Architects: Atelier Lai
Area: 20 m²
Year: 2020
Photographs: Shengliang Su, Qixian Liao
Architect-in-Charge: Mado
Design Team: Qixian Liao, Yu Fan, Ming Tang, An Huo
Construction: Shanghai Jingdao Bamboo Construction Design Co. LTD.
Art Show: Malfinio
City: Shanghai
Country: China
The “Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge” by Atelier LAI, first built in Huizhou, used bamboo to blend modern structural techniques with rural aesthetics, showcasing the material’s resilience. Reimagined in Shanghai’s Hongkou district as “Bambow,” it shifts from a functional crossing to a sculptural urban piece, transforming bamboo from a rustic material into a modern art form. Encouraging leaning rather than crossing, it inspires metaphors through performances like Tan Yuanbo’s dances. Its design reflects Chinese artistic traditions, combining softness and rigidity in a flowing, resilient form that bridges vernacular heritage and urban modernity with understated elegance.
![悬竹与身体性Bambow_and_the_body©️苏圣亮 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/悬竹与身体性Bambow_and_the_body©️苏圣亮.jpg)
Two years ago, Atelier LAI designed and built the “Suspended Flying Bridge” in an old village in Huizhou. Named for its structure, which spans the riverbanks while hanging above the water, the bridge was constructed using locally sourced bamboo. The design combined modern structural techniques with scenic concepts, emphasizing the resilience of bamboo and presenting a tectonic representation of the countryside. In this context, the material and technique converge to create a cohesive, organic form.
![悬竹与身体艺术家谭远波_Bambow_and_body_artist_Tan_Yuanbo©️苏圣亮 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/悬竹与身体艺术家谭远波_Bambow_and_body_artist_Tan_Yuanbo©️苏圣亮.jpg)
Material & Technique
Two years later, Atelier LAI introduced “Bambow” in the bustling metropolis of Shanghai, presenting a new narrative of material and technique. Located in the Hongkou district, a former concession area, “Bambow” is set against a backdrop of stone structures and ornate Western classical architecture. Bamboo, once ubiquitous in rural China and integral to daily life, now takes on a new identity as a “guest” in the city—a material that has metaphorically “left home when it was young.” When densely woven bamboo appears on an urban street corner, it captures the curiosity of passersby. No longer a practical, rustic cash crop, it transforms into a street-side art installation or a nostalgic reminder of playful rural memories.
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 1 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/悬竹与身体艺术家的互动2Bambow_interact_with_the_artists_body2©️苏圣亮.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 2 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/节点细节1_Details1©️苏圣亮.jpg)
At this stage, the “Bambow” creates a sense of place that surpasses the tectonic narrative of the “Suspended Flying Bridge,” which primarily emphasizes aesthetics and organic qualities. Here, tectonicity serves a supporting role, bridging biological function with aesthetic expression. The vernacular bamboo material is reinterpreted as an alternative expression of modernity.
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 3 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/轴测图axonometric_drawing-1140x806.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 4 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/悬竹细节1_Bambow_details_1©️廖启贤-1140x760.jpg)
Body & Momentum
Unlike the “Suspended Flying Bridge,” the “Bambow” shifts its function from facilitating foot crossings to supporting the leaning body. Resembling a suspended bamboo chair, it rises from the ground, engaging in a silent dialogue with the century-old tree at the site. This leaning form introduces new possibilities for physical interaction. Tan Yuanbo, a physical artist, expands its meaning through dance performances. When a body sways gently at the end of the “Bambow,” the motion becomes a dance of the mind, harmonizing with the interplay of light, shadows, and the presence of the tree.
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 5 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/悬竹装置Bambow_suspension_device©️苏圣亮-1140x760.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 6 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/悬竹细节2_Bambow_details_2©️廖启贤.jpg)
Virtue & Art
Line serves as the essence of Chinese art. Whether in the flowing ink of calligraphy, the wooden framework of architecture, the cadence of poetry, or the interwoven bamboo crafted by skilled hands, the creator’s momentum and energy are fully expressed through linear forms. In the urban corner where it resides, “Bambow” sways with an open momentum, embodying the material’s strength while evoking the spirit of the Genius Loci.
![悬竹与身体艺术家的互动1Bambow_interact_with_the_artist's_body1©️苏圣亮 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/悬竹与身体艺术家的互动1Bambow_interact_with_the_artists_body1©️苏圣亮.jpg)
The line art of “Bambow” acts as a subtle gesture of intervention. Through the domestication of gravity, it rises from the ground while bending and hanging, softening the starkness of its urban surroundings. Alongside its softness, the form exhibits remarkable tenacity: when it hangs for extended periods, it is pliable; when it stands briefly, it is firm. This interplay of rigidity and flexibility allows it to sway gracefully with momentum and then return to its original position, unwavering in its intent. Its elegance and restraint give it the demeanor of a “gentleman.”
![远观悬竹A_distance_of_bambow©️廖启贤 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/远观悬竹A_distance_of_bambow©️廖启贤.jpg)
Project Gallery
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 7 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/悬竹与街角Bambow_and_street_corner©️苏圣亮-1-1140x950.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 8 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/悬竹与街角Bambow_and_street_corner©️苏圣亮-1140x950.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 9 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/节点细节3_Details3©️苏圣亮.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 10 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/节点细节4_Details4©️苏圣亮-1140x983.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 11 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/悬竹与居民的互动性体验The_interactive_experience_of_bambow_and_residents©️苏圣亮.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 12 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/feature-1-1140x904.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 13 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/远观悬竹A_distance_of_bambow©️廖启贤-1140x760.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 5 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/悬竹装置Bambow_suspension_device©️苏圣亮-1140x760.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 15 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/悬竹与身体性Bambow_and_the_body©️苏圣亮-1140x760.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 16 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/节点细节2_Details2©️苏圣亮.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 4 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/悬竹细节1_Bambow_details_1©️廖启贤-1140x760.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 6 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/悬竹细节2_Bambow_details_2©️廖启贤.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 2 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/节点细节1_Details1©️苏圣亮.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 20 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/悬竹于古树的对望The_bambow_hangs_over_the_ancient_tree©️苏圣亮.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 21 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/悬竹与身体艺术家的互动3_Bambow_interact_with_the_artists_body3_©️苏圣亮.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 1 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/悬竹与身体艺术家的互动2Bambow_interact_with_the_artists_body2©️苏圣亮.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 23 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/悬竹与身体艺术家的互动1Bambow_interact_with_the_artists_body1©️苏圣亮.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 24 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/悬竹与身体艺术家谭远波_Bambow_and_body_artist_Tan_Yuanbo©️苏圣亮-1140x760.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 25 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/总平面图site_plan-1140x806.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 26 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/平面图plan-1140x806.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 27 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/立面图elevation-1140x806.jpg)
![Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI 3 Bambow Suspended Flying Bridge / Atelier LAI](https://www.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/轴测图axonometric_drawing-1140x806.jpg)
Project Location
Address: Duo Lun Road (Duo Lun Lu), Luxun Park, Hongkou District, Shanghai, 200081, China
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.