Art
Shigeru Ban
Shigeru Ban: The Paper Architect
Shigeru Ban is celebrated not only for his iconic creations like the Centre Pompidou-Metz, which features geometric structures rendered with three-dimensional processing techniques, and La Seine Musicale, brought to life through eco-friendly technology, but also for his nearly 30 years of dedication to disaster relief efforts.
Lesson Plan
- Lesson Length : 13 Lessons ㆍ 1 hours 38 miutes
- Language : 한국어, English
What architects can do for society.
Shigeru Ban is celebrated not only for his iconic creations like the Centre Pompidou-Metz, which features geometric structures rendered with three-dimensional processing techniques, and La Seine Musicale, brought to life through eco-friendly technology, but also for his nearly 30 years of dedication to disaster relief efforts. From the 1994 Rwandan genocide to the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake, Ban's "paper shelters" stand as a testament to his commitment, offering comfort to those in despair amidst the devastation.
Shigeru Ban has consistently challenged the status quo, posing the critical question: What can architects contribute to society? He urges his peers to think beyond merely creating monumental structures that adorn cities, expressing his desire for architects worldwide to reflect on their architectural philosophy at least once in their careers. Today, somewhere in a disaster-stricken area, Shigeru Ban continues his work, constructing hope out of paper for refugees. His lecture series invites us to delve into his unique architectural world.
Full Bio
Shigeru Ban
- Guest Professor of Keio University (2015- )
- Professor of Kyoto University of Art and Design (2011-)
- Visiting Professor, GSD, Harvard University (2010)
- Professor, Faculty of Environmental Informatics, Keio University (2001-2008)
- Established NGO, Voluntary Architects’ Network (VAN) (1995)
- Consultant for United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (1995)
- Pritzker Architecture Prize (2014)
- Honorary Member of the Japan Institute of Architects (2015)
Shigeru Ban, the 2014 laureate of the Pritzker Prize, often referred to as the "Nobel Prize of Architecture," is a master architect with a unique approach and philosophy. With a decade of hands-on experience in architecture, he came to a profound realization: architects were not doing enough for society. From that moment on, he turned his attention to addressing the housing needs of minorities and the underprivileged.
His journey took a pivotal turn in 1994, when he witnessed the appalling conditions in refugee camps following the Rwandan genocide. Determined to make a difference, Ban began constructing refugee shelters using easily accessible and recyclable paper. Since then, he has been tirelessly traveling to disaster-stricken areas across the globe, continuing to build paper shelters for refugees and exemplifying his unwavering commitment to humanitarian aid through architecture.
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