The structure was first assembled as a shear-flexible, equidistant grid on the ground, lifted by crane, and allowed to undergo controlled bending and self-organization under gravity into its final doubly curved form before being locked into place by diagonals and perimeter supports. The bamboo grid, composed of bundled and hand-tied culms and splits, was erected in just 10 days, with subsequent refinements by local craftsmen. Its deformation behavior was simulated in Kangaroo 2 (Rhino Grasshopper) to ensure geometric viability. AR technology assisted onsite assembly, integrating digital workflows into natural material construction. The project’s use of computational design and AR technology facilitated the precise and efficient assembly of the bamboo gridshell, allowing non-experts to engage in the construction process. This approach not only democratizes building practices but also addresses the challenge of conveying complex construction information to diverse teams, thereby enhancing collaboration and decision-making. The integration of computational design and AR as a tool for real-time visualization and error detection underscores its utility in bridging the gap between digital design and physical construction, marking a step forward in finding alternatives to traditional construction documentation methods.

This is the first bamboo shell to apply this deployable bending-active method at scale, demonstrating its potential for larger structures while minimizing temporary supports. The project establishes a foundation for computationally guided, rapidly deployable bamboo shells, expanding possibilities for sustainable, material-efficient structures.

DESIGN RESEARCH TEAM

• Institute | Building Simplexity Lab (BSL), The University of Hong Kong (HKU)
• Principal Investigators | Dr. Kristof Crolla, Dr. Garvin Goepel
• Collaborators | Bamboo U, Bali, Indonesia
• Programme Director | Orin Hardy

CONSTRUCTION

• Manager | Bamboo U / Luis Echeverría, Cecile Durand
• Assistants | Bamboo U / Rodrigo Istchuk, Luiz Fellipe Machado
• Craftspeople | Bamboo U / I Putu Juliadi “Pak Putu Abang”, Jeplin Kaban “Pak Epin”, I Ketut Darmadi “Pak Donal”
• Material Provider | PT Bamboo Pure
• Workshop Participants | Yankyera Otie Pokua, Subba Arson, Homeh Sumer, Villanueva Ma. Angela Paz, Bertuzzi Alfredo, Koç Ecem, Naves Neel, Miyamura Yuta, So Ray, Van Slyke Brandon, Gasparini Julia, Soh April, Chok Hong Vaughn, Ostendorf Angelin Ankatrin, Davidson Bryn, Raduban Brian Everett, Venus Lezel John, Ward Scott, Pacheco Ilton, Malannag Alfredo Jr., Farjat Fichtner João Marcelo, Da Silva Costa Dale Natalia, Yambao Frederick, Nio Saki, Coelho Juliana, Bhatt Dirghayu, Fletcher Nicolas, Banaszek Agata, Chen Qing Bin, Malik Sophia, Young Louisa, Garner Adrian, Noh Heesim, Noh Wonju, Gajera, Gaillot Sandrine, El Batrik Mona, Valente Ramos Sabrina