Used as a foundation in everything from rustic serving plates to newborn onesies, bamboo is like the tofu of eco-conscious design. As someone who loves tofu, I mean that in the nicest way: Both have an elementary kind of versatile appeal. A particularly elegant representation of bamboo's broad aesthetic is the Pile Isle Reloaded bench by German based bamboo-design company, Conbam.
The piece is designed for Conbam by artists Elena Goray and Christoph Tönges. The stunningly simple construction consists of little more than a collection of brown bamboo poles strapped together with four stainless steel belts. Neither screw nor glue is added to the equation. Highlighting the virtues of the bamboo medium itself, the piece is as at home in an urban setting as by a zen pond.
More Info: Conbam Advanced Bamboo Applications
(Images: Elana Goray for Conbam)
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we cut this much bamboo every spring and this bench looks awesome but I can't help but think that bees would move into the ends of it...
Actually, serious eco-minds are not totally convinced about bamboo. Increased demand has led to huge bamboo plantations (monocultures) replacing diverse ancient forest. Also, to turn bamboo into soft fibre for clothing etc takes huge amounts of water and a lot of toxic chemicals (although a cleaner 'closed-loop' system is used by some companies, but so far not the majority).
I don't like bamboo clothing, seems to take forever to dry, not a good thing.
Wouldn't the cut ends dig into your back? Or into a cushion? I'm not overwhelmed by the look, either...
This looks seriously uncomfortable. Both the cut ends and the steel straps look like skin scrapers. Plus, the ends would be spider heaven.