The bamboo scaffolding building typology—temporary, agile, and deeply rooted in tradition—particularly, the bamboo shed theatre building technique, is recognized as an item of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Hong Kong. As one walks through the city, especially in busy urban districts, it's nearly impossible not to encounter a bamboo scaffold within a five-minute radius. Bamboo scaffolding is arguably the most iconic construction material in Hong Kong, valued for its abundance, sustainability, flexibility, adaptability, and—most importantly—scalability. These qualities have contributed to its widespread use in temporary construction, from building maintenance and renovations to festival stages and sporting events.
However, this once-ubiquitous feature of the urban landscape may be slowly fading from view. A dwindling pool of skilled, younger workers—combined with evolving construction regulations—has contributed to its decline. On March 17, the Development Bureau announced plans to "drive a wider adoption of metal scaffolds in public building works." In practice, this means the Architectural Services Department (ArchSD) will soon require at least 50% of its capital works projects to utilize metal scaffolding. While not a formal ban, the policy signals what many see as the beginning of a gradual phase-out of bamboo scaffolding in public-sector construction.
The government cited safety as the main concern—since 2018, bamboo scaffolding has been linked to 23 fatalities. However, many in the community point to other factors behind the decision. One concern is the aging workforce: with few younger workers entering the trade, a generational skills gap is emerging. Others point to fire hazards—such as a 2023 blaze that spread rapidly at a high-rise construction site where bamboo scaffolding contributed to the fire's severity. Still others cite the predictability and standardized strength of steel, which makes it more attractive for engineering, sourcing, and compliance. This article reflects on the cultural significance of bamboo scaffolding, revisits key incidents, and considers its evolving role in Hong Kong's construction identity.
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Ephemeral Icons: How Temporary Bamboo Structures Shape Lasting Traditions
As mentioned earlier, temporary bamboo structures—particularly those built using the shed theatre building technique—are highly celebrated in Hong Kong. A fully functional, festive theatre stage can often appear seemingly overnight, complete with dazzling signage, vibrant decorations, and an unmistakable sense of cultural occasion. These mesmerizing transformations are beautifully captured in Bamboo Theatre, a 76-minute documentary directed by Cheung Cheuk. But beyond the theatre, bamboo's versatility also finds expression in other cultural festivities—most notably, the Cheung Chau Bun Festival, held annually on Cheung Chau Island.
The centerpiece of this festival is a trio of towering "Bun Mountains": 60-foot-high bamboo structures covered with thousands of edible buns. Historically, bamboo was the ideal material for constructing these towers for several pragmatic reasons—it was lightweight and easy to transport to the island, adaptable and reusable, and readily available as the primary scaffolding material in Hong Kong. Its affordability and temporary nature also made it ideal for seasonal festivals. The image of loose bamboo poles, skillfully bound and rising into a vertical tower, has long been both a technical marvel and a powerful cultural symbol.
During the festival's signature competition, young participants would race up the towers to collect buns—the higher the bun, the better the fortune it was believed to bring to their families.
However, in 1978, tragedy struck. The towers collapsed mid-race, injuring over 100 people. The government suspended the bun-snatching ritual immediately. Despite the ban, the tradition's significance remained deeply rooted in local sentiment. For many Cheung Chau residents, the festival is more than a celebration—it's a core part of their identity and a living expression of Hong Kong's cultural heritage.
After prolonged public calls for revival, the competition was reinstated in 2005 under stricter safety regulations. Key changes included pre-screening trained athletes, reducing the number of towers from three to one, and—most notably—replacing the bamboo frame with steel. While this may not have been the first time bamboo had been substituted with metal, but it carried particular symbolic weight. The shift marked a cultural turning point: steel was now seen as safer, more reliable, and ultimately more acceptable than bamboo for large-scale public events.
Though the bamboo scaffold was lost, the ritual remained intact—and the community was largely satisfied. The tradition lives on, celebrated annually with great fanfare. Yet the shift to steel scaffolding leaves an open question: if bamboo could be replaced in something as culturally significant as the Bun Mountains, could the same fate await the bamboo theatre typology? The answer may not be immediate, and only time will tell.
Light, Strong, and Everywhere - Bamboo's Role in Building Hong Kong
Bamboo scaffolding has long been integral to the construction landscape in Hong Kong. Whether for completing new buildings, conducting routine maintenance, or installing everyday household equipment like air conditioners, bamboo has been the go-to scaffolding material. Its application spans an incredibly wide range—from low-cost public housing estates to some of the most iconic and expensive buildings in the world. Even Norman Foster's HSBC Headquarters, once the most expensive building of its time, made use of bamboo scaffolding during its construction. It's no exaggeration to say that the Hong Kong skyline as we know it today was built quite literally on a framework of bamboo.
Its ubiquity is not without reason. Bamboo is both reusable and sustainable, and its physical properties make it uniquely suited to the dense urban conditions of the city. It can be cut and assembled on site with minimal tools, handled easily by one or two workers, and carried without the need for heavy machinery. Its high strength-to-weight ratio makes it especially adaptable, allowing the same material to be used across a range of scales—from the simple installation of window-mounted air conditioning units in high-rise flats to the structural needs of tower construction or estate-wide renovation projects.
Over the decades, bamboo scaffolding has evolved into a refined construction system with its own logic, craft knowledge, and efficiencies. It's supported by a highly skilled labor force and a clear set of expectations for how it's assembled and disassembled. Compared to more industrialized methods—such as steel scaffold systems—bamboo remains significantly more cost-effective, further cementing its place in everyday construction across the city.
Living Structures, Modern Standards: Bamboo Scaffolding at a Crossroads
However, the system is not without its challenges. Chief among them is standardization. Unlike dimensional lumber, which undergoes industrial processing to ensure uniformity, raw bamboo varies significantly in wall thickness, tensile strength, and structural performance—even within a single culm. Although international efforts have been made to develop strength grading and certification systems for bamboo, such frameworks have yet to gain traction in Hong Kong. Compounding the issue is the approval process: bamboo scaffolding is typically inspected and signed off by licensed scaffolders only after construction, with minimal prior documentation or structural calculations. This retrospective approach can pose difficulties for building code compliance and safety oversight.
Moreover, bamboo scaffolding is often treated as a living structure—subject to ongoing retying, retightening, and on-site adaptations throughout its use. This evolving, craft-based process is one of its most captivating qualities, blurring the line between construction and maintenance. Yet, it stands in tension with contemporary regulatory demands that favor predictability, pre-approved design, and standardized execution.
Another concern is its flammability. Bamboo is a combustible material, and while it is rarely the cause of fires, its presence on construction sites can accelerate the spread of flames. This vulnerability was brought into sharp focus during a major fire in 2023, when a high-rise under construction in Hong Kong caught fire. With active fire suppression systems not yet 100% performing and bamboo scaffolding encasing the building, the blaze raged for over nine hours, spreading to at least three adjacent buildings. Though bamboo was not to blame for the fire's outbreak, its involvement in the incident raised serious questions about fire safety and the potential consequences in future emergencies.
As regulations evolve and public scrutiny increases, Hong Kong faces a critical moment: how to balance the deep-rooted tradition and proven utility of bamboo scaffolding with the demands of modern safety and standards. The future of bamboo in construction may depend not only on its performance, but on the city's willingness to reimagine how tradition and technology can coexist.
