My blog - CatharineColon

Just wanted to chime in here as a Hong Konger - I've been to that building block. That video was probably taken on the 15th-ish floor. The building is 31 floors high, which isn't a big deal for these guys as I've seen bamboo scaffolding go much higher. Bamboo scaffolds are still being used for facelifts on old buildings, but it's not unusual to see them being used on newer ones, going up 60+ floors. Bamboo is also crazy strong, and grows crazy fast (up to 1m a day) - so it makes sense to use them in densely populated cities near tropical areas. They're lightweight, easy to transport, easy to set up in crowded places, and easy to take down. More importantly, no clanging and banging noises when construction workers use them - especially when Hong Kong streets are so noisy already. I'm speaking anecdotally though - I'm not an engineer or bamboo expert. But there are good reasons bamboo scaffolding is being used in a modern city. It's not some backwards tradition, it's just being practical.