Bamboo Bamboo | Turn Turn by llLab: Redefining Bamboo in Contemporary Retail Design

Located in the vibrant Jing An Qu district of China, the Bamboo Bamboo | Turn Turn project by llLab transforms conventional retail space into a living exploration of sustainable materials and immersive design experiences. Spanning 270 m² at the HKRI Taikoo Hui, this pop-up installation merges the natural elegance of bamboo with contemporary retail architecture, offering visitors a spatial journey that bridges macro perception with micro-scale material exploration.

Aligned with Element’s sustainable branding philosophy, the project showcases bamboo as both a functional and artistic medium. The Element Bloom pop-up retail and TURN TURN exhibition installation interconnect to form an ethereal landscape of flowing bamboo, highlighting the material’s resilience, flexibility, and subtle movement. This installation represents the third phase of llLab’s ongoing bamboo material research, pushing the boundaries of conventional design thinking.

Evolution of Bamboo Across Projects

In its first phase, Bamboo Bamboo featured the Canopy and Pavilion in Yangshuo, Guilin, employing native bamboo and traditional craftsmanship to create designs that seamlessly integrate with nature. The second phase, Bamboo Clouds, appeared in New York City, using engineered bamboo to bring a portable, mobile nature experience to urban settings. In this third phase, llLab explores bamboo’s physical properties and limitations, transforming it into a sensory, spatial experience that transcends traditional applications.

From raw bamboo to engineered bamboo, this project highlights the material’s versatility, showing how it can evolve into structural elements, cladding, or even micro-scale integrations within walls. Visitors are invited to imagine the world at a natural scale: where bamboo fibers transform into objects, structures, and even powdered forms, blurring the boundaries between material science, architecture, and artistic expression.

A New Perspective on Material and Space

The Bamboo Bamboo | Turn Turn installation experiments with ultra-thin bamboo, measuring just 3mm, creating a delicate yet resilient landscape. The installation’s flowing forms capture the essence of bamboo itself: flexible, light, and responsive, while redefining how traditional materials can interact with modern spaces. This project exemplifies sustainable retail design, innovative material applications, and immersive interior architecture.

With engineering collaboration from LuAnLu Partner Structure Consulting, construction by Studio EMCC, and lighting design by ELA Lighting, this pop-up installation is a testament to interdisciplinary collaboration in modern architectural design.

All photographs are works of Wen Studio