can last long because unprotected bamboo weathers and will be damaged by insects and get eaten to dust. Therefore, in Asia living in bamboo house represent you are really poor that you can't afford better building materials.

In the following TED talk, Elora Hardy introduced how to use bamboo as a structure material in her magical house in Java. She mentioned that we needed safe treatment solutions firstly. Borax is a natural salt that makes bamboo become a viable building material.

"Treat it properly, design it carefully, and a bamboo structure can last a lifetime."- Elora Hardy


Then, build something imaginative and special to inspire people. She said Balinese culture values craftsmanship fortunately.They value the artisan and join them with the adventurous new generations of locally trained architects and designers and engineers, unlike the conventional formulas and vocabulary of architecture, they have had to invent their own building methods.In this project, the building speak for itself for its sophisticated skills and innovative design.

Why bamboo is a sustainable material?
Bamboo regenerates very quickly. It is one of the fastest growing plants in the world, with the fastest growth rate reaching 100cm in a 24-hr period. Bamboo can be harvested every three to six years for construction purposes; whereas trees range from 25 years (for softwoods) to 50 years (for hardwoods).

Moreover, bamboo gives 35% more oxygen to the air compare to trees, as well as absorbs 40% more CO2 than trees, creating better air quality. Bamboo can grow perfectly without the use of any fertilizers or pesticides, so its harvesting process is kinder to the Earth. Bamboo also has a wide spreading root system that keeps twice as much water in the watershed and prevents soil erosion.

Reference:

"Transcript of "Magical Houses, Made of Bamboo"" Elora Hardy: Magical Houses, Made of Bamboo. Accessed April 21, 2016. https://www.ted.com/talks/elora_hardy_magical_houses_made_of_bamboo/transcript?language=en#t-30360.

"Benefits of Bamboo Wood vs Other Hardwoods | Bamboo and Tikis." Benefits of Bamboo Wood vs Other Hardwoods | Bamboo and Tikis. Accessed April 21, 2016. https://bambooandtikis.com/blog/benefits-using-bamboo-versus-other-wood-materials.

"Uses for Bamboo in Sustainable Building - Www.greenbuild.org." Wwwgreenbuildorg. 2012. Accessed April 21, 2016. http://www.greenbuild.org/new-construction/uses-for-bamboo-in-sustainable-building/.