Vegan Design for Art Studio

Bamboo U reports on student Amarillo Ngozi designs a “Vegan Creative Studio and Art Residency” using bamboo and hyperbolic paraboloid (“hypar”) forms, combining ethical, ecological, and aesthetic considerations. The design is informed by a Bamboo U course, which influences both vision and technique.

The studio  design is rooted in vegan architecture — a design philosophy that honours animal rights, ecology, and human health. Bamboo was selected for its low environmental footprint, carbon negativity, versatility, and alignment with these ethical values. The location imagined is rural St. James, Jamaica: on a hillside above a stream/pond, integrating natural surroundings. The design hopes to create a tranquil immersive environment: bamboo canopy filtering light; indoor‐outdoor fluidity; the glass between nature and creative work is minimal.

Materials & Form

The design uses Bambusa vulgaris, a species of bamboo common in Jamaica, chosen for strength and availability.  Structural forms include hyperbolic paraboloids (hypars): curved surfaces made from straight bamboo poles. These provide fluid, organic forms while maintaining structural logic.