Fatima Joy Judaya

BS Architecture 4D
ASpec 3

FINAL ESSAY
Bamboo is an ancient and traditional building material utilized in a variety of construction
projects and it now has become one of the popular material choices especially when it comes to
green building. It has become a sustainable and ecological alternative for wood for its structural
characteristics.
Kontum Indochine Cafe by the Vo Trong Nghia Architects is one of the many interesting
buildings which incorporates modern bamboo architecture. It is part of a hotel complex for
Kontum Indochine Hotel in Kontum City, Middle Vietnam, beside the Dakbla River. The café is
located next to Dakbla Bridge, a gateway to Kontum City, and serves breakfast, supper, and tea
to hotel guests. It can also be used for wedding ceremonies as a semi-outdoor dining hall. The
structure's roof is made of bamboo-clad polycarbonate panels, but it also has layers of thatch
and fibre-reinforced plastic. The plastic panels are uncovered in some spots, allowing natural
light to pass through the canopy. Traditional Vietnamese fishing baskets inspired the architects
when designing the 15 conical pure bamboo columns that support the main structure's ceiling.
The open-air dining area, which serves as the hotel's restaurant and banqueting hall, is divided
into a grid by these top-heavy bamboo structures. All of the columns' fixings are all made of
bamboo rather than steel, and they were built using traditional methods including traditional
treatment technique of soaking in mud and smoking out for the treatment of bamboo, and the
use of low-tech joint details like rattan-tying and bamboo nails. To attain the desired quality and
accuracy, the columns of Kontum City are prefabricated before being erected.
Bamboo has both advantages and disadvantages as a green building material. In terms
of its pros, it is fast-growing wherein it only takes 3-6 years to harvest most bamboo species
used in construction, making it the most efficient renewable resource. It also possesses both
excellent rigidity and density because of its short fibers which makes it flexible and light, as such
declaring bamboo as a great choice for earthquake-prone areas. Additionally, this material is
easy to harvest and install, requiring no special techniques, and is also affordable, living up to
its impression as the building material of the poor. On the other hand, bamboo also have its
disadvantages when used in construction due to its nature such as its susceptibility to
deterioration if not cut, treated and stored correctly, and also its variation in terms of its quality.
Furthermore, bamboo cannot be painted easily due to its slick waterproof coating, but it can be
done with the correct types of paint.
Bamboo architecture is becoming increasingly fashionable. It has evolved from a poor
man's building material to the preferred choice of ambitious architects. It has also become one
of the alternatives to consider when aiming for a sustainable and eco-friendly building.