Scaffolding around one of the towers following the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong on November 28. Photo / Leung Man Hei, Bloomberg via The Washington Post
Scaffolding around one of the towers following the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong on November 28. Photo / Leung Man Hei, Bloomberg via The Washington Post
Bamboo scaffolding has become a focus of debate in Hong Kong after last Wednesday’s tragic fire in the territory left at least 146 dead and spurred questions over whether its use contributed to the inferno.
While mainland China has shifted to metal frames to support building and maintenance projects, HongKong still relies on thousands of skilled workers who specialise in tying lighter, cheaper and abundant bamboo poles together.
Along with double-decker trams that rattle along crowded streets and ferries that traverse its harbour, bamboo-clad buildings have long been a distinctive feature of the territory.
Some early media coverage of the disaster questioned whether the bamboo poles surrounding the Wang Fuk Court towers had contributed to the blaze.
The Government has subsequently said that Styrofoam boards used to cover the windows of the buildings might be the main reason for the rapid spread of fire, with investigations continuing.
Still, Chief Executive John Lee quickly announced plans to stop the use of bamboo in construction projects, ramping up earlier pledges to phase it out.
That’s spurred some in the administrative region to come to the traditional techniques’ defence.
“I find it a real pity that it’s the bamboo scaffolding that is becoming the poster boy of this drama, because bamboo as a material I would say is innocent in this whole story,” said Kristof Crolla, associate professor of architecture at the University of Hong Kong, pointing to the Styrofoam boards and netting as likely contributors.
“Bamboo, as a natural material, yes it burns, but it doesn’t sustain the flames,” said Crolla, who has used bamboo in his projects.
For a territory where memories of intense pro-democracy street protests six years ago remain fresh, the bamboo debate has another dimension: it’s another symbol of Hong Kong’s unique identity that’s now under threat.
A residential building under construction in Hong Kong. Photo / Anthony Kwan, Bloomberg via The Washington Post
Bamboo scaffolding is a millennia-old practice that originated in mainland China.
It has a long history in Hong Kong, with bamboo scaffolding workers setting up a union as early as 1911, said Terry Yip, associate director of the Xiqu and Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre at the Education University of Hong Kong.
“Hong Kong people feel that this culture is unique to Hong Kong, so we have a sense of ownership when we look at it,” said Yip.
“Bamboo scaffolding, as an intangible heritage, is basically something you see every day when you step out onto the street.”
Preference for the material has practical elements too.
Unlike metal scaffolding that’s made up of standardised parts and bolts, bamboo is more flexible and can be cut to size easily to fit limited and irregular spaces - useful in a densely populated city where buildings are sometimes just inches apart.
The defence of bamboo also has an economic rationale. The switch to metal scaffolding would mean jobs may pass to workers mostly from mainland China and away from the city’s homegrown scaffolders.
On the mainland, some on social media were dismissive of Hong Kongers’ attachment to bamboo.
One poster said it stems from the need “to preserve a sense of superiority tied to a former colony that’s now declining”.
Others pointed the finger at the local Hong Kong construction industry protecting its own interests.
Authorities are already taking steps to contain mounting anger over the blaze, including by arresting a man who started a petition demanding the Government take follow-up action after the fire.
- With assistance from Yujing Liu and Kevin Dharmawan.
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