SHIGERU BAN
ARCHITECTS
SHIGERU BAN
Dr. Riichi Miyake, Fuji Women’s University, Sapporo
INTRODUCTION Shigeru Ban is an architect with a unique character; a soldier
architecture hitherto, aiming to establish a civil society. Dutch
whose great resolve continues to tackle the most pressing
architect John Habraken established “Planning Theory”
issues in the world today. Over the past quarter of a century
through trial and error, focusing on civic life in postwar Europe.
he has brought architecture closer to human beings, by
He dared to abolish unifying design and instead created
challenging the perceived “supremacy” of the architect. In
Planning Theory in which citizens participate, inventing a
contrast to Modernists who propounded futuristic ideologies,
flexible housing system which can adjust to an individual’s
he believes that it is an architect’s duty to face disaster with
lifestyle and career path.
strong intent. He responds to the multitude of disasters that
Planning Theory of the 20th century cannot be widely
afflict humanity with purposeful design. He is a man of action
applied, however, as the framework of the modern civil
and with a robust sense of purpose, with an ability to take
society can exist only in developed countries. In a world
action like nobody else. He is often called an architect who
with such wealth and yet such inequality, where the top one
acts or an architect who does not know fatigue, which refers
percent of the global population possess the same amount
to the alacrity with which he acts. The essence of Shigeru
of money as the bottom 54%, the ideals of a Modernist
Ban lies in his resolute will to save humankind through his
do not make sense. Shigeru Ban believes that working for
profession as an architect.
all living individuals is the very mission of an architect. For
If architecture is determined by history, then Ban’s work
him, taking into consideration all the people of the world
is a continuum of this history, yet simultaneously forward
and working for them is a fundamental requirement. The
thinking in his pioneering approach. Modern architecture,
purpose of this foreword is to review the architectural
which was born at the beginning of the 20th century,
mission of Shigeru Ban from a global perspective, in order
rebelled against the hierarchical society of the 19th century,
to discover the connection between his personality and the
emphasizing the importance of designed social housing
work he has completed over the past 30 years.
and public institutions; and it insisted that architecture be measured by the ethical values of society, not by a stylistic aesthetic. Walter Gropius, who is said to have connected Europe and the USA through Modernism, emphasized the importance of democratic architecture, trying to assimilate this idea within American society through the architectural language of the Bauhaus school. Behind this attitude lies his own sense of value for the design of cities, desiring release from the behemoth-like, dictatorial system that had informed
THE ESSENCE OF SHIGERU BAN LIES IN HIS RESOLUTE WILL TO SAVE HUMANKIND THROUGH HIS PROFESSION AS AN ARCHITECT.
7
with tens of thousands injured and even more rendered
Tokyo in 1985, initially designing housing and exhibition spaces.
homeless. The experience of building paper shelters in
In reaction to a multitude of natural disasters that occurred in the
Rwanda was extremely helpful. After the Kobe earthquake,
1990s, Shigeru’s emergency design began to take off. He
he built temporary housing for Vietnamese migrants who had
flew to disaster sites with just one bag, his sole intention to
been living in the city. The erstwhile “boatpeople,” who lived
8
design a housing system as part of reconstruction efforts. In
and worked in wooden houses in a densely populated part
1994, one year before the Great Hanshin Earthquake that hit
of Kobe, lost both their jobs and their houses in the disaster.
Kobe, he became involved in providing temporary housing
Without housing, they were forced to live in tents pitched in
for the victims and refugees of the Rwandan genocide. This
parks or on vacant land. Ban saw this desperate state of affairs
experience helped him to establish and define his trademark
and rapidly took action. In order to provide them with housing,
style of architecture, which is informed by logistics. What he
he quickly raised the required funds and designed emergency
transferred was his knowledge of materials and structures,
shelters using paper tubes. Ban called for volunteers to assist
which he had cultivated over 10 years of executing projects,
in the construction of the shelters, bringing together a group
and studying in depth structural matters dealing with lack
of likeminded people. The temporary housing was made from
of space, and interior finishing, in Japan, developing new
emergency materials such as paper tubes, plastic beer cases,
materials such as paper tubes. This knowhow contributed
and sandbags. As it was reminiscent of a wooden log house,
enormously to his construction of temporary housing, for
it was named the Paper Log House. Gathering momentum,
which immediate action was required.
