INTEGER Bamboo House

The world’s first multi storey laminated bamboo house, this action research project is located at the Expo INTEGER site, in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. The two storey structure is designed for the hilly terrain in the western part of China. The structure, the external and the internal wall panels are all made of bamboo.

Bamboo is one of the most ecologically friendly building materials. It has a growth cycle of four years, and absorbs carbon dioxide during its lifetime. Bamboo can be grown almost anywhere in China. Bamboo structures are light and, as a result, are more effective in resisting earthquakes than heavy concrete structures. The bamboo house can be constructed by local villagers without the need for heavy and expensive construction equipment. The technology used in the Kunming INTEGER bamboo house is based on a rain screen system and sandwich panels that provide very high thermal insulation. The potential of this technology is immense, offering the promise of an affordable, ecologically sensitive way of building for new townships and villages across China.

The Oval Partnership carried out this action research and technology transfer project with scientists and engineers from local academic institutions, including the Kunming University of Science and Technology.