World's First 7 Story Observation Tower Made from Structural Engineered Bamboo could Rise in St. Louis
- Admin
- May 6
- 3 min read
Updated: May 7
“The Bowing Tower” | St. Louis, USA - The world’s first Seven Story Observation Tower made from SEB (Structural Engineered Bamboo) & Stainless Steel.
Height: 111 Feet (34 meters) in Height. Designed by Luke D Schüette
We are pleased to announce the preliminary design completion for the “Bowing Tower” inspired by the inverted catenary curves of Saarinen’s Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri. Specifically the angled perspective of the Arch as you enter the city of St. Louis.
Featuring multiple observation decks, an EV drivers lounge, an architectural materials library, event space, and cafe, this tower is designed to connect with the city’s deep architectural history and serve as a meeting point for anyone looking to take in a great view of the Mississippi and obviously the stunning and timeless Gateway Arch.
“This design has possibly been materializing in my subconscious since I was a small child, gazing in awe and wonder every time my father (Architect, Dennis Schuette) and I would drive into the city.” ~ said Luke D Schüette
Sketches of the Bowing Tower Design by Luke D. Schuette in 2021
Thank you to world leading Tower Architect, Sebastian Bildau of Atelier Bildau in Germany for helping materialize some of the finer details of the vertical pedestrian access and the unique combination of exposed stainless steel and SEB (Structural Engineered Bamboo) for the primary curving structural elements.
“The collaboration on the observatory tower with Luke D. Schuette from ReNüTeq was an inspiring journey of innovation and craftsmanship. This project stands for great design and seamless teamwork, reflecting the architectural context of St. Louis and highlighting the exceptional structural capacities of Structural Engineered Bamboo (SEB).
Luke Schuette's expertise and vision were crucial in realizing this project. The tower's curves are a visual symphony, mirroring the organic forms of nature and the dynamic skyline of St. Louis. They showcase the adaptability and strength of bamboo, making it highly attractive for modern architecture”. ~ Quote by: Sebastian Bildau
About Atelier Bildau:
At Atelier Bildau, we conceive, design and build thriving urban landscapes of timber (high-rise) buildings at all scales, from conversions and inner-city re-densification to entire urban districts. It was founded in Munich in 2025 by Sebastian Bildau after 15 years of experience working in offices and teaching around the world.
Stay tuned to learn more about this amazing project, as it will certainly be a showcase to the world of what is possible with Structural Engineered Bamboo by ReNüTeq®
Learn more about the Largest and most Advanced Structural Engineered Bamboo Manufacturing Facility in the World & our SEB (Structural Engineered Bamboo) technology manufactured here in St. Charles, Missouri, USA: ReNüTeq Operations and Manufacturing
Guadua Bamboo sourced from Colombia is one of the largest bamboo species, and is also one of the fastest growing. It is over 3 times stronger than the Asian bamboo species Moso, or any Mass Timber or Engineered Wood product, making ReNüTeq's Architectural Grade SEB (Structural Engineered Bamboo) products the strongest renewable natural resource available for the building industry.
Coming from an architectural background Luke is passionate about material technology, art, design, and building solutions. This led Luke to the creation of ReNüTeq, a Material Technology Company focused Structural Engineered Bamboo Technologies designed and manufactured in the USA.
Background: All of this started at the family farm in the Midwest, laminating bamboo beams for structural applications in 2003 (Luke's final year of architecture school). This led to Luke's life’s work as the internationally recognized researcher, creator, and innovator of the disrupting material technology: SEB (Structural Engineered Bamboo) for performance-based, architectural, & structural applications. In 2009, as an ASTM D07 Voting member, Luke initiated & lead the integration of SEB (Structural Engineered Bamboo) into ASTM’s Testing Standards Code under ASTM 5456 and he serves as Chairman of the task group: D07.02.03. SEB/LVB was officially added into the International Building Code in 2012 as well as ICC-ES’s AC47. In 2017, Luke developed new patented technologies (RLB) RadLam (Radial Laminated Bamboo) around the fiber procurement processes, production, and engineering of structural grade beams, panels, and components.
This looks awesome! Excited to see it when it gets built.