"Bamboo - Otate" A Renewable Material for Lightweight Structures

Bamboo, which we know as “Otate” in Mexico, is currently one of the main alternative materials in the promotion of a sustainable and environmentally-friendly construction industry. The Centenary Pavilion, a temporary lightweight structure at the University of Mexico (UNAM), was designed and built based on a grid shell structure made of bamboo. This document describes the pavilion, following the process of form finding, carrying out laboratory tests to discover the mechanical properties of the materials used, analysing the structure based on Mexican regulations and lastly, illustrating the qualities of bamboo as a construction material. This paper is intended as a contribution to the debate regarding and promotion of the constructive application of sustainable materials to avoid the depletion of conventional fossil fuels and at the same time to help develop local economies.