Chinese cities of the future could be made of bamboo

IKEA's got nothing on this innovative architecture studio out of Beijing, China. Penda wants to develop an entire city out of interlocking bamboo rods and rope — rethinking sustainable design as we know it.

Bamboo grows commonly throughout China and is considered stronger than steel and more resilient than concrete. But in Western cultures, we often perceive those smooth stalks of green as purely decorative. Newsweek once called bamboo "the most useful raw material ever to be overlooked." 

Penda hopes that one day, a modular system that uses bamboo as its primary construction material could replace traditional high-rises. These breathtaking CGI renderings will have you ready to hop on the move-in waitlist.

Bamboo has been called nature's miracle grass, because it's stronger than steel and more resilient than concrete.

Source: Newsweek

It also grows incredibly fast. It can stretch over four feet per day in the right conditions.

Source: Penda

Unlike trees, which can be harvested only once every 20 years or so, bamboo is a rapidly renewable resource. It sells for roughly a dollar per three feet.

Source: Discover Magazine