Bamboo in costruction

It is a fact that literature about bamboo in modern architecture is hard to find.
At this time bamboo is just used as a forming and constructive element.
it was introduced to Europe through some sporadic organizations and
trial projects.
In regions where it is domestic, it was not just integrated in culture,
but even in architecture. The logical conclusion is that architects of these
regions are more interested in presenting the qualities of this material to us.
it has the image of being the building material of the poorer class, for
example in Colombia the upper class especially prefers concrete. In India the
highest caste builds with stone, the middle castes use wood and only the
lowest castes used that.
The material is not standardized so people in Europe are confronted
with difficulties, if they want to build with structurals.
Nevertheless some famous architects and engineers already made their
experiments with this natural product. The qualities of bamboo are also
appreciated by Renzo Piano. He was interested in combining light metal
elements [tubes /slabs] with it. In this way there arise intersections
between material- and modern light metal- constructions, Arata Isozaki,
Buckminster Fuller und Frei Otto.

Vélez is a graduate architect, from the University of Colombia in Bogotá. He
was born in Manizale/ Colombia in 1949 and has completed over 100
projects using concrete,  (Guada Angustafolia), mangrove wood,
woven palm mat lathing (or expanded metal lath) and clay roof tile.

Vélez has developed a very interesting model for building experimental
structures. He builds only with his own well-trained crew of workers, so he is
able to constantly draw upon past successes and failures in detailing. He
intentionally keeps drawings simple, usually freehand on single sheets of
8x11 graph paper. Cad- drawings only are made for the purchaser or for
building improvements.
The clearest concept to be seen in his drawings is the necessity for balance.
These cantilevers are very large, but maintain an obvious center of gravity
over the support.

The main mistake some architects do is to use it like wood. His
efforts are trials, because he always tries to plan with respecting thebambo
and its peculiarities.