Environment Planet Earth Bamboo Built Froute Pod Is Made for Stylish Camping By Kimberley Mok Writer McGill University Cornell University Kimberley Mok is a former architect who covered architecture and the arts for Treehugger since 2007. our editorial process Twitter Twitter Kimberley Mok Updated October 11, 2018 ©. Giant Grass Share Twitter Pinterest Email Planet Earth Outdoors Weather Conservation As the spring season is finally making its appearance, some of us may be planning camping trips or looking forward to doing things in the garden. Some may like high-tech tents, or erect yurts out in the backyard, but these aren't all that exciting. Enter the Froute Pod: perfect for a glamping ("glamourous camping") or temporary backyard gazebo, studio or meditation space, this beautiful, bamboo-framed tent was inspired by the flowery forms of nature. © Giant Grass © Giant Grass Designed by Melbourne-based company Giant Grass, the Froute Pod is intended as a semi-permanent structure, to be raised off the ground on a platform, to protect inhabitants from ground moisture (recycled pallets were used in this demo). Giant Grass founders are architects and Munir and Mittul Vahanvati, both of whom have extensive experience with bamboo building. They explain: Our design approach is based on using bamboo in its most natural form and exploring various possibilities whilst retaining the overall integrity of the material. We create our designs by carving, cutting and splitting the hollow cylindrical bamboo culm. © Giant Grass © Giant Grass The Froute Pod is based on an octagonal plan of 3 metres (118 inches) wide, the pod's interior rises to a height of 2.4 metres (94 inches) tall. It can fit a double bed inside, and the waterproof canvas-clad pod has two flaps that be opened up like petals, creating a connection with the outside, and also making the structure a bit more flexible in its potential uses. There's also two round windows and a small central skylight to illuminate the interior. © Giant Grass © Giant Grass © Giant Grass Though the Froute Pod is not made as a lightweight type of tent, its flat-pack design does make transport easier, and the designers say that it can be assembled within 45 minutes by two people. © Giant Grass If you're looking for a graceful alternative to the humdrum tents and yurts for the camping season, the Froute Pod may be it -- Giant Grass hopes to be producing them commercially by the summer. Check out more over at Giant Grass.