Pomegranate Residence N4+ Gluebam House by Advanced Architecture Lab (AAL)

Abstract The Pomegranate Residence is a prototype product of the laminated bamboo prefabricated construction system. It is located on the campus of Huazhong University of Science and Technology and is connected to the architecture department building, creating an integrated whole. The entire construction of the Pomegranate Residence was completed by a team of workers and volunteers within 25 days.

1. Project Background

1. Architect: Advanced Architecture Laboratory of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (Mu Wei, Zhou Chao, Yu Yu)

2. Location: Huazhong University of Science and Technology campus, Wuhan

3. Construction period: October 2012, total of 25 days

4. Floor area: 100 square meters

5. Building area: 60 square meters

6. Structural system: glued bamboo portal steel frame

7. Main materials: glued bamboo, wood, square steel, galvanized iron sheet

8. Construction team: 4 workers and a volunteer team of 30 people

9. Collaborator: Institute of Wood Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry

10. Photography: Li Xiao

2. Main Text

Over the past thirty years, China has experienced unprecedented urban growth driven by rapid economic development. Urbanization has become a key tool for sustaining GDP growth. Under China’s unique political and economic system, there are two main modes of urbanization:

1. New city construction led mainly by the government

2. Urban development primarily driven by private developers

Most large-scale urban projects are commercial in nature, making them luxury commodities rather than public assets. Aside from “urban mirror” and “urban stretching” projects, many older neighborhoods have not benefited from professional architectural expertise. As a result, spontaneous and often unregulated growth has occurred, with numerous low-quality, self-built houses appearing in rural villages and urban outskirts.

Our goal is to carry out sociological restoration of these areas through architectural intervention.

Globally, approximately 85% of buildings are constructed without the involvement of architects. Architectural education and professional services tend to focus on large-scale, commercial buildings in cities, neglecting the smaller residential structures common in rural areas. This has resulted in fragile brick and concrete systems dominating rural construction, alongside diverse self-built buildings in urban settings.

When considering society as the main body of architecture, the first issue that arises is the architectural demand driven by diverse daily spatial needs. Next is the challenge of whether scientific and precise construction methods are applied to the majority of residential buildings. Finally, we consider the role of architects beyond market-driven urbanization and explore the possibility of broader independent architectural practice.

The laminated bamboo prefabricated construction system was developed collaboratively by the Advanced Architecture Laboratory (AAL) and the Bamboo and Wood Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Forestry. This system seeks to transform China’s abundant bamboo resources into industrialized structural building materials. It promotes socialized production of materials and a highly prefabricated construction approach.

The Pomegranate Residence is a prototype project using this laminated bamboo system. Situated on the Huazhong University of Science and Technology campus, it is connected to the architecture department building, forming an integrated whole. All components of the residence were prefabricated in the factory and assembled on site. The entire construction process was completed within 25 days by a combined team of workers and volunteers.

The Advanced Architecture Laboratory (AAL) at Huazhong University of Science and Technology has long focused on developing laminated bamboo prefabricated construction systems. Their goal is to industrialize and standardize bamboo as a building material. Simultaneously, AAL aims to simplify the building system into an “IKEA”-style portable assembly model by integrating digital technology and optimizing prefabrication. This approach dissolves building design and construction technology into “customer-customized CNC machining” and a “collective participation” construction model.

In the last three decades, China’s rapid economic growth has fueled an equally rapid urbanization process, which has become a tool for GDP growth. China’s urbanization follows two main paths:

1. Urban expansion driven by government initiatives

2. Urban redevelopment driven by private developers

Most of these large-scale developments are commercially driven, turning urban projects into luxury goods rather than public benefits. Meanwhile, many older urban areas have missed the chance to benefit from professional architectural knowledge. Instead, spontaneous growth of low-quality self-built housing dominates rural and suburban areas.

Our aim is to “repair” these areas by applying architectural knowledge with a sociological perspective.

According to global statistics, 85% of all buildings are constructed without architects’ involvement. Architectural education and practice mainly serve large commercial projects in cities rather than small rural residences. Consequently, fragile brick and concrete construction systems dominate rural areas, while self-built houses vary widely in cities.

Viewing citizens as the core of architecture, two issues arise: the demand for new spaces to meet diverse daily needs, and the challenge of whether most dwellings are constructed with architectural rationality and precision. Furthermore, is there room for broader independent architectural practice beyond the commercial real estate market?

The laminated bamboo prefabricated construction system, developed by the Advanced Architecture Lab (AAL) in collaboration with the Bamboo Institute of the Chinese Academy of Forestry, aims to transform China’s rich bamboo resources into industrialized building materials. This system promotes socialized production and a highly prefabricated building process.

The “N4+” housing typology, based on glued bamboo, is located at Huazhong University of Science and Technology near the architecture department. The house was completed within 25 days and serves as a prototype based on mass production and prefabrication, enabling rapid on-site assembly.

The glued bamboo research is a long-term project at Huazhong University of Science and Technology’s Advanced Architecture Lab. It aims to establish standards and applications for this new material through housing design. Additionally, AAL incorporates computational design tools to enable DIY housing through parametric design, bringing designers closer to clients.

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