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An Open Ended Design for a Bamboo Flood Shelter

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A small structure entirely built of bamboo is envisioned by H&P Architects as a flexible design that can withstand floods in their native Vietnam.

Elevated on stilts, the house is accessed using wooden ladders that lead to small decks around the perimeter.

They used tightly-packed rows of bamboo cane to build the walls, floors and roof with bamboo wattle, fiberboard and coconut leaves.

Bamboo ‘french doors’ pivot and swing open on bamboo poles.

These allow breezes (or floodwaters) to pass through.

The space in the attic could be used as a meditation or study area.

The sections of the roof can be propped open or completely closed, depending on the weather.

While the persistent bamboo aesthetic is charming, the architects have a serious mission.

The simple structure can be assembled in just 25 days, and used for a variety of purposes.

The area underneath can be used for keeping plants and animals, and is designed to allow floodwater to pass through safely.

As an exercise in vernacular architecture, it is a sweet space.

And not just for waiting out floods.