Japan-based architecture firm Shigeru Ban Architects is known for its innovative use of paper and recycled materials to create temporary housing systems. Considering the impact of the Turkey-Syria earthquake and the subsequent loss of lives and property incurred; Shigeru Ban Architects in collaboration with the Voluntary Architects Network, have developed a new temporary housing system for the victims of the Turkey-Syria earthquake.

The latest temporary housing system developed by Shigeru Ban Architects represents an improved iteration of the paper tube system previously employed in north-western Turkey following the earthquake in 1999. The new version is designed to be more efficient and reduce construction time on site.

The proposed temporary housing solution for Turkey involves using beer crates filled with sandbags for the foundation and constructing the roof with paper tube frames and plywood decking. The intended size of the structure is 3.6m x 6m. A smaller prototype of the housing system has already been built in Tokyo with dimensions of 3.6m x 3.6m. Adequate insulation is added to the floor, walls, and roof to cope with the cold climate, with the team planning to implement this solution, in Turkey, soon.

Ban has already implemented his Paper Partition System (PPS) to provide quick and efficient shelter for victims of natural disasters by repurposing vacant areas. It is a framework of eight cardboard tubes connected by smaller tubes. Each social housing unit can accommodate up to two people and can be easily assembled in five to ten minutes by three people.

The main supporting posts of the structure consist of large paper tubes, with a wide diameter, that are placed at angles with wooden panels laid to create the roof. The PPS has been used in response to earthquake disasters in various countries includingJapan and Nepal.

To provide privacy, the fabric draped over the paper tubes is secured with safety pins and can be closed. The PPS prototype is made up of a wooden, easily transportable structure featuring hipped-gable roofs and six large circular openings to allow natural light to enter.

The project was carried out in collaboration with various local teams from, Yaşar University, Emre Arolat Architecture, and Konfida, a local manufacturing company. This is not the first time Shigeru Ban and his Voluntary Architects Network (VAN) have provided post-disaster relief using PPS. They previously deployed it for Ukrainian refugees in Poland and at Tegel Airport in Berlin to house temporary Ukrainian refugees.

The use of paper in architecture has a long history. In the 1980s, a new era of paper architecture emerged with the Ban playing a significant role in promoting paper as a building material. His interest in using paper in architecture began in 1985, and he developed the first paper shelters in 1994 to assist those displaced by the Rwandan genocide. In 1995, he founded the Voluntary Architects' Network to coordinate humanitarian work and promote disaster relief efforts globally.

Shigeru Ban has utilised cardboard as a building material in more than 55 projects. The function, lifespan, and materials used in these projects differ depending on their specific purpose, whether it be furniture, exhibitions, pavilions, educational and cultural buildings, or relief structures. For more than 30 years, his company has been dedicated to creating cost-effective, top-quality and sustainable shelters for disaster victims across the globe.

(Text by Khushi S Tandon, intern at STIRworld)