A bamboo-based future for architecture. An interview with DFG Architetti
Three young Italian architects are among the winners of the international “Singapore Bamboo Skyscrapers” competition. Let’s find out from them what it means to design with bamboo.
Q: As we know, you were among the winners of the “Singapore Bamboo Skyscrapers” competition. How did your design concept come about? And what challenges did you face in working with a material such as bamboo, which is certainly unfamiliar to Italian and Western architectural culture?
A: Our project, like all our ideas, stems from meticulous observation of the context into which the architectural design will be situated. The responsibility is such that it requires us to undertake an extensive period of study, ranging from the history of the site to climatic and environmental analysis, from the cultural landscape to technological know-how, from sociological aspects to economic trends, and from lifestyle to architectural traditions. Alongside the context, we also assess the client’s aspirations – both explicit and implicit – which in this case were aimed at a highly innovative project that could pave the way for future experimentation and research. We therefore devised a system of pathways, green spaces and buildings that could blend into Singapore’s urban fabric and make the most of the conditions offered by the site, filling a significant urban void; at the same time, we conceived a design that is distinctly contemporary and dynamic, reflecting the character of this bustling Asian metropolis. As for the use of bamboo, we seized the opportunity presented by this competition to deepen our understanding of this material, investigating its potential application – already widely known and used in Eastern architecture, including contemporary designs – in a seemingly incompatible context: the skyscraper. Our research focused on the possibilities for using bamboo at a structural level, which proved to be the most challenging aspect of our entire project and led us to study its mechanical properties, the technological details, its remarkable processing characteristics and the infinite morphological and assembly combinations, whilst not neglecting the requirements of health, safety and design. Bringing all these elements together has enabled us to arrive at something entirely new and innovative: a ‘cage-like’ structural unit, connected via springs to the skyscraper’s steel backbone, and combined with others in an infinite variety of configurations. This idea also overcomes bamboo’s main drawback – namely, its susceptibility to deterioration over time, which has not yet been quantified – as each individual unit can be dismantled and replaced thanks to vertical displacement systems housed within the skyscraper’s core.
Q: How important do you think it is for a young designer’s training to take part in initiatives of this kind?
A: These competitions are a genuine long-term investment, as they do not usually offer prizes that make up for the time spent on them. Challenges of this kind can be very difficult and intense, firstly because one is confronted with little-known topics, secondly because a great deal of time must be invested in research, but above all because one must come up with an innovative, unprecedented idea that can represent a new starting point or simply a fresh stimulus for progress in the field of architecture. However, commitment to research enables one to practise the profession and carry out daily work to the best of one’s ability and in a more ‘open’ manner; it affords the privilege of being part of a community of professionals engaged with the new frontiers and future scenarios of architecture; and it represents a unique opportunity for intellectual and professional growth.
Q: Can bamboo, like other natural building materials (wood, straw, rammed earth), really serve as a starting point for more sustainable architecture? And, above all, to what extent does the material influence the architectural form and structure of a building?
A: The materials used have a significant impact on form – some more than others – and must be taken into account right from the start of the creative process, because each has its own characteristics and potential, but also requires specific technological systems and imposes constraints at a formal and structural level. The materials we are now turning our attention to, such as straw and rammed earth, have significantly lower energy costs than those currently in use, but they are still far removed from our cultural norms, and the necessary know-how and skilled labour required to use them are not yet widespread, a problem that will be overcome through appropriate experimentation and testing over time. Bamboo, which falls into this new category, is an extraordinary material that opens up incredible possibilities for the future: it is available in large quantities at very low cost, thanks to its extremely rapid growth; it is exceptionally strong and lightweight, suitable for forming the framework even of large buildings, including skyscrapers when appropriately combined with a main steel structure; it can be shaped whilst still growing to achieve any curvature or to weave multiple stems together; it offers the possibility of processing it in countless ways, even into sheets or panels, and can therefore be used in every field, from flooring and cladding to furniture and design. Many of us believe that bamboo could be one of the key players in the future of architecture.
Q: One last question. You set up a practice in Rome and Ragusa a few years ago. You’ve been working hard. Do you really think it’s possible to replace the materials traditionally used in construction (steel, concrete) with natural materials that are, at present, virtually unheard of? Consequently, how concrete is the work you’ve done for this competition, and to what extent will it turn out to be merely a design exercise?
A: Any kind of innovation inevitably meets with resistance, which varies in intensity depending on the market and the system one wishes to change. Introducing something new, even if it objectively offers immediate advantages, requires a certain amount of time to become established within a complex system of balances such as the construction market. Furthermore, it is first necessary to spread awareness and foster a culture of understanding amongst designers and technicians; equally, it is essential for companies to emerge which, alongside their core business, also invest in these new materials and establish in-house technical departments capable of engaging with designers. It is a slow process in which we believe, and to which we have sought to contribute through our research. Exploring uncharted territory is a highly complex undertaking, and its first steps must be taken through ‘visionary’ design, unbound by what we already know, maximising creativity and imagination – which, however ephemeral it may seem, is in fact the result of a great creative and intellectual effort.
– Lorenzo Carrino