Shigeru Ban

Cameron Sinclair, the co-founder and executive director of Architecture for Humanity said, “All problems are local and all solutions are local.” When I heard such statement, one architect came to my thought, which also does architecture for disaster relief. The accomplished Japanese architect, Shigeru Ban. He was the winner in 2005 at age 48 for the 40th annual Thomas Jefferson Medal in Architecture. His unique feature is that he builds quickly and efficiently by using papers and recycled cardboard paper tubes for disaster victims. In “Shigeru Ban Talk” (interview with Shigeru) it is said, “Even in disaster areas, I want to create beautiful buildings, this is what it means to build a monument for common people and this is what I would like to continue doing as an architect.” Ban actually began experimenting with many different materials. And there was a chance to build his Alvar Aalto exhibition display. But he could not afford other materials such as wood, by low amount of the budget. Although he could not use other materials he quickly searched for other materials and soon he was surprised at the strength of the paper. In the year 1995, when there was an earthquake in Kobe, Shigeru builds inexpensive and durable housing units for the victims. He went further beyond; he made paper churches, and even paper bridges. New way of thinking of the material totally brought new perspective on building disaster relief architectures. They were built in papers and cardboards but it had beauty and it gave satisfaction to the victims.



I wrote on the last paper, if I had to chose my priority on my product for 3rd world country, it would be function. Shigeru taught me with his works of architecture, function and beauty can be kept together. And just because their environment isn’t like ours, it’s not my right to take away their freedom to have and to see beauty in designs.

Shigeru talks about waterproof of the papershttp://www.designboom.com/history/ban_mov2.html