VENICE, ITALY, 26 August 2026. - The island of Vignole in the Venetian Lagoon became the setting for a powerful demonstration of international cooperation, hands-on learning and responsible architecture. From 8 to 12 July, the Hands-On Bamboo Construction Workshop 2026 brought together more than 50 participants, speakers, trainers and collaborators to transform shared knowledge into full-scale bamboo structures.

Internationally organised by the World Bamboo Organization (WBO) and Bamboo Architecture Company (BAC), locally organised in Italy by architects Gabriela Gómez Ortega and Orjad Verjoni, and hosted by VERAS - Vignole Renewable Energy & Healthy Agriculture, the event connected global expertise with local action. BAC designed and delivered the workshop's theoretical and practical training. Over five days, professionals, students, craftspeople and specialists worked in multidisciplinary teams, learning to design, fabricate, assemble and solve construction challenges through the responsible use of bamboo.

The programme welcomed participants connected to Italy, the Philippines, Spain, El Salvador, Ireland, Panama, Colombia, Albania, the United States, France, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, India, Argentina, Ireland, Myanmar and Mexico. This diversity transformed the workshop into a genuine space for intercultural exchange, where different languages, professional paths and understandings of place converged around a common purpose: building more humane and sustainable solutions.

Learning by doing, building through collaboration

The workshop methodology placed practice at the heart of the learning process. Teams rotated through stations focused on model-making, organic bamboo construction, the main pavilion, prefabricated portal and column systems, and an introduction to parametric design applied to paraboloid and hyperboloid structures.

The experience began with an open international exchange session curated by WBO at the Centro Civico Scoletta dei Calegheri in Venice. Experts and World Bamboo Ambassadors shared perspectives on cultivation, preservation, engineering, biophilic architecture, construction at scale, composite materials and value-chain development. The following days brought that knowledge to the site through collaborative fabrication, technical review and collective problem-solving.

The completed structures remain installed at the VERAS site as visible evidence of what can be achieved when learning, creativity and commitment are transformed into built work. The workshop was officially certified under the WBO Education Certification Programme, and those who completed the experience received a WBO-certified Certificate of Participation.

A tangible response from the Venetian Lagoon

The venue added a particularly meaningful dimension to the experience. VERAS is working to transform publicly owned land of high environmental value into a living model of ecological regeneration, healthy agriculture, renewable energy and community resilience. In this setting, the workshop demonstrated that bamboo can be far more than a material: it can become a tool for education, cooperation and place-based transformation.

The initiative also opened a broader conversation about the future of Venice and its lagoon. While the city confronts the social and cultural consequences of an unsustainable tourism model, Vignole offered a different vision: an international community coming together to create, share skills and leave behind a useful, tangible outcome rooted in the place itself.

“This workshop demonstrated that sustainability gains real meaning when it is translated into skills, relationships and tangible results. At Vignole, we did not simply build structures; we strengthened an international community capable of learning across cultures and acting together. That is what Build the Future means to us,” said Guillermo Mortera, Director of Communications at the World Bamboo Organization.

Second edition to take place in June 2027

Building on the success of the first edition, the World Bamboo Organization, Bamboo Architecture Company and their partners are preparing a second Hands-On Bamboo Construction Workshop in Venice for June 2027. The call for participants and registration process will open soon to applicants from Italy and around the world.

The new edition will expand international exchange, deepen practical skills and continue demonstrating bamboo's role in low-impact architecture, material innovation and sustainable development. Interested participants will be able to follow forthcoming announcements through the World Bamboo Organization's official channels.

About the organisations

World Bamboo Organization (WBO). An international network promoting the responsible use of bamboo and its contribution to environmental sustainability, socioeconomic development, biodiversity and culture. WBO connects individuals, businesses, organisations, institutions and professionals to advance collaboration and knowledge worldwide.

Bamboo Architecture Company (BAC). A Mexican practice specialising in professional bamboo architecture and construction, with more than 15 years of experience in design, engineering coordination, prefabrication, construction, consultancy and technical training across international projects.

Local organisation in Italy. Architects Gabriela Gómez Ortega and Orjad Verjoni coordinated the workshop locally, supporting its planning, implementation and connection to Venice's architectural and community context.

VERAS - Vignole Renewable Energy & Healthy Agriculture. A non-profit association advancing a community-based model of ecological regeneration, healthy agriculture, renewable energy and responsible land stewardship on the island of Vignole.