Vo Trong Nghia unveils bamboo domes in Vietnam
Two intricate bamboo domes form part of this community centre under construction in Ho Chi Minh City, by Vietnamese firm and bamboo exponent Vo Trong Nghia Architects (+ slideshow).
Located on an artificial islet in the east of the city, the Diamond Island Community Hall will eventually comprise eight bamboo domes, designed by Vo Trong Nhia Architects to provide flexible events spaces for local residents.
So far two of the 24-metre-wide domes have their structural framework in place, creating a woven lattice made up of clusters of bamboo stalks.
The design team describes the appearance as "a fusion of traditional folk art and contemporary architecture".
In an interview with Dezeen this week, Vo Trong Nghia explained how he believes that bamboo is "the green steel of the 21st century".
"I think bamboo and laminated bamboo will replace other materials," he said. "I hope many architects realise the potential of the material and build with bamboo more and more."
Set to complete in October, the community centre will accommodate conferences, meetings, children's activities and parties. Part of the complex will also function as a restaurant.
Other bamboo projects by the firm include a waterside cafe with conical columns and a series of low-cost modular homes.
This week Dezeen is focusing on a new wave of architects who specialise in working with bamboo. Earlier today we also interviewed Dylan Baker-Rice, principal at Hong Kong studio Affect-T, who created a proposal for bamboo micro-homes that could be built inside existing vacant buildings to help solve Hong Kong's housing problem.
Photography is by Hiroyuki Oki.