At 15th, May, 2015, our school students participated in the “Urban Development Workshop” activity which was one part of “i-Start Children’s Art Festival”, and showed six groups of bamboo structure works in HeronLakeIsland. Under the leadership of Professor Huang Tao, the director of Department of Industrial Design, Associate Professor Li Jiang and teacher Min Rui of Department of Fine Arts, more than thirty of undergraduate students used bamboo as materials to build a variety of structures with distinct bamboo space features. These bamboo structures were not only in line with eco-design requirements, but also with a variety of features of public art and exhibition space. So that it was a useful cross-border teaching practical activity.

With the goal of eco-design, students participated in design and production of bamboo structures works throughout the entire process. After delivering the prepared materials toHeronLakeIsland, students finished their works in one week. Because of lack of tools, terrain slope, ground environment and other factors, students encountered a lot of difficulties during the build process, but they still united and built up these bamboo structures with exposure to the blazing sun. Besides, Students came up together with many creative solutions for the problem encountered in the process.

These bamboo structure works were highly praised by professionals and visitors. And in the “i-Start Children’s Art Festival”, children were very happy to paint in these unusual bamboo structure works. So there were good interactions between parents, children, designers and artists. And for tourists, these new structures were both fine art and design works. At the same time, students improved their capacity of cross-border thought and practicing and handling.

Text by Wang Liping