Bamboo

BambuBuild, working with architecture firm Tran Ba Tiep, was commissioned to create a visually impressive and environmentally friendly centerpiece of a large restaurant. The team has risen to the occasion with an intricate bamboo dining hall.

Though still not used in mainstream manufacturing, we've seen bike builders make use of bamboo for a number of years. My Boo tapped bamboo and flax for a cargo ebike back in May, and now the Bamboo Bicycle Club is working on a pedal-assist cargo trike.

Last year, Italian electric mobility company Reinova announced the development of a folding bamboo-bodied electric scooter called the ToMove. Well, the funky li'l vehicle is now known as the Tom, and is the subject of a Kickstarter campaign.

Vietnam's H&P Architects has produced a prototype floating dwelling that's made from bamboo. It's envisioned for river-based populations under threat from climate change, especially those living on and around the country's Mekong Delta.

The e-cargo bike is among the greenest vehicles out there, and My Boo makes it even greener with a bamboo and flax-composite frame. The Kumasi EP6 is a capable hauling machine for shuttling tools, carrying groceries, and transporting the kids.

This year has produced a bumper crop of excellent architecture projects. From a sand-dune-shaped building that rises out of the desert, to the world's tallest timber skyscraper, here's our selection of the best buildings of the past 12 months.

Back in 2017, Chiangmai Life Architects used bamboo to create a breezy sports hall at the Panyaden International School in Thailand. The firm has now returned to the same school to add a beautiful new library that's mostly constructed from bamboo.

Vietnamese firm VTN Architects showcases its skill with bamboo with its Grand World Phu Quoc Welcome Center. The building wows visitors with an intricate structure that's made from over 42,000 individual pieces of bamboo.

While there are now several bamboo-framed bikes on the market, many riders are understandably a little leery of buying one. They might want to consider the Gump bamboo handlebar, though, as it's said to be comfier than aluminum or carbon.

VTN Architects' Casamia Community House is the latest example of the firm's skill with bamboo. It's designed to be durable and withstand severe weather, and features an intricate arched ceiling that reaches a maximum height of almost 9 m.

Ever since the 1890s, cricket bats have been made of willow wood. According to a new study, however, bamboo bats should offer better performance and a lower environmental footprint, plus they could make the sport more accessible to poor countries.

Realrich Architecture Workshop made use of plastic, bamboo, and stone to create a remarkable three-story family home in Indonesia. The project also features a series of additional outbuildings, including one planned for use as a school.