|
shigeru ban talk. the japanese architect discusses his innovative residential, installation, and humanitarian projects ......................................................
|
|||
|
|||
 ......................... shop .................. competitions .............. education ................ interviews ................... snapshots ................... history .......... contemporary
|
|||
| shigeru ban talk on may 8, 2003 we met shigeru ban at the triennale museum in milan. the japanese architect discussed his innovative residential, installation, and humanitarian projects. ban’s contemporary twist on traditional architecture is inspiring and surprising. his research into the use of unconventional building materials to achieve formal elegance is both efficient and economical. --- ARCHITECTURE NOW shigeru ban began by reflecting on how the architect's role has changed in the last three centuries. he mentioned his doubts about the contributions architects make to society. throughout history the architect has been hired to create 'monuments' for privileged people and societies, including religious groups, governments, and private corporations. while this is still largely true, beginning from the 19th century there has been an increasing demand for 'social housing'. it was then that architects began to work for the general public, and the theme of socially responsible architecture has been discussed lively in the modern avant-garde movements. today, in ban's view, the social responsibility of the architect is tied also to the proliferation of global natural and man-made disasters. --- PAPER ban first began experimenting with alternative materials in 1986, when he used paper, instead of wood, to build his alvar aalto exhibition display. he wanted to create a space that suggested the master's building techniques but the budget did not allow the use of wood. he was surprised at the strength of the paper and later on he began to use paper tubes also on building structures. in his projects, the traditional japanese house made of bamboo returns transformed by cardboard tubes. ban discussed several of these paper projects and installations, including the inexpensive and durable housing units for the victims of earthquakes in kobe, japan in 1995.  paperlog houses and paper church - see the projiects. --- ban's paper church was originally designed to be temporary, but the citizens grew so attached to it that it is still there...  monument - see the short video clip. --- 'even in disaster areas, I want to create beautiful buildings, this is what it means to build a monument for common people', said ban, 'and this is what I would like to continue doing as an architect'. --- he showed ca. hundred of slides, illustrating the gallery he designed in 1994 for issey miyake; the following 1995 paper house;  his paper furniture - see the designs. ---  the japan pavilion at the hannover expo 2000 - see the project. --- and the summer 2000 paper architecture installation in the sculpture garden at MoMA. --- BAN'S CONCEPT although ban has become an icon for advocates of 'green' and 'eco-friendly' architecture, his intention behind his work is slightly different. it's more an ideology against waste. it's about invention, curiosity, discovery, and about tackling problems with a sense of humor. all of his work is permeated by a solid sense of japanese architectural history and he has translated it in a very contemporary manner by re-examining existing natural materials, or metamorphazing banal materials into proud structural elements. shigeru ban creates new spaces that are in tune with the original function of shelter, he tries to improve people's lives while celebrating and enjoying the inherent beauty of the earth. --- RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS shigeru ban also discussed a huge number of his residential projects, including  the curtain wall house - see the project. ---  the naked house - see the project. --- all in which his primary concerns are structural lightness and efficiency; spatial and visual transparency; the dissolution of the boundaries between interior and exterior space, ... and economical means of construction. ban concluded his talk by briefly discussing his technological research, the economic challenge, the compromises he is often oblidged to make... and the collaboration with sponsors.  on sponsors - see the short video clip. --- the talk has been organized by : university of architecture, ferrara, italy http://www.xfaf.it comieco http://www.comieco.org abitare segesta http://www.abitare.it ---  ------- monthly designboom newsletter ------- ------- ? comments and contact us ? ------- |
 shigeru ban © designboom  shigeru ban © designboom  shigeru ban © designboom  shigeru ban © designboom  shigeru ban © designboom  shigeru ban © designboom  shigeru ban © designboom --- BOOK  shigeru ban edited by PAPress princeton architectural press http://www.papress.com/bookpage.tpl?isbn=1568982348 this wonderful book features ban's most exemplary projects, documented with colour photographs, plans, drawings, and a brief, straightforward project description. in addition, it contains technical information and comments by shigeru ban. foreword by emilio ambasz. many pictures featured in designboom's portrait on shigeru ban are taken from this book, courtesy princeton architectural press. |
||
 |
|||
