The use of natural and locally sourced building materials is becoming necessary for contemporary architecture if we accept the task to provide meaningful built environment for a growing world population. Abundant or renewable resources like raw earth and vegetable fibers are increasing in recent design experiences.
At the same time, widely differentiated customer demands, new notions distilled from accelerated scientific production, intertwined and rapidly changing use concepts and the ambition to respond to sometimes conflicting inputs are making the design tasks more and more complex. in such a framework the use of digital instruments and an algorithmic control of design processes are extremely effective, if not mandatory. moreover they can contribute to face environmental challenges like enhancing the climatic performance of buildings or optimize their structural behavior and thus reducing the amount of resources needed.
Through the ongoing design research project digital bamboo which is part of the broader project digital nature, Rossella Siani and Stefan Pollak are trying to bring the two spheres closer together. in the first stage of the project, a special focus is given to bamboo species that are cultivated on the Italian peninsula. in a later phase, the achieved results can be implemented at a wider scale with species from other regions of the world. Southeast Asia, Latin America and some African regions seem to offer interesting perspectives for the described approach.

A project commissioned by BACAS and realized in collaboration with Fondazione Mida with:

Rossella Siani/BACAS creative director of architecture programs
Architect, consultant in algorithmic design and digital fabrication, PhD in technology of architecture
and adjunct professor University of Naples – Federico ll and the University of Parma.

Stefan Pollak/BACAS coordinator of sustainable design
Architect, PhD in sustainable urban design, consultant in sustainable design and natural building systems
and chair of AK0 association – Rome.

With the support of Vaha-digital design and AK0-Architecture