BAMBOO PAVILIONS

The design consists in a series of 14 bamboo pavilions of different shapes, sizes, and outer skin textures, functioning as walk-through exhibition spaces for the German promenade in various cities in China. The main idea is to use a sustainable material that can be locally sourced throughout China: bamboo.

The bamboo pavilions are planned as multi-functional rooms, composing a symbiosis between natural and high-tech-ma­terials, they are functional as well as art objects. Therefore MUDI and Markus Heinsdorff developed not only the design but also new interconnection technologies of steel, which can connect in an easy way bamboo laminate (batons glued to plates) and na­tural bamboo tubes to a large structure. As the pavilions are modular, they can be arranged individually and adapted to the local conditions.

From 2007 to 2010 the pavilions have been exposed in several cities in China including Nanjing, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Wuhan and Shanghai. The buildings are designed and built to be installed either permanently or temporary with different arrangements and versatile fa­cades. All pavilions are stringed with membranes and have low roof levels. The material of the buildings is easily exchan­geable, dividable and recyclable.

By night the fabric facades are conducting the light from the interior to the outside and illuminating energy saving the surrounding. The plaited outer wall caters for clouding and air circulation and therefore for cooling and flexible design, while the inner wall is providing rain protection, isolation and natural air circulation. The facades are designed with round going bars of bamboo laminate. The bars are installed at the vertical columns with specially produced brackets of galvanized steel. This system allows a flexible design of the facades with different materials.