Bamboo Bistro

A playful structure in front of Kilgore Hall is attracting a lunch crowd.

What looks like a giant roller coaster made of bamboo is actually the latest creation from Will Hooker’s landscape design class.

The bistro, made with free materials and a little sweat equity, gives students a chance to follow the construction process from sketch to finished project. They still have final touches to add, including new plantings and painted designs on the furniture.

Hooker says the roller coaster is getting a thumbs up from campus critics. “My sense is that people like what we do in this space because it is fun and whimsical rather than cold, sterile and institutional.”

The roller coaster will likely stay around for two to three years, when a fifth class project takes shape.

In the meantime, pack a lunch and head for the bistro to get some inspiration for your next trip to the amusement park. For a preview, read the full story, complete with a photo gallery of construction.