Preface by VTN Architects
Introduction by Masaaki Iwamoto
Interview by Vladimir Belogolovsky
Edited by Oscar Riera Ojeda

“I think bamboo is the right material for creating a new architectural language unique to Vietnam.” Vo Trong Nghia

With the climate crisis raging and awareness of humanity’s detrimental impact on the environment now patently apparent, the need for architects to come up with sustainable new solutions has never been more pressing. A key part of any green approach to architecture is the use of local natural materials with a low environmental impact.

Bamboo, which has been widely used in Asian architecture for centuries as scaffolding and for bridges, pavilions, houses and other structures, is an ideal material in this context: lightweight, strong and readily available. In an effort to meet the challenges of the 21st century, VTN Architects has developed few ways of working with two species of bamboo in particular: the flexible “Tam Vong” (Thyrsostachys oliveri Gamble) and sturdier “Luong” (Dendrocalamus barbatus), creating a manufacturing workflow that allows for the production of standardized modules, a knitting technique that enables the material to span large distances and environmentally friendly traditional treatments such as mud-soaking and smoking. In Bamboo Architecture we see how these methods have been applied in award-winning, groundbreaking projects such as the Wind and Water Café, Diamond Island Community Center, and the majestic Vedana Restaurant, alongside an illuminating introduction by Masaaki Iwamoto and an interview with the studio principal Vo Trong Nghia who offers an inspiring vision for the future of natural, green architecture.

Bamboo Architecture
Vo Trong Nghia & The Work of VTN Architects

Book Size: 8.5 x 11 in / 215.9 x 279.4 mm
Format: Portrait
Pages: 320
Language: English
Edition: Hardcover (978-1-946226-45-7)