With an array of striking projects around the world – right from Spain to China and from Qatar to Maldives – in its portfolio, global innovator of bamboo products Dasso is looking to create a lasting impression on many of the prestigious projects taking shape in the Middle East.

The Chinese firm made its debut in the region with the Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara in Qatar, which was completed in 2013 and is still receiving good feedback about the project, Pride Xue, Country Manager of Dasso, tells Gulf Construction.

The five-star resort boasts architecture that is inspired by tropical resorts teamed with a local vernacular.  For the project, Dasso provided its product DassoXTR, which is described as the superior choice for all exterior decking applications.  Some 200,000 sq ft of Dasso’s exterior bamboo decking have been installed for the balconies, around the swimming pool and boardwalk on the beach of the project.

Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara in Qatar

Dasso’s decking has been used worldwide in many commercial and residential projects in landscape and outdoor finishing, including boardwalks, docks, courtyard, platform, roof and balcony, he says.

Xue points out that Dasso visited the site in 2019 and received positive reports about the installation.

He stresses that natural products are always more suitable for landscaping. Bamboo is an eco-sustainable solution, giving an elegant, exotic look to spaces. Some of the striking landscaping projects that have utilised Dasso’s decking in China are Xiaoqing River in Jinan, which is influenced by the warm temperate zone with a continental monsoon climate; the award-winning Urban Gallery at the 2.4-km-long linear skypark and lifestyle development known as the Hyperlane; and 1 Hotel Haitang Bay, Sanya where dassoCTECH decking has been installed around the swimming pool, balcony and roof decking. Here, bamboo timber circular railings and handrails in the garden are customised by CNC process; and a bamboo fence was used in the gallery and grille of the outdoor dining area.

“Compared with other wooden products, bamboo can be harvested within four to six years, while hardwoods require 50, or even 100 years to be harvested. Bamboo is very eco-friendly and that’s why the Dasso bamboo obtained the EPD (Environment Protection Declaration) certificate,” Xue adds.

Dasso claims to be the first Chinese manufacturer to own an individual EPD for bamboo products.

“Stakeholders within the building design and construction community are increasingly being asked to include information in their decision-making processes that take into consideration potential environmental impacts. These stakeholders and interested parties expect unbiased product information that is consistent with current best practices and based on objective scientific analysis. In addition, green building rating systems, including LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and BREEAM (BRE Environmental Assessment Method) recognise the value of EPDs for the assessment of potential environmental impacts of building products,” he points out.

Emphasising that Dasso products are built to cope with the hot and humid conditions in the Gulf region, Xue says: “We did the dimensional stability, fire resistance and fungi/mould-resistant tests, as per the standards of Europe and US, Australia and all achieved higher rating results and the best results among the natural building materials.”

Dasso is currently targeting architects, developers and contractor to specify its sustainable, robust and durable products for landmark projects. The company has appointed distributors in Dubai.

Among the projects it is targeting are hotels and resort, entertainment and leisure facilities.  In addition to the Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara,  Dasso products have been installed at QingPu high school and Wuxi Grand Theater, Vanke Beijing World Business Centre, all in China; Anantara hotel in Maldives; and Madrid Barajas Airport, Spain.

Founded in 1993, the global leader and innovator of the bamboo industry is backed by a legacy that extends over 28 years in the production of bamboo products. It has eight manufacturing facilities and 1,200 employees, in addition to owning more than 2,700 acres of productive, sustainable bamboo forest in China.