Shigeru Ban: Paper in Architecture

Typically, paper does not rank high among people’s conception of architectural materials.

Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, however, has made paper his primary material, simultaneously celebrating its strength and durability and its delicacy. Ban came to fame after the 1995 Kobe earthquake, his paper based solutions functioning as much needed temporary housing with great cost efficiency.

Ban studied in the United States and returned to Japan in 1985 to establish his practice. He currently maintains offices in Tokyo, Paris, and New York, and teaches at Kelo University. Ban is recipient of two World Architecture Awards (2001 and 2002) and the Architecture for Humanity Award (1999).

Shigeru Ban: Paper in Architecture is the first monograph to chronicle Ban’s innovative work. Forty of his permanent and temporary structures are featured though brilliant photography and concise text. An essay by Riichi Miyake neatly contextualizes Ban’s progression as an architect and his passion for innovation. The book serves as brilliant introduction to both the mind of Ban and the potential for paper in architecture.

Shigeru Ban: Paper in Architecture by Shigeru Ban, Rizzoli, 2009. (via Curated).

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