Ban undertook the reconstruction of a Catholic church that
The Rwandan genocide started as a conflict between the
had burnt down in the quake. Respecting the structure of
Hutu and Tutsi tribes in April 1994, with as many as one million
the church, he adopted an elliptical plan and used paper
Rwandans losing their lives as a result. Ban saw images of
tubes to form the colonnade. The roof was made from tent
refugee families who were affected by the slaughter, as they
material which covered the space created by the colonnaded
stood stunned and shocked on the red earth of equatorial
paper tubes. This church was so beautiful that it established
Africa. He felt intuitively that he could do something to help
the idea that temporary construction could be harmonious
rebuild their society with his own knowledge and technical
and aesthetically pleasing. The Paper Church served not
skills. Six months later, in October 1994, he visited the
only as a place of prayer, but also as a community space for
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva,
all victims affected by the earthquake, becoming a symbol
proposing to construct a refugee shelter using paper tubes.
for the rejuvenation of the Nagata region as a whole. This
Besides food, shelter is the most indispensable requirement
series of temporary buildings was the very beginning of
for refugees. Organizations involved in disaster relief supplied
Ban’s large-scale architectural practice, which was becoming
simple tarpaulins as an alternative to housing, in order to
a social welfare organization by now, in some ways. He later
transform those tarpaulins into viable housing. Ban chose
looked back on this experience and said that he started out
paper as a structural material, in order to build paper shelters.
without knowing exactly what effect these buildings would
He flew to Rwanda with the paper shelter prototype and
produce. However, once the refugees moved in and people
began building on the spot. Paper tubes, as well as cardboard
started attending the church, he felt the humanity within
and block boards are made to an internationally recognized
the architecture and shared a sense of great joy with the
standard, allowing for efficient construction and supply of
volunteers.
materials, once local production facilities were sourced. Ban’s
The experiences in Rwanda and Kobe provided Ban’s
idea was to supply the refugee camp with a large number of
architecture with a new theme: human survival, with the form
paper tubes which were then combined with tarpaulins to
or style of the architecture no longer being the main concern.
create temporary shelters that could be assembled by the
These projects demonstrated architecture’s potential to be
refugees themselves. This became the fundamental idea of
a fundamental place of habitation for humans. It defined
his emergency architectural designs.
“emergency design” as design that is simplified to the
The Great Hanshin Earthquake occurred on January 17,
maximum, sustaining just enough for people to survive. This
1995 while Ban was busy working on the Rwanda project.
is achieved by discarding superfluous matter and removing
A great number of buildings were destroyed in Kobe and its
adjuncts such as decoration. This philosophy clearly took root
surrounding cities, and as many as 6000 people were killed,
in Ban’s emergency projects.
INTRODUCTION
After his studies in the USA, Shigeru Ban opened his office in
SHIGERU BAN
“TAKE-OFF” FOR EMERGENCY DESIGN
THE EXPERIENCES IN RWANDA AND KOBE PROVIDED BAN’S ARCHITECTURE WITH A NEW THEME: HUMAN SURVIVAL, WITH THE FORM OR STYLE OF THE ARCHITECTURE NO LONGER BEING THE MAIN CONCERN.
INNOVATION THROUGH PERSISTENCE Shigeru Ban is extremely honest about techniques and
shell structure constructed from paper tubes, which placed
space. He respects the characteristics of each object,
less of a burden on the environment, and then cover the entire
criticizing superficial and perfunctory architecture. He does
structure with material normally used in tents.
not favor sophism, and rejects the operation of rhetoric. He
The beginning of the year 2000 was the beginning of a
concentrates on studying thoroughly genuine architecture,
highly productive period for Ban. He received requests from
focusing on structure and materiality, and through their
all over the world to design new buildings. Being in such
improvement he discovers new possibilities for architecture.
demand gave him the chance to develop his practical strain
He expresses his esteem for materials by highlighting their
of architecture, and the requests ranged from museums and
physical properties, often combining materials in order to
pavilions, to theaters and performance spaces. The clients
merge complementary characteristics, thus obtaining greater
were theatrical directors or museum curators, who had a
performance. The paper tube is only one material that Ban
great interest in his novel approach. He took full advantage
has studied in this way. Others include sun-baked bricks, tent
of these opportunities, carrying out experiments and applied
structures, woods such as laminated veneer lumber (LVL),
what he had learnt from one project to the next. Such was
and cross-laminated timber (CLT). He takes time to study and
the evolution of Ban’s designs.
