Dezeen Magazine

Eight eye-catching homes made from bamboo

Architects around the world are capitalising on the versatility of bamboo, so we've selected eight of the best homes that incorporate the material, including a prefabricated social housing project in Mexico and a holiday home on stilts in Sri Lanka.


Social Housing Production, Mexico, by Comunal Taller de Arquitectura 

Mexico City studio Comunal Taller de Arquitectura produced a prefabricated bamboo frame for this self-build social housing prototype, which was designed to be recreated by residents in just seven days.

Find out more about Comunal Taller de Arquitectura ›


Casablancka by Budi Pradono Architects

Casablancka, Bali, by Budi Pradono

Indonesian architect Budi Pradono opted for bamboo when designing the complex roof of this sloping house in the Balinese village of Kelating. It was inspired by traditional temporary structures known as Taring.

Find out more about Casablancka›


Bamboo House by Vo Trong Nghia

Bamboo House, Vietnam, by Vo Trong Nghia Architects

Part of Vo Trong Nghia Architects' House for Trees series, which aims to re-establish tropical green space in Vietnam's cities, Bamboo House's exterior is covered with huge concrete planters that have vertical grooves formed from the bamboo poles that were used for their formwork.

Find out more about Bamboo House 


Casa Convento, Ecuador, by Enrique Mova Alvarado

To reduce cost, and eliminate the need to transport materials to the site during the difficult wet season, Enrique Mova Alvarado used 900 bamboo poles harvested from the site to create this house in an Ecuadorian rainforest.

Find out more about Casa Convento ›


Bamboo House by Vilela Florez

Bamboo House, Brazil, by Vilela Florez

Architecture firm Vilela Florez's design for this home in Brazil integrated bamboo slats diagonally in between the building's dark vertical ribs to aid the thermal regulation of its interior.

Find out more about Bamboo House ›


Casa Rana, India, by Made in Earth

Italian non-profit architecture studio Made in Earth designed this vibrant foster home, which is surrounded by a bamboo screen, to house 15 HIV-positive children in an Indian village for charity Terre des Hommes Core Trust.

Find out more about Casa Rana ›


Estate Bungalow, Sri Lanka, By Narein Paerea

Bamboo was used to cover the windows of this wooden treetop holiday home in Sri Lanka. The house takes cues from local watch huts and is raised up on steel supports to offer a breathtaking view over a nearby rubber plantation and lush surrounding jungle.

Find out more about Estate Bungalow ›  


House in Parañaque, Philippines, by Atelier Sacha Cotture

In a nod to the country's Spanish colonial era architecture, Atelier Sacha Cotture clad the facade of this family home in the Philippines with vertical bamboo poles, which also wrap around a central courtyard, to provide the residents' privacy

Find out more about House in Parañaque ›