Activation of traditional construction techniques used in Linpan based on the concept of sustainability: case study of bamboo materials

Some traditional habitations, which are vanishing with urban expansion, are sustainable. Linpan contains abundant and excellent construction skills, especially that of using bamboo materials, reflecting the architectural wisdom of local village craftsmen. This paper focuses on the activation of traditional bamboo construction techniques under the background of sustainable urbanization in a logical sequence of "extraction–evolution–activation". Through a literature review and field investigations, this paper preliminarily extracts the typical bamboo techniques in Linpan, such as bamboo roofs, walls, and window lattices. Then, this paper uses SketchUp and BECS software to conduct qualitative and quantitative analyses on bamboo construction techniques and their corresponding building performances. Although the heat conductivity coefficients of bamboo materials are relatively low, the thermal performance of traditional bamboo roofs and walls are still poor, due to the absence of the heavy construction layer. To inherit sustainable architecture and preserve rural memory during rapid urbanization, this study introduces a modern bamboo material—bamboo steel, analyzing its properties and construction methods. Finally, this research practices the activated bamboo construction techniques in the design stage of BambooUp, namely the Chengdu Bamboo Culture Exhibition Center. This project is also a medium to further demonstrate and inherit excellent bamboo construction skills.