The 2024 Bamboo Expo and World Bamboo Congress kicked off on March 16th, spanning five counties and cities, including Hsinchu, Nantou, Yunlin, Chiayi, and Hualien. The event showcased diverse applications of bamboo in daily life, crafts, and architecture, alongside activities such as experiences and markets. Co-organized by the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency and the Ministry of Culture Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute, in collaboration with the Taiwan Bamboo Society, the event was held at the National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), with Chiaotung Campus serving as the main exhibition venue for the Hsinchu area.
- The theme of the Hsinchu Exhibition is “The Cubic of Bamboo“: Hsinchu x NYCU x Bamboo, encompassing the Tectonics of The Island at Chiaotung Campus and market activities in Hsinchu’s Jiangjun Village.
- The Tectonics of The Island features six bamboo artworks that combine contemporary architectural design with craftsmanship, showcasing bamboo construction’s experimental spirit and new aesthetics. The historical roots of Hsinchu’s Bamboo City (embracing the past) and the innovative representation of NYCU (picturing the future) aim to depict the limitless possibilities of bamboo and demonstrate its green commercial potential.
Carbon Reduction Lifestyle: Integrating Bamboo Structures into Daily Life
- Hill Yeh, the curator of the Hsinchu Exhibition, also emphasized that bamboo is widely abundant in Taiwan’s dense forests, presenting a unique environmental, cultural, and industrial advantage. Moving the exhibits closer to urban centers is a way to integrate bamboo structures into daily life, thereby reintroducing the local population to long-standing folk architectural traditions.
- Pei-hsuen Hsu, Chairman of the Taiwan Bamboo Society and Director of the Institute of Architecture at NYCU, believes that the scope and potential of bamboo as a building material are continually expanding. Continuous improvements in methods and the development of key components like connectors facilitate the full utilization of bamboo in architecture or handicrafts.
- An exemplary piece like the “Rolling Pavilion,” situated between the departments of NYCU and the second cafeteria, was designed by Assistant Professor Ling-Li Tseng from the Institute of Architecture. Employing split bamboo instead of bamboo tubes, it supports a massive circular structure, growing naturally from the ground with organic curves, thus creating a freely flowing organic spatial form. The intention is to establish a focal point, offering students on campus a space for relaxation, dining, or hosting temporary events.
The “Rolling Pavilion” was designed by Assistant Professor Ling-Li Tseng from the Institute of Architecture. (photo from Serendipity Studio)
World Bamboo Congress: Over 200 Experts Gather to Explore Green Economy
- In addition to the bamboo artwork exhibition, from April 18th to April 22nd, the 12th World Bamboo Congress will convene, gathering over 200 experts from 30 countries in the bamboo industry. They will explore the green economy of bamboo, its processing and manufacturing, and innovative applications within the context of the international carbon reduction trend. The aim is to reshape the new outlook of carbon-reducing lifestyles through the culture of bamboo for the next generation.
- The theme of this congress focuses on three main axes: “Sustainable Development and Green Economy,” “Technology and Processing Innovation,” and “Contemporary Design and Applications,” all of which are integrated with the three aspects of the bamboo industry: ecology, production, and daily life. The forum will also feature an on-site exhibition of the bamboo industry, aiming to allow participants to experience the rich diversity of the bamboo industry in Taiwan.
- Pei-Hsien Hsu, Chairman of the Taiwan Bamboo Association, remarked, “The visual design of this event presents five colors representing bamboo, symbolizing the intertwining bamboo culture from the five-county exhibition areas. We hope that through this event, we can re-examine the trends of the bamboo industry in Taiwan, both on an international and local level.”
For More Information：NYCU Official Website Link