improve such materials and techniques, and then he applies
During the Expo in Hanover, the designing of the Centre
this knowledge to his architecture.
d’Interprétation du Canal de Bourgogne, a museum in France,
In the spirit of innovation, his very first international work, the
had begun. Despite its small scale, Ban implemented many
Japan Pavilion for Expo 2000 in Hanover is very interesting. The
new ideas in this project, perhaps a type of revenge for his
use of paper tubes indirectly promotes the recycling of paper,
experience in Hanover. The client was Voies Navigables de
as paper tubes are manufactured from recycled paper. In terms
France, which managed and controlled rivers all over France.
of the global environment, this contributes to the prevention of
The museum was constructed in a neighborhood of Dijon, in
global warming, as the paper tubes are made without burning
the region of Burgundy. The bottom sections and sides were
wood or paper, and therefore without producing carbon dioxide.
strengthened by combining paper tubes and cast iron aluminum
Ban’s series of paper tube projects that he completed in the
tubes. A three-dimensional paper tube structure was covered by
1990s attracted wide acclaim from environmentalists, and as a
semitransparent polycarbonate panels. The three-dimensional
result he was selected as the architect of the Japan Pavilion for
structure was made from an evolved paper tube of paper and
Expo 2000 in Hanover, which featured environmental issues.
metal, with rebar integrated into the paper tubes.
His intention was to utilize paper tube construction methods
With Paper Dome, a nomadic theater commissioned by a
which he had developed in Japan, endeavoring for the first time
Dutch theatrical company, Ban developed his system further.
to meet European standards. He encountered many difficulties
He succeeded in creating a hemispherical space with a
when faced with German architectural regulations, which were
diameter of 85 feet (26 meters), attempting to realize a
especially strict regarding disaster prevention and structural
large space using the least material possible. Unlike a space
systems. Ban’s original plan was to use paper tubes not as poles
frame, which extends through the combination of materials
but as a latticed framework covering the entire surface area.
in three dimensions, this structure is more like a bubble,
Connected paper tubes were elevated from the sides in order
which expands delicately. Paper tubes are connected with
to give a three-dimensional shell structure which could be
star-shaped joints, and the dome is covered with a triangular
completed in three stages. However, the German architectural
lattice, extending the idea of the geodesic dome made by
authorities did not give their approval. Ban was required to test
Buckminster Fuller. Ban placed rebar inside the paper tubes,
many criteria such as fire-resistance and material strength, so
allowing the paper tubes to act in compression and the rebar
much so that he ran out of time. He had no choice but to add an
to act in tension. Through this combination of complementary
iron structure (with some parts made from wood) in order to
materials, Ban made the most of each material, an idea that
obtain a construction permit and to attain legal approval of the
has been present in his work ever since.
project as a timber building.
Another characteristic of Shigeru Ban Architects is the use
Ban suffered a great deal from criticism that his project was in
of thorough geometry. For Ban, geometry is the basis from
some sense fantastical, as this pavilion was dedicated to the
which forms are made, and the instinct is deeply ingrained
environment, and its object was to show the importance of
within his psyche. Inspirations are realized through geometry,
recycling. It has been reported that his experience in Germany
with the combination of technique and geometry creating
became a trauma for him. Recovering from the negative
space. The structure of the dome is a concrete example of
experience became his motivation for later architectural
this methodology. Materials were selected according to their
innovation. Journalism did not go deep into the problem of
mechanical features, and through their combination these
technical authenticity. On the contrary, it applauded Ban and
materials created a uniting space. The appearance of such
supported him to further his international career, focusing on
architecture consists of a logical aesthetic and therefore a
his ability to create a large space through a three-dimensional
visual and spatial harmony is achieved.
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INTRODUCTION
The Centre d’Interprètation du Canal de Bourgogne consists
knowledge was then implemented in his emergency housing
10
of two buildings—a Boathouse and an Institute. For the
that came into being as a response to natural disasters.
