Shigeru Ban’s Humanitarian Architecture

A-DEWS 2015: Design Engineering in the Context of Asia, Asian Design Engineering workshop, 29th - 30th October 2015, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Year: 2015
Author: Naskova, Julija
Institution: Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of DesignHung Hom, KowloonHong Kong SAR
Section: Asian Lifestyle
Page(s): 140-145

Abstract

This century was marked by a large scale human displacement due to wars and natural disasters. In many cases, the world community responded with emergency aid and temporary shelter construction. Only in few cases, the temporary constructions were so loved by the people it housed that they were kept as permanent structures or gifted to help others in distress. Such level of communal veneration is reserved for the humanitarian architecture of Shigeru Ban. His relentless pursuit of pro-bono projects and the effectiveness of his creations resulted each time in a humble masterpiece. More so than any other contemporary Japanese architect’s work, Shigeru Ban’s work features the essence of Japan-ness (Nihonjiron). His compassionate approach is very much in line with Shinto and Zen Buddhist teachings, while his constructions fuse traditional Japanese aesthetics and stylistic influences from his schooling in the West. At the same time, his creations fit within their environment well, maintaining the spirit of the place thus helping people restore their lost identity. All these characteristics render his modular and impermanent constructions a prime example of sustainability.

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