A 782 square metre school sports hall in Thailand was built from bamboo, showcasing the strength and beauty of this sustainable construction material.

The Panyaden International School in Chang Mai needed a sheltered sports arena to suit the hot or wet climate. They asked the architects to design a modern sports facility with a capacity of 300 students. The building needed to integrate with the natural surroundings and existing architecture, and to reflect Panyaden’s ‘green school’ philosophy.

The 782 square metre sports hall is constructed of bamboo, which has the compressive force of concrete and the tensile strength of steel. Its roof is supported by prefabricated bamboo trusses of over 17 meters, which do not contain steel reinforcements or connections. Engineers ensured that the structure complied with modern safety standards, and that the building would withstand earthquakes, strong winds and other disasters. The design allows for natural ventilation, creating a cool and pleasant indoor climate throughout the year without the need for air-conditioning.

The sports hall has no carbon footprint as the CO2 absorbed while the bamboo was growing is less than that emitted during treatment, transport and construction. By using bamboo instead of wood as a construction material, the building also effectively made more efficient use of land as bamboo grows more densely than trees and a structural column can be grown in just 3 years (compared to the 10-20 years required for soft woods). The exposed bamboo structure is aesthetically pleasing, and showcases local handicraft. The hall has a lifespan of at least 50 years, during which it will educate thousands of students about the potential of bamboo as a sustainable construction material.