SHIGERU BAN
FROM READYMADE TO CONTAINERS
sake of cost reduction, it was constructed using readymade
Containers are suited to such housing, as they can be ready
components such as materials found at DIY stores. From a
at a moment’s notice and shipped easily, allowing for rapid
purely classical perspective, which places a high degree of
construction.
value on formal beauty, this is almost unbelievable. Pillars
Temporary housing built in the town of Onagawa, in Miyagi
consisting of slotted angle profiles (metal brackets), which
prefecture, Japan, after the Great East Japanese Earthquake
are often used in bookshelves, played the role of structure
in 2011 expresses this idea to great effect. Speed of
and flexible partitions. The uniqueness of Ban’s perspective
construction was required as it was crucial to provide housing
is that he does not deny using familiar materials in unusual
rapidly to people living in evacuation facilities such as school
ways. In the same period (1995) he was also constructing
gymnasiums after the disaster. As Onagawa is on the coast
the Furniture House, by utilizing wooden bookshelves as
on a narrow strip of land, it was difficult to secure enough flat
structural elements, again demonstrating that Ban’s ideas
sites, so Ban decided to utilize the baseball field next to the
emerge freely and with flexibility, and that his logic is not
gymnasium. He had to deal with a difficult problem, namely
limited to the traditional definitions of a material.
constructing temporary housing without any foundation
This methodology was largely developed through the use
work, on the premise that it be disassembled in future.
of shipping containers. The image that shipping containers
The solution Ban chose was to urgently import shipping
often evoke is piles of containers stacked in shipping yards.
containers from Shanghai, stacking them into a checkerboard
Containers have a solid and voluminous structure, yet as
pattern of two or three stories, and then attaching stairs and
long as the focus remains on the established definition of
hallways in order to set up blocks of housing. The volume
architecture, such piles of containers will only ever appear
of the container corresponded to the size of a room. He
as foreign objects. For Ban it is different. A container to him
made different patterns of combinations so that each space
is a readymade spatial unit, with no reason not to be utilized
could correspond correctly to a different family size. Once
in architecture. A huge Nomadic Museum was designed as
provided with interior finishing, electricity, and water supply,
a result. The museum was intended to exhibit the pictures
it became habitable accommodation. By the end of the
of a Canadian photographer, Gregory Colbert, and to be
process, nine blocks of housing were erected, providing 189
transported and installed in different cities around the
units of housing. Among those blocks, multipurpose common
world. The solution Ban found was completely unexpected.
facilities were installed.
He piled up 20-foot (6-meter) containers into four stories
The container housing, which was intended to be used
and arranged them in two columns, as if they were stacked
for only a few years, was beyond the standard of ordinary
blocks. Between the container columns he placed paper
temporary housing both in terms of performance and
tubes in two colonnaded rows, to support the tent structure,
appearance. It completely changed the previous image
which formed the roof. In order to connect one container to
of emergency housing in the case of disaster, not only
another, each container possesses holes at each corner. In
ensuring the safety of the victims but also providing
this way, if they are piled up alternately and connected at
them with a comfortable environment in which to live.
each corner, only half the number of containers is needed.
The work, including setting up the containers, required
The length of the entire space reached as long as 660 feet
construction equipment, and was therefore reliant on the
(200 meters). This enormous volume was enough to surprise
assistance of engineers. However the interior finishing
visitors. The point is that containers as well as paper tubes
and construction of furniture was completed by volunteers
are made to an international standard, allowing them to be
who came from all over Japan. On the one hand, readymade
sourced anywhere in the world, so once the containers were
products such as containers were boldly implemented on
supplied in each city the same architecture could be realized
an industrial scale, while on the other handmade furniture
from place to place. As a result, it was necessary to transport
and décor was introduced into each unit by volunteers,
only the contents of each exhibition. The Nomadic Museum
with a personal touch. This is the very epitome of people
therefore traveled from New York to Santa Monica and Tokyo,
becoming involved in architecture for the sake of revival,
changing its arrangement according to the place it inhabited,
of both people and place. This method of building brings
accomplishing its task as a temporary exhibition gallery.
architecture closer to the community, breaking the
Thanks to the Nomadic Museum, Ban had the opportunity
traditional barrier between people and the construction of
to acquire knowledge about the use of containers. This
public architecture.
