The bamboo virtuosos of Vo Trong Nghia Architects are at it again, this time with a new plant-filled pavilion at Sydney’s Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation (SCAF) which can be viewed now, and has its official opening on July 7.
The Vietnamese firm is best known for designing innovative, green structures, many of which use bamboo as the primary support system and aesthetic element. Indeed, the forest-like SCAF pavilion was created in part to demonstrate the strength of bamboo and its potential as a green building material—"green steel," as the firm likes to call it.
Named Green Ladder, the structure has an open framework inviting exploration from visitors. Elevated woven planters create levels of greenery, while a flat roof of clear acrylic panels provides shelter from the elements.
The bamboo used in the pavilion was cured using traditional methods—spending two months submerged in water and then another month treated with smoke.