At united➃design, we often discuss the importance (and difficulties) of working with local, non-industrial materials. Recently, we participated in a bamboo workshop hosted by Bambusa Collabo near Dumaguete City in the Philippines. Interestingly, we found parallels between the local perceptions of bamboo in the Philippines and earth in Niger. Bamboo is often dubbed as the ‘poor man’s timber’, and like earthen construction, the material is stigmatized and strongly associated with poverty and the rural way of life.