CENTRE POMPIDOU METZ The highlight of Shigeru Ban’s work in the first decade of the
The timber structure made of LVL gained plasticity in all
21st century was most probably the Centre Pompidou Metz,
directions when it was woven, so that it can inherently
for which he won the design competition in 2003 and which
adapt itself to many forms. The Haesley Nine Bridges Golf
was constructed in 2010. It was a project started under the
Clubhouse (2010) in South Korea was constructed at around
auspices of Jean-Jacques Aillagon, the Minister of Culture
the same time as Centre Pompidou Metz, utilizing the
at that time, as the key institution for the enhancement
characteristics of this newly developed structure. Timber
of cultural life in the city, and regional development more
columns and the great arched ceiling are made of interlacing
generally in and around Metz. The project started as an
wooden ribbons and support the large flat roof. Star-
annex for the Centre Pompidou in Paris, constructed in 1997.
shaped coffers were formed among the ribs crossing from
A former railway yard next to Metz station was chosen by the
three different directions, allowing the light from the sky
state and the region for the building site. Ban’s proposal, in
to penetrate the atrium. This is reminiscent of the atrium
collaboration with Jean de Gastines, his partner in France,
of Mushroom Columns in the headquarters of Johnson’s
won the design competition, defeating applicants including
Wax, designed by Franck Lloyd Wright. However, it must
Herzog et de Meuron.
be said that Ban’s design is livelier that Lloyd Wright’s, and
It is an often repeated anecdote that Ban received inspiration
preserves the feeling of wood. The Chinese hat instantly
from a Chinese hat for the design of the Centre Pompidou
opened up new possibilities for wood by providing Ban with
Metz. The hat is still displayed in his office, looking as casual
an enormously productive and creative period.
as a souvenir picked up on a trip to Southeast Asia. The hat
During the decade starting with the Hanover Expo in 2000
actually means a lot more than that, as its woven bamboo
to the Centre Pompidou Metz, Ban introduced a whole new
curved surface gave Ban the idea of the wooden structure
world to the field of architecture, the concept of “woven
covering a large space. Each bamboo length forms freely
architecture” being a typical example. Unexpectedly, it
drawn soft curved lines, which when compressed form a pillar,
started quite simply. He transformed the mechanical
and when widened, form a shell. It displayed the possibility
characteristics of a material into a large timber structure.
of free form manufacture, released from stereotypical
He has investigated traditional bambooware, which can
structures such as the classical dome or the vault. Recognizing
be found in everyday life in Japan, such as ajiro, a woven
the freedom of its design, Ban tried to propose a new special
bamboo structure, and wappa, a wooden box made of
model alternative to the Dom-Inosystem of Le Corbusier or
thin bent boards. Everyday goods used in Asia including
the shell structure of Félix Candela. In the end, he completed
bambooware from China have also given him inspiration.
the structure system by replacing bamboo with LVL.
The recent technology of making LVL, developed from
The overall spatial structure is simple. The hat, made of LVL,
plywood, enabled this realization. The dynamic use of
formed the main roof structure. Under the roof, three stacked
timber has considerable benefits in terms of protecting the
rectangular tubes created exhibition galleries. Three different
global environment. Paper tubes are recyclable and are a
axis or cityscape lines connected the monumental points of
changeable material thanks to their standardized production
the city corresponding to the direction in which each tube
system. LVL is another solution for environmental problems.
was rotated. The scenery was adopted as the determinant of
New designs with unexpected effects can be produced when
Ban’s architectural design. The plan view formed a hexagon,
each technique is reconsidered, beyond its fundamental
connecting each side of the three tubes. The hat, supported
essence, in order to re-invent it and adapt it to the modern
at six points, was covered with tent material and together
world. New techniques and new designs can be born in
it made a curving roof. The soft geometry of the hexagon
such circumstances, not under the ordinary business-based
covered the rigid geometry of rectilinear tubes.
conditions which set a high value on efficiency.
ITS [THE HAT’S] WOVEN BAMBOO CURVED SURFACE GAVE BAN THE IDEA OF THE WOODEN STRUCTURE COVERING A LARGE SPACE.
