Enzo's creating bamboo homes

A Preston student is hoping the project he made as part of his degree course will help tackle problems in Vietnam.
Enzo Vellin showcasing his work at the UCLan Lancashire Arts Festival.Enzo Vellin showcasing his work at the UCLan Lancashire Arts Festival.
Enzo Vellin showcasing his work at the UCLan Lancashire Arts Festival.

As part of his architecture studies at the University of Central Lancashire, Enzo Vellin designed a structure made solely from bamboo in a bid to tackle air pollution, education and homelessness.

He wanted to experiment with sustainable materials which could potentially replace traditional building materials and was inspired by a trip to Vietnam last year, where he believes this type of structure could bring significant benefits to local people.

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Enzo, who moved to Preston from Mauritius, said: “During my time in Vietnam I became aware of certain issues affecting the environment that needed to be addressed, which is where my inspiration came from to create a 100 per cent bamboo school and research facility in the middle of Ho Chi Minh City.

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“The aim of my project is to combat air pollution, education and homelessness through architecture and I have positioned the building in the middle of a major city in the hope other organisations looking to build infrastructure there would do the same.”

Using a variety of computer software, Enzo carried out a number of stress tests which he used to maximise the strength of the bamboo building.

He said: “The tests were extremely important.

“They allowed me to ensure that the materials being used were not only sustainable but would function in the same way as traditional building materials, making it safe to build.”

Enzo’s project has also earned him a Lancashire Arts Festival Award.