Hong Kong's traditional bamboo scaffolding faces gradual phase-out

Bamboo scaffolding has long been a defining feature of the city’s skyline, prized for its flexibility, lightness, and adaptability in tight urban spaces. The technique has been used for centuries across Asia and remains common on city buildings.

Daisy Pak, one of the few women in the trade, describes the centuries-old craft as both art and tradition. But despite its cultural value, officials say metal scaffolds are increasingly standard.

The government says it has no plans to ban bamboo but views the shift to metal as an “inevitable trend” amid concerns, including 23 related deaths since 2018.

With around 2,500 bamboo scaffolders still registered, the pace of transition remains unclear, though bamboo continues to shape Hong Kong’s construction sites.