11
what he was trying to achieve, allowed Ban to pull off
traditional Japanese wooden spaces. He places great value
this project successfully. At first glance, it appears to be
on the versatility of architecture. His greatest challenge is to
an ordinary building set within an existing square, but it
guarantee the rationality of a wooden structure by figuring
is worth noting that the project was realized due to Ban’s
out the geometry that is suitable for its physical properties.
ability to source solid materials with large sections at an
12
If the woven structure mentioned above forms one pole, the
affordable price, with each part precisely manufactured
other pole should be seen in his challenge to design ordinary
thanks to computer-aided design.
structures, consisting of columns and beams, entirely in
The climax of the “woodification” period is probably the Oita
wood. He dared to take on this challenge when he designed
Prefectural Art Museum, which was constructed in 2015.
a new office building for the Swiss media company Tamedia
In the autumn of 2011, one year after the opening of the
in Zurich in 2013. Column-beam structures made from wood
Centre Pompidou Metz, Ban won the public competition for
can be found everywhere in the world and they are nothing
this project. He had been proceeding with this project at the
new in themselves. However, what Ban attempted with this
same time as the Tamedia office building. He maintained the
project was to create a large, transparent space within the
theme of ‘a museum enclosed by wood’ for his proposal. As
seven-story office building. He was commissioned to secure
in Europe, the movement for promoting the use of wood
a large space without any pillars, leaving as large an opening
in construction gathered pace in Japan, for the sake of
as possible, doing away with braces, which obstruct the view.
greenhouse gas reduction and promotion of sustainable
It is typical of Ban to develop new underlying techniques with
forestry. In 2010, the Japanese government passed a law
a view to accomplishing his duty. As previously, he attached
for the promotion of utilizing wood for public buildings. The
great importance to suitability in the combination of different
law specifies that all low-rise public buildings should be
materials and had been searching for a means to do away
constructed from wood. In addition, Oita prefecture had been
with metal joints, which had a different physical property,
emphasizing the promotion of forestry and the increased use
in place of wood. He proposed making a timber structure of
of locally harvested wood.
two different lengths out of large section of LVL, with a main
This art museum is open to all citizens and aims to convey this
span of 35 feet (11 meters) and a secondary one of 10 feet
invitation in its architecture. It was important for the design
(3.2 meters). Fixed with tie beams and elliptical rods made
of the museum to blend the outdoor/indoor space and
of timber, these rods played the role of joints by penetrating
also to think of a system which connects/disconnects the
both column and beam.
outdoor public space to or from the indoor space, according
As a result, its appearance consisting of columns and
to circumstances, and to service various programs. To meet
beams is reminiscent of the steel structure of the Centre
these requirements, Ban designed a large open atrium space
Pompidou in Paris. However, in terms of its spatial and
on the ground floor surrounded entirely by movable bi-folding
structural characteristics it resembles rather more medieval
doors facing the neighborhood. Above this, a large closed
ecclesiastical architecture consisting of naves and aisles.
box consisting of exhibition rooms was installed. A large
It could even be said that it recalls Buddhist temples of the
atrium without pillars was achieved by connecting external
Chinese Sung era, whose structure obtained rigidity by nuki,
studwork with large-span timber trusses. The surface of the
the penetrating tie beams used in traditional framing. The
box above was divided into small grids in order to differentiate
structure is entirely glazed, including its roof. The texture of
it from the atrium space below. The main structure is steel
the wood and the transparency of glass, when combined,
but the surfaces of the box above are surrounded by short
create modern office spaces, and Ban has realized a powerful
braces made of solid cedar. It is similar to the Tamedia office
yet smooth and transparent space as was his intention when
building in the way that the timber construction is glazed.
he set about designing the project.
It is worth mentioning that Ban made the wooden pattern
European countries, especially Switzerland and Finland, are
smaller so that it resembled the bambooware typical of the
well known for their sophisticated use of wood. In addition
Oita region, which is famous for its bamboo forests. He has
to his experience constructing Centre Pompidou Metz,
realized an ingenious architectural work, without trying to be
Ban’s collaboration with a Swiss structural engineer who
different but simply by integrating the ‘woodification’ process
excelled at timber construction, and close cooperation with
for environmental protection, with the museum’s aim of
local LVL manufacturer Hermann Blumer, who understood
community development.
INTRODUCTION
Ban’s approach to wooden architecture is very different from
SHIGERU BAN
WOODIFICATION
[BAN] ATTACHED GREAT IMPORTANCE TO SUITABILITY IN THE COMBINATION OF DIFFERENT MATERIALS AND HAD BEEN SEARCHING FOR A MEANS TO DO AWAY WITH METAL JOINTS, WHICH HAD A DIFFERENT PHYSICAL PROPERTY, IN PLACE OF WOOD.
