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All Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Bamboo Playhouse

Bamboo Playhouse

A delightful architectural wonder awaits on a lake island in Kuala Lumpur’s oldest park.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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Amber Snider
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Bamboo Playhouse.   Courtesy of architect Eleena Jamil/l/used with permission
Bamboo Playhouse.   Courtesy of architect Eleena Jamil/l/used with permission
  Snowdrop68 / Atlas Obscura User
  Snowdrop68 / Atlas Obscura User
Bamboo Playhouse.   Courtesy of architect Eleena Jamil/used with permission
Bamboo Playhouse.   Courtesy of architect Eleena Jamil/l/used with permission
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Designed by Malaysian architect Eleena Jamil, the Bamboo Playhouse is a public pavilion located in Kuala Lumpur’s Perdana Botanical Gardens. The sustainable playhouse features a three-dimensional floorscape and tree-like columns that rise up to support the roof, offering a playful reprieve for the public that blends into the surrounding landscape.

The playhouse is situated on a small island in a large lake that stretches across the center of the gardens. The structure also contains a series of hanging “tree-houses” made from bamboo baskets, where visitors can enjoy meditative views of the lake. The playhouse has also been used as an event space for performances and exhibitions.

The design also features raised square platforms set at various levels to create different dimensions across the open structure. Jamil took her inspiration from traditional structures called wakafs, which serve as resting places for village communities in Malaysia. 

Contemporary architectural designs made of bamboo are a rare sight in Malaysia, but the playhouse is a creative example of how the sustainable material can be used in fun new ways for other structures. According to Dezeen, “The Bamboo Playhouse was shortlisted [in 2015] for an award for a World Architecture Festival, where bamboo was touted as a revolutionary building material by Dirk Hebel.”

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Architecture Botanical Gardens Architectural Oddities

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The Bamboo Playhouse is open daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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Added By

Amber C Snider

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Snowdrop68

  • Snowdrop68

Published

June 19, 2019

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Bamboo Playhouse
Kuala Lumpur, 50480
Malaysia
3.142933, 101.683983

Nearby Places

Royal Malaysian Police Museum

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National Textile Museum

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miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia

Places 13

Nearby Places

Royal Malaysian Police Museum

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National Textile Museum

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miles away

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Kuala Lumpur

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