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Bamboo U

Bamboo U

Orin Hardy
Arte, Educación

The Bamboo U podcast brings you conversations about design, creative thinking, architecture, and bamboo. Bamboo U is an educational experience that teaches people, how to design and build with bamboo. We run workshops that show our participants how to create innovative structures out of bamboo, and how to incorporate bamboo into their own projects. This show is a series of interviews with bamboo experts and pioneers who are exploring innovative ways to inspire the world to work with bamboo as a sustainable timber for the future.

24 - Engineering with Bamboo for the Future
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  • 24 - Engineering with Bamboo for the Future

    In this final bonus episode, I sit down with David Trujillo to discuss the structural qualities of bamboo, the challenges of connections, durability and fire, and how engineered bamboo could play a critical role in the future of low-carbon construction.

     

    In this podcast, we discuss the following topics:

    David Trujillo’s path into bamboo engineering and academic researchWhy bamboo is structurally strong, including strength-to-weight performanceThe natural efficiency of bamboo’s hollow, nodal structureCommon misconceptions about bamboo being “as strong as steel”Key limitations of bamboo as a structural materialThe central challenge of bamboo connections and joint designCurrent and future directions for standardized bamboo connectorsDurability concerns: insects, moisture, preservation, and maintenanceHow design strategies extend the lifespan of bamboo buildingsFire performance, safety considerations, and height limitationsThe role of ISO standards in bamboo constructionThe potential of engineered bamboo for larger and taller buildingsDifferences between bamboo species and emerging material property patternsThick-walled bamboo and new opportunities for constructionGrading systems and supply chains for structural bambooPinboo (dowel-laminated bamboo) as an intermediate, scalable technologyFuture research priorities for advancing bamboo engineering
    Tue, 30 Dec 2025 - 54min
  • 23 - Bamboo at Scale: Building the Future

    What does it take to turn bamboo from a traditional building material into a planetary-scale solution for construction and climate change?

    In this episode, I sit down with David Sands, architect and pioneer of round-pole bamboo construction, and Russell Smith, former software executive and co-founder of Rizome, a Philippines-based bamboo company working at the intersection of carbon removal, community development, and engineered bamboo materials.

    Together, we explore the full arc of bamboo’s potential: From village-scale, heart-led architecture to engineered beams capable of replacing steel, and even the possibility of future bamboo high-rises.

     

    In this episode, we discuss:

    How David Sands brought round-pole bamboo through U.S. building codes—a 7-year process that proved “impossible” doesn’t mean impossibleRussell Smith’s transition from software and product launches to building a bamboo-based climate businessWhy bamboo must be grown, not just planted, and how community stewardship makes long-term impact possibleRizome’s three-part model: carbon finance, community bamboo growing, and engineered bamboo productsThe role of carbon credits in funding bamboo at scale and why they’re essential in the first 10 yearsTurning bamboo into standardized materials: splits → panels → beams → buildingsPrice parity with steel, fire resistance, durability, and performance dataThe tension and complementarity between round-pole bamboo and engineered “square” bambooWhy replacing even 12% of global construction materials with bamboo could address a third of human carbon emissionsWhat’s holding bamboo back now: policy, codes, and mindset—not material performanceThis conversation is a deep dive into bamboo as infrastructure, climate strategy, and cultural material, and a reminder that the future of building doesn’t have to look like the past. In this episode, we really dive into how bamboo as a serious contender for shaping the future of cities, communities, and climate solutions.

     

    This conversation is a deep dive into bamboo as infrastructure, climate strategy, and cultural material, and a reminder that the future of building doesn’t have to look like the past. In this podcast, we demonstrate that bamboo is a serious contender for shaping the future of cities, communities, and climate solutions.

    Thu, 25 Dec 2025 - 51min
  • 22 - Bamboo and the Courage to Act

    Welcome to this mini season of the Bamboo U Podcast!

