The Starchitects you hear so much about these days -- the Frank Gehrys, the Rem Koolhaases -- are interesting to watch, but sometimes our attention drifts. When it does, it tends to drift toward people like Shigeru Ban.
That's because Mr. Ban, who was born in Tokyo in 1957, bridges ideas of East and West, is forward-looking but not a show-off, and conceived an innovative use of cardboard tubing that offered a practical solution to a pressing need.
It was after the Kobe earthquake of 1995 that Mr. Ban came up with the idea of using these tubes, which he calls "improved wood." To house disaster victims, refugees, and for temporary structures such as exposition pavilions, the material is relatively inexpensive, strong, recyclable, and even quite attractive in his hands.
He also created the Nomadic Museum, comprising 156 shipping containers, that contains the touring exhibit of Gregory Colbert's "Ashes and Snow," in Tokyo through June 24th.
And check out his design for the Centre Pompidou-Metz, still under construction, that will be a cultural center featuring art, exhibitions, and live performances.
written on Friday May 4, 2007
tubing,
home,
architect.
