Introduction

Bamboo Innovation Lab envisions architecture as a living experiment—where material, craft, ecology, and innovation converge. Bamboo, one of the fastest-growing and most versatile natural materials, holds immense potential for sustainable construction, product design, and community-based economies. This competition challenges designers to create a living laboratory that showcases bamboo as a structural, spatial, and cultural resource—bridging traditional knowledge with contemporary innovation.

Participants are invited to design a research, experimentation, and learning hub that demonstrates bamboo’s role in regenerative architecture, low-carbon construction, and future-ready design.

Objective

The objective of this competition is to explore bamboo as:

• A primary construction material

• A research and innovation catalyst

• A tool for community engagement and skill development

The design should function as a demonstrative, adaptable, and climate-responsive space that supports experimentation, fabrication, learning, and public interaction.

The Building Program

The Bamboo Innovation Lab may include (but is not limited to):

• Bamboo Research & Testing Lab

• Material Library & Exhibition Space

• Fabrication & Prototyping Workshop

• Training & Skill Development Studios

• Classrooms / Seminar Spaces

• Co-working & Innovation Pods

• Community Interaction Area

• Open Demonstration Courtyard

• Storage & Processing Areas

• Administrative Offices

• Services & Utilities

Designers are encouraged to propose flexible, modular, and scalable spaces.

Site

• Site Selection: Open to participants

• The site may be rural, semi-rural, or peri-urban, preferably in a region where bamboo is locally available or culturally significant.

• Designers must clearly justify site selection based on climate, ecology, accessibility, and bamboo relevance.