    In this episode, I sit down with Gunter Pauli, the mind behind the concept of the Blue Economy to talk about Gunter's journey and the life experiences that shaped his optimistic, action-driven worldview. We also discuss how Gunter got involved with bamboo and how Bali was the starting point of his journey with the material.

     

    In this podcast, we discuss the following topics:

    Gunter Pauli’s personal journey and the life experiences that shaped his mindsetThe origins of Gunter’s work in bamboo and how Bali played a pivotal role in his bamboo journeyThe creation of the ZERI Pavilion with Simón Vélez and how it became a turning point for modern bamboo architectureOvercoming permitting, engineering, and fire safety challenges for large-scale bamboo structuresHow the term “vegetable steel” emerged from structural testing of bambooBamboo as a regenerative material for land restoration, water production, and climate resilienceScaling bamboo for social housing: lessons from Ecuador and ColombiaBamboo housing as a pathway from extreme poverty to long-term stabilityShifting the narrative from “temporary housing” to safety, dignity, and opportunityThe importance of acting quickly when windows of opportunity appearWhy “analysis leads to paralysis” and the power of prototyping with your handsUnexpected future applications of bamboo, including fiber-based products like diapersHow bamboo fits into the broader Blue Economy philosophy: Using what you have to meet immediate needsWhy trust, timing, and action matter more than perfect plans
    Fri, 19 Dec 2025 - 36min
  • 21 - Bamboo Building in Mexico

    In the final podcast of this season, I sat down with Mexico-based architect, Lucilla Aguilar to talk about her experience in working with bamboo for post-earthquake relief and how she created systems for working with bamboo that are replicable and easy for non-bamboo carpenters to work with. 

    In This Episode We Discuss:

    The Beauty Of Bamboo ArchitectureMy First Bamboo ProjectCollaborating With Other Bamboo Architects In MexicoBamboo Housing For Post Earthquake ReliefWhat Bamboo Can Do For CommunitiesCreating Adaptable DesignsCreating Replicable And Easy Systems For Working With BambooBuilding Walls For Bamboo StructuresDeveloping A Bamboo WorkforceBamboo Building RegulationsBringing Bamboo Into Urban CentresBuilding A Bamboo PavilionBuilding Inspiring and Long Lasting StructuresBuilding A Bamboo CommunityThe Beauty Of Bamboo ArchitectureMy First Bamboo ProjectCollaborating With Other Bamboo Architects In MexicoBamboo Housing For Post-Earthquake ReliefWhat Bamboo Can Do For CommunitiesCreating Adaptable DesignsCreating Replicable And Easy Systems For Working With BambooBuilding Walls For Bamboo StructuresDeveloping A Bamboo WorkforceBamboo Building RegulationsBringing Bamboo Into Urban CentresBuilding A Bamboo PavilionBuilding Inspiring and Long Lasting StructuresBuilding A Bamboo Community
    Wed, 27 Sep 2023 - 54min
  • 20 - Building Bamboo Furniture

    We dive into the world of bamboo furniture production with Rebecca Reubens, the driving force behind Rhizome. From industrial design to bamboo furniture, Rebecca shares her journey of working with bamboo; empowering collaborations with local communities, NGOs, local governments, and craftspeople. We talk about everything from colonization, the issues with industrial design, creating products with soul, and much more. 

    In This Episode We Discuss:

    From Industrial Design To BambooInvestigating Bamboo Species For Furniture ProductionUsing Local BambooStandardising BambooChanging The Perception Of BambooCreating A High-Value Bamboo Product LineUplifting Local Bamboo CommunitiesWorking with INBAREmpowering CommunitiesWorking With The Local GovernmentDendrocalamus StrictusTraditional Skills And Contemporary DesignsThe Value Of CraftspeopleChallenges In Bamboo FurnitureCreating Products With SoulWhat is Next For RhizomeRebecca’s Advice For Designers Who Aspire To Work With Bamb
    Mon, 25 Sep 2023 - 47min
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