Mastering the Art of Bamboo Scaffolding: The Last Remaining City to Use Bamboo in Construction
Key Highlights :
Mo Jia Yu is training to become a bamboo scaffolder in Hong Kong, a metropolis that is one of the world’s last remaining cities to use bamboo scaffolding in modern construction and building repair. A skillful and daring profession, scaffolders perched on bamboo frames several storeys high are a common sight, and are nicknamed “spiders” by Hong Kongers for their agility over the web-like latticework.
Learning the craft requires mastering a basic knot and understanding how to firmly saddle the bamboo frame so that their hands are free to work on the scaffolds, which are held together with simple knots tied using nylon strips. Scaffolding using bamboo dates back centuries and was once a widespread practice across China and elsewhere in Asia. However, most cities in the region have phased it out to favour materials such as steel and aluminium.
In Hong Kong, intricate bamboo webs are still part of the cityscape, latticed around both old residential flats and glitzy skyscrapers. Scaffolding is regulated by strict safety guidelines, but is still viewed as a dangerous profession since the work is often done at dizzying heights.
Despite the perils involved in the craft, many hope Hong Kong will preserve it as part of its cultural heritage. Its popularity in the city is due to both price and efficiency. Bamboo is readily available across the border in southern Chinese provinces. A pole costs around HK$15 (US$2) compared with HK$280 (US$35) for one made of metal. Lightweight bamboo is also easier to transport through a cramped urban centre. It is flexible, allowing builders to cut poles to desired lengths for different construction sites.
Learning the craft of bamboo scaffolding requires courage, skill, and an understanding of safety. It is an art form that has been passed down for centuries and is an integral part of the Hong Kong culture. The craft of bamboo scaffolding is a skill that is both efficient and economical, and is a testament to the ingenuity of the human spirit.
