In Hong Kong, bamboo scaffolding remains deeply woven into the city’s architectural identity: wrapping skyscrapers, theaters, and shop-fronts alike. The CNN article traces how this traditional craft has endured in a modern metropolis, pointing out both its aesthetic resonance and the looming pressures to replace it.
Though steel scaffolding is now the global standard, Hong Kong still uses bamboo because of its flexibility, affordability, and long-standing mastery among local scaffolders. The structures are built pole by pole on site and tied together, creating a lattice that can bend, shift, and adapt even to curved facades. That adaptability gives the material a practical edge in a city of steep slopes and narrow alleys.
Yet the article flags growing safety and regulatory concerns. In recent years, accidents connected to bamboo scaffolding, some fatal, have drawn criticism and led officials to propose phasing it out. For instance, since 2018, there have been multiple deaths linked to scaffolding failures. As a result, Hong Kong’s Development Bureau has floated the idea of shifting to steel scaffolding over time.
Still, the change is contentious. Bamboo scaffolding isn’t just a utility; it’s symbolic. It evokes Hong Kong’s history, local craftsmanship, and an aesthetic distinct from the glass-and-steel towers around it. For many, replacing bamboo means erasing part of the city’s character. Thousands of scaffolders depend on the trade for a livelihood, and many worry about losing cultural continuity.
To illustrate the tension, the article mentions creative projects, for example, at architectural exhibitions, that bring bamboo into art spaces as a statement of heritage. But the future remains uncertain. Balancing modernization, safety standards, and respect for tradition is proving harder than simply replacing poles. In Hong Kong, the scaffolding that holds up buildings also props up memory, identity, and craftsmanship, and it may not be easy to dismantle.