Breezy Bamboo Community for India Pays Homage to Local Culture

Intended for Chennai, India, this sustainable housing proposal gives more than a passing nod to the cultural context in which it will be built. Not only does <a href="http://tripleostudio.wordpress.com/">Triple O Studio</a> pay detailed attention to the social behavior of the people who will live in these interlinking <a href="http://inhabitat.com/vertical-bamboo-towers-are-high-tech-and-primitive-at-the-same-time/">bamboo homes</a>, but they have also designed to ensure use of local skill sets and materials in order to create jobs and keep construction costs to a minimum. Conceived as part of the <a href="http://www.designagainsttheelements.org/">Design Against the Elements</a> challenge to come up with sustainable housing for less developed areas of the world, the bamboo community also features wastewater treatment and <a href="http://inhabitat.com/futuristic-farm-house-designed-to-collect-rainwater-and-shelter-migrant-workers/">rainwater harvesting</a>.

This simple but interesting design maximizes community engagement.

Using bamboo and other locally-sourced materials and skill sets ensures low costs and environmental impact

Triple O also uses traditional building techniques that pay attention to the specific needs of the locals who will live in these homes.

Services have been placed strategically to minimize excavation and land fill

Both grey and black water will be treated and reused, and terraces will harvest rainwater

Great care has been taken to create rooms that are contextually sensitive while also ensuring that the community can converge at a community center, or at various green spaces