inside shigeru ban's paper house: a global shelter solution for disaster-prone areas

disaster relief housing solution by shigeru ban

Earlier in 2023, renowned Shigeru Ban showcased his unwavering dedication to disaster relief efforts with the design of a paper log house for the victims of the devastating earthquake that struck Marrakesh–Safi, Morocco. The project, which is based on a prototype originally crafted for the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake, is raised on beer crates and primarily composed of paper and wood. With its rapid and straightforward assembly process, the design can provide temporary shelter in multiple disaster-prone regions, including Japan and Korea. designboom had the honor of discussing the innovative housing solution with Shigeru Ban at the Seoul Design Award 2023 conference, where both the Japanese architect and designboom founder Birgit Lohmann appeared on stage as speakers. Explore the project further below.

the Paper Temporary House by Shigeru Ban | image © designboom

shigeru ban’s design ensures safety and swift assembly

On view at the Seoul Design Award (find more here), the house features a foundation constructed out of beer crates filled with sandbags, while sturdy wooden panels form the walls between the paper tube columns spaced at 1.2-meter intervals. This design significantly expedites the construction process, allowing for swift assembly. The roof is crafted from paper tube frames and plywood decking. Safety during construction is a top priority, as large holes are strategically cut into the plywood to provide a secure working platform, eliminating the need to climb onto the roof.

Shigeru Ban (find more here) has developed various adaptations of the paper log housing solution to aid earthquake victims in northwestern Turkey, Morocco, Noto, Japan, and Korea. While the core design remains consistent, each version incorporates minor adjustments tailored to its specific geographical context. For instance, the Korean disaster relief housing features paper honeycomb boards constructed with hanji, a Korean traditional paper.

sturdy wooden panels form the walls between the paper tube columns spaced at 1.2