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All of Ban’s post-disaster work is done for free.
Among many affected communities, the tsunami-struck
residents of Onagawa, Miyagi Prefecture, can attest to
Ban’s commitment to helping the marginalised. A lack
of flat land made the installation of temporary shelters
complicated. Ban’s speedy response was to construct
innovative three-storey temporary housing from
shipping containers, which also overcame the storage
limitations present in government-issued shelters.
Together with the Voluntary Architects’ Network
(VAN) – an organisation he founded – Ban is known
for constructing inexpensive, environmentally friendly
structures in disaster-struck areas, from homes to
schools and even churches, that remain standing long
after the disaster.
Ban’s trademark use of cardboard tubes in
his designs was inspired by his wish to preserve
natural resources and prevent wastage. The tubing is
inexpensive, highly portable and can be water- and fire-
proofed, as well as recycled. This material innovation
extends to most of his buildings, be they pro bono
temporary shelters or commissioned work. With a team
of student volunteers, Ban has travelled the world for
the past 20 years and placed roofs over the heads of
distraught victims.

Ban is currently working on a project to improve

housing conditions in developing countries. This

project creates new opportunities for employment, as

the housing panels can be constructed even by non-

skilled workers. The eventual aim is to be able to export

some of these units as relief housing to countries struck

by disaster, should they be suitable.

Not every architect has been as successful as Ban.

Focusing on the role and capacity of built

environment professionals after a disaster, the

Humanitarian Architecture Research Bureau (HARB),

based in RMIT University, Australia, is involved in

evaluating the effectiveness of post-disaster shelters.

above Karachi, Pakistan:

After the biggest flood in the

history of Pakistan, many

people are still urgently

seeking help and making the

best of their impoverished

surroundings

left Volunteers in Japan

help to set up temporary

partitioned shelters to

give victims some much-

needed privacy

DidY

ou^ Know?

SOUR

CE:UN

OFFICE FOR DISASTER RISKRED

UCTI

ON

As a result of

disaster events

worldwide, 155 million

people have suffered

short or long-term

displacement

since 2008.

PHOTO HUSSAIN JAN / DEMOTIX/DEMOTIX/CORBIS