You can weave it, spin it into fabric, even 3D print it. Bamboo is one of the most versatile materials in the world, yet it is still relatively unknown in world of design. The first book of its kind, Booming Bamboo, written by Dr Pablo van der Lugt and published by MaterialDistrict (formerly known as Materia), explores the applications for this material, in architecture and design, but also in a multitude of other modern applications.

Booming Bamboo

The (re)discovery of a sustainable
material with endless possibilities

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The (re)discovery of a sustainable material with endless possibilities

Foreword

The world of bamboo is fascinating, inspiring, pragmatic and yet far away.

If we only let the facts speak, we have insufficient logic to gather the attention for bamboo it so much deserves. Facts are solid, since a social housing project with bamboo can provide shelter, while the land required to grow and harvest the bamboo will be cleansed and supply drinking water to the same community, offering a never-ending cycle of carbon sequestration.
But facts alone will not tip the balance: we must also open our hearts. This is why we need more bamboo ambassadors who speak from their deeper inside, who communicate through the Universe, and who ensure that tangible products are made available and can be enjoyed, both in function and with sight. Pablo van der Lugt is one of the unique players in this field. With his doctorate and engineering degrees, he incorporates the scientific perspective, but he also recognizes the wealth of bamboo beyond its mere functionality. Pablo starts from the hard facts of our predatory consumption patterns and the pervasive resource scarcity we are facing. Then he guides us through the technical details and finally opens up a world that is not only pleasing and soothing, it clearly embodies solutions our societies urgently need.

Prof. Gunter Pauli
Author ‘The Blue Economy’
Founder Zero Emissions Research & Initiatives (ZERI)

Material Scarcity
Bamboo Basics
Bamboo Uses
Bamboo’s Environmental Sustainability
Bamboo Technology
Bamboo Applications
References

With more than 20 years of experience in the relatively young bamboo industry, MOSO International is a pioneer in innovative bamboo solutions for indoors and outdoors. MOSO® is recognized as the global A-brand in bamboo because of its focus on sustainability, product quality and innovation.

MaterialDistrict is the world’s leading match-making platform in the field of innovative materials. MaterialDistrict’s value as a high-end materials inspiration source is clear: R&D and design professionals of all industries are using our platform to discover new material solutions.

The International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) is an independent intergovernmental organization established in 1997 to develop and promote innovative solutions to poverty and environmental sustainability using bamboo and rattan.

The Author

Building Engineer dr. ir. Pablo van der Lugt finished his PhD Research about the environmental impact of industrial bamboo materials at Delft University of Technology in 2008.

After his PhD, van der Lugt conducted various ambassador roles in the green building industry and has remained connected as guest lecturer bio-based materials to Delft University of Technology.

In the vision of van der Lugt, in the essential transition towards a more circular economy there are tremendous opportunities for smart bio-based materials made from fast-growing resources such as bamboo, to substitute carbon intensive, high performance materials such as tropical hardwood, steel, PVC and concrete.

Van der Lugt has written several books on bamboo design, architecture and sustainability, and regularly publishes his research findings about engineered bamboo and wood in popular magazines and scientific journals.