Shen Chen, a graduate of TU Delft has designed a temporary stadium and the primary building material is bamboo, a material she calls god’s gift to building. Bamboo is an ecologically sound building material because it is as strong as mild steel and one of the fastest growing plants.
Chen's research borrows heavily from the building typologies of the East such as the grandstand designed by Japanese design studio Atelier Bow Bow and the 30 meter wide Great Hall in Indonesia.
Chen believes that even in the West, where bamboo is not a native plant, it can contribute to the development of more sustainable construction methods. The young architect proposes that the temporary stadium is built in three components: the roof, grandstand, and facilities– so that the structure can b disassembled, transported and reused for different functions.
It is projected that the first iteration of the multifunctional temporary stadium will be built in De Bretten, a green zone in Geuzenveld, Amsterdam. De Bretten lacks adequate recreational facilities and bamboo could help lessen the impact on local urban development.
“In addition to the sustainable value of building with bamboo, the integration of living bamboo into building design may blur the boundary between nature and architecture,” says Chen.
The design features two semicircle grandstands and a cantilevered roof to shield the field, as well as facilities. The design integrates living bamboo into the façade of the stadium and Chen proposes that the plants could also be used in landscaping.
Chen is still researching some factors of the design such as the load bearing capabilities of bamboo and building the structure to scale.
Shen Chen has been shortlisted for the Archiprix International prize for best graduation project worldwide.
