Bamboo in contemporary construction and design
With its eco-friendly sustainable qualities and naturally beautiful look and texture, bamboo is rapidly becoming the trendy material to use in home and commercial developments across the United States.
Some of the country’s hippest cities – as well as one that isn’t always thought of as being so fashionable but is in the process of watching a contemporary apartment building rise in its midst – are experiencing what can only be described as a bamboo revolution in the construction and renovation industries.
Environmentally friendly Hard Rock Cafe
The Hard Rock Cafe in Honolulu isn’t just a restaurant and attraction for locals and tourists, it’s also an environmentally friendly building with Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
While you’ll probably first check out the restaurant for its live music, specialty happy hour cocktails and exotic foods inspired by local cuisine, you’ll come back to spend a few more minutes gazing at its eye-catching bamboo floors. And it was those bamboo floors, along with recycled glass and green operating procedures, that were a major reason why the building was able to earn its
Diamond LEED recognition.
Chic Los Angeles home incorporates bamboo
In Los Angeles these days, the northeast side of town is the place to be. Boasting an ever-increasing population of celebrities, hot new bars and restaurants, and classic homes that have been renovated with modern flourishes, it’s the neighborhood in which to see and be seen.
One of those updated northeast-side vintage homes is located in the Eagle Rock neighborhood, and recently went up for sale. Built in 1921, the 902-square-foot residence located on an 8,000-square-foot lot features bamboo throughout, with strand bamboo flooring and solid bamboo countertops in the kitchen and bamboo floors in one of the bedrooms.
Those innovative and sustainable design techniques have made this property one of the more desirable on the market in trendy Los Angeles.
Hot in Cleveland
Cleveland isn’t usually thought of as being at the forefront of modern culture, but a new residential development in the city may help to change that image.
Developer Andrew Brickman, known for building the energy-efficient Eleven Rivers residences in nearby Rocky River, is using bamboo floors as part of his effort to keep his latest project – the Clifton Pointe Townhomes, in the Lakewood area of Cleveland – as sustainable and modern as possible.
Bamboo panels and floors aren’t just about sustainability. As these projects are showing, their natural beauty can make them an important feature of any modern design.