A Bamboo House That Weathers Storms

Every year, floods, storms, and landslides plague Vietnam's cities and countryside. These natural disasters, though not always devastating enough to attract international media, take a toll on the country, wreaking damages that are above the world average. In economic terms, Vietnam loses 1.2% of its annual GDP to mother nature, while large areas of development are swept away. Then, of course, there's the human cost, which can peak around 500 casualties, with several thousand more forced to live in extreme circumstances after the fact.

For Hanoi–based H&P Architects, there is a viable architectural solution to this urgent problem. They have produced a new housing prototype capable of withstanding floods and powerful rainstorms and nimble enough to be assembled in about 25 days and for as little as $2,500. Elevated on stilts, the Blooming Bamboo––or Bb House––keeps occupants safe from elements, withstanding, according to the architects, up to 1.5–meter high floods.

[image error]

The structure consists of cubic bamboo–framed bays stacked side–by–side and pinned down by steel poles and recycled oil drums. Interior partitions and exterior screens are fabricated from thin bamboo shoots––what the architects term "modules"––that are then strengthened by bamboo wattle and fiberboard.

Read Full Story