A picture of a pioneering construction project at Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) has been recognised by a leading industry network.
Taken by project leader Professor Johnson Zhang, the image of Europe’s first bamboo-timber composite gridshell at ENU’s Merchiston campus won Best Photo (Europe & North America) in the 2025 International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR) Photo Competition.
The 9x8 metre structure was completed in September 2024 by a team of 31 visiting students from the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi) – taking just four days to complete the project in an engineering lab.
It was the latest in a series of demonstrations of the technological capabilities of bamboo-timber gridshells. They are curved, shell-like structures made from an interconnected grid pattern, which experts believe could provide an efficient and sustainable model for building large-span roofs.
This project followed the construction of a similar structure in China by a team of ENU students – which was the first of its kind in the world.
The INBAR photo competition was judged by a panel of professional photographers and industry experts. They praised the ‘thoughtful design’ of the winning structure, adding that it blended traditional craftsmanship with modern digital tools.
“Reflected into a heart shape,” they said, “the image becomes a symbol of innovation rooted in care for the planet, showing how renewable materials, shared knowledge, and creative thinking can shape a more sustainable future.”
Professor Johnson Zhang, Head of international for Edinburgh Napier’s School of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment, said: “This recognition brings back many great memories of intense hard work, collaboration, and innovation.
“It also reflects the outstanding commitment and contributions of our entire team, without whom this project would not have been possible, including Yanghao Pei, Gary Britton, Callum Wilson Roshan lal Dhonju, Athanasia Vachla, Mei Wang and Zhen Guo.”
The project was initiated at the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference, which was held in Glasgow in 2021, where a bamboo–timber composite gridshell prototype was first showcased in collaboration with INBAR.
As well as ENU and THEi, the project was backed by the Construction Industry Council of Hong Kong and the British Council, alongside partners: Built Environment - Smarter Transformation, Xylotek - Advanced Timber, Glenalmond Timber, and Intelligent Wood Systems.
A group of academics from the Department of Architecture of Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology (IMUST) also came to Edinburgh to support the construction.
Pictures: Top: the winning photo. Below: the project team during the build at Merchiston