bamboo has long been used as an assembly material in china, particularly hong kong, because of its versatility. one of the most interesting applications of the wood is its structural function for scaffolding. extremely eco-friendly and cost-effective resource, it continues to be used for this purpose because it is durable enough to support the weight of builders, their equipment and materials, but is lightweight itself. unlike typical metal scaffolding, bamboo can also be cut and tailor-made to suit any contour of construction – it can be configured into a variety of shapes and follow irregular architectural features of a building, and takes very little time to build-up. it is light and easily transportable to other sites and no machinery is required to assemble the scaffold and put it in place. when one job draws to a close, bamboo can easily be recycled and used for another project.

a high-rise is encased in double-layer scaffolding image © designboom

double-layered scaffolding consists of a single outer layered scaffold and an inner layer of posts and ledgers (horizontal limber which is fastened to the vertical uprights of a scaffold) which are erected inside. between the two layers, short poles or transoms (crossbar pieces) are used to support timber

planks that form working platforms.