AFTER THE GREAT EAST JAPAN EARTHQUAKE The great tsunami that occured off the coast of Sendai on
When the Canterbury earthquake struck the South Island ofNew
March 11, 2011 shocked people around the world. It was trigged
Zealand in early 2011, a few weeks before the Great East Japan
by a great earthquake of magnitude 9.0 on the Richter scale,
Earthquake, the Gothic Revival Cathedral in Christchurch was
the second most powerful earthquake, after the Sumatra
severely damaged and was eventually demolished, as nothing
earthquake of 2004, since record-keeping began. The image
could be saved. Ban was asked to design a temporary cathedral
of the tsunami striking the 375-mile (600 kilometers) Pacific
that could serve local worshippers and the wider community
shoreline from Hokkaido to Tohoku was broadcast worldwide
until a new cathedral was built. Of course, he accepted the
on television and online. Local people became confused
request free of charge, as volunteering work. He had been deeply
and desperate, when faced with the terrible destruction
interested in designing cathedrals and churches that serve
caused by the tsunami, which was much worse than the
people’s faith and need for assembly, having built a temporary
damage caused by the earthquake. Architects were obliged
church to replace a Catholic church that had burnt to the ground
to accept the powerlessness of architecture confronted by
in Kobe after the Great Hanshin Earthquake. He asked himself
the overwhelming power of nature. Indeed, the architectural
how to realize the religious function and symbolism attached to
world was filled with pessimism. Nevertheless, Ban and the
a church, with the condition of it being temporary, and placed
nonprofit organization Voluntary Architects’ Network (VAN),
emphasis on making a logical construction, even more so than in
over which he presided, courageously rose to the challenge.
his previous works. In the case of Kobe, he designed the project
Since the time of the Great Hanshin Earthquake in Kobe in 1995,
with many columns placed in an ellipse form, as in early Baroque
VAN has been helping victims and serving to reconstruct disaster
architecture. In contrast, he envisaged a Gothic-style pointed
areas. Ban has been a constant activist, assembling volunteers,
triangular plan for Christchurch.
raising funds, and providing temporary shelters and housing
The temporary cathedral measures 80 feet (24 meters) in
in the event of major disasters such as the Izmit earthquake in
length, retaining the same height as the former cathedral by
western Turkey in 1999, the Sumatran earthquake and tsunami in
placing containers on each side and covering them with a roof
2004, the Sichuan earthquake of 2008, the L’Aquila earthquake
made of paper tubes. The combined structure of containers and
in Italy in 2009, the Canterbury earthquake in New Zealand in
paper tubes can be considered as a continuation of the Nomadic
2011, the Great Eastern Japan earthquake and tsunami in 2011,
Museum, although in this case the containers play a secondary
the super typhoon Hainan in 2013, and the Nepal earthquake of
role, solidifying the base as if they were aisles. The paper tubes
2015. He puts considerable passion and energy into this activity,
point upwards, creating a large space for the nave. In the process
and it is not easy for other architects or engineers to do the same.
of deciding its form, Ban extracted a triangular geometric
He could simply be called a social activist, but it should not be
form from the design of former cathedral and its spires. He
forgotten that it is the professional responsibility of an architect
emphasized the depth of the nave by gradually reducing the
that makes him act. Ban says that “in the case of an earthquake,
width of the triangular form, as it progressed from the equilateral
nobody dies from the earthquake itself. Collapsing buildings
triangle form of the porch to the acute isosceles triangle form of
injure and kill people,” and emphasizes the need for relief and
the choir. The cathedral, which has a capacity of 700 people, was
reconstruction based on knowledge and technique. Among all
furnished with plywood chairs and plywood sacred utensils also
architects, he put the most effort into reconstruction, following
designed by Ban, to create design coherence. The temporary
the Great East Japan Earthquake which struck his homeland. He
cathedral was dedicated in August 2013.
put enormous energy into the development and installation of
Since 2010, Ban has achieved remarkable things. He is
emergency housing units using paper tubes, (the Paper Partition
engaged in large projects all over the world such as La
System) and the construction and management of temporary
Seine Musicale on the Ile Seguin in the suburbs of Paris.
housing. The idea of using paper tubes was widely adopted, and
He is a global authority in the field of architecture and
the Paper Partition System was installed in evacuation facilities
even beyond the field of his profession, he has gained
to provide private space to evacuees, while a school built in the
academic admiration, and his influence as a social activist
disaster zone was constructed using a paper tube structure.
is extremely strong. He travels the world constantly and
Because of the seriousness of the situation, rapid production,
in the event of disaster, he invariably travels straight to
large supplies, speedy construction, and durability were
the site without delay, despite his busy schedule. Thanks
required. VAN’s motto is not only taking a flexible process to the
to his constant efforts, architecture has been liberated
construction site but also being a flexible organization in which
from the narrow confines of a profitmaking activity, to
both volunteers and victims can participate in its management.
become development work that is seen in a new light, as
VAN translates the idea of social participation in action in the
a means of salvation for mankind. He is loyal to his spatial
most practical way. Through a series of such projects, Ban’s
and aesthetic sense, pursues sustained innovation, and
experimental social commitment, which was triggered in the
maintains an indomitable attitude with a fundamental
mid-1990s by the Rwandan genocide and the Great Hanshin
concern for humanity. The ideas and works of Shigeru Ban
Earthquake, gradually became a social program which went
are making a substantial contribution to the construction
beyond the traditional parameters of architecture.
of a new vision of society in the 21st century.
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PAPER TUBE CONSTRUCTION CONTAINER TEMPORARY HOUSING—ONAGAWA
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PAPER TUBE CONSTRUCTION HERMÈS PAVILION
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HERMÈS PAVILION Location Milan, Italy Date 2011 Project team Shigeru Ban, Jean de Gastines Construction engineer Hermès France General contractor SODIFRA, France Principal use Exhibition pavilion Design 2010 Construction 2011 Site area 10,765 ft2 (1000 m²) Floor area 2305 ft2 (214m²) Structure Paper tubes, birch plywood, paper sheets
The concept of the pavilion was to create a nomadic exhibition structure easy to assemble and disassemble; all the structure is made of four different diameters of paper tubes and connected with wood standard panels to create the horizontal elements. This structure using standard prefab elements also permits the creation of many different shapes according to the future site condition. In order to reduce the volumes for shipping, it is possible to nest the four different diameters of paper tubes.
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RESIDENTIAL METHODOLOGY NAKED HOUSE
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The house consists of unique single large space two stories high, in which four private rooms on casters can be moved freely. To reduce weight and optimize mobility, the rooms are not very large and contain a minimum of belongings and fittings, and can be moved according to need. Placed against the walls of the house, in front of the heating or airconditioning units, warm air or cooling breezes flow inside. The rooms can also be placed side by side to create a larger room, when their sliding doors are removed. They can be taken outside, on the terrace, and also work as a supplementary floor in which the children can play.
VARIATIONS 0
200
400 cm
SECTION 0
100
200 cm
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RESIDENTIAL METHODOLOGY MAISON E
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MAISON E
Location Fukushima, Japan Date 2006 Project team Shigeru Ban, Nobutaka Hiraga, Tamaki Terai, Tota Goya ConsultantHoshino Architect & Engineer (Structural),Chiku Engineering Consultants (Mechanical), Studio on Site (landscape) Principal use Residence Design Fall, 2004–Spring, 2005 Construction Mid-2005 - Mid-2006 Site area 20,385 ft2 (1894 m2) Floor area 12,925 ft2 (1201 m2) Structure Steel frame; brick, glass panel shutter, aluminum louver, green wall, granite (exterior); plaster board, limestone, wood flooring, brick (interior)
This building, besides being a family residence, was also a place for welcoming guests, and the greatest challenge was to create a balance between the private and public areas. This was the second project to utilize the tartan grid building composition. The first project, Shutter House for a Photographer, was located on a narrow 3145-square-foot (292-square-meter) site in a prime area of Tokyo, surrounded by buildings on three sides. A tartan grid composed of squares and rectangles created the structural grid which defined the most suitable plan that balances the continuity of interior spaces and courtyards. In comparison, the site for this project was an expansive plot of 20,385 square feet (1894 square meters) developed for residential suburban use, and surrounded by roads on three sides. The tartan grid was utilized not only for finding the balance between interior and exterior, but was used purposely to limit the endless design possibilities of a vast site like this, and to use the rules of the grid for balancing structure, interior and exterior space, and the relationship between private and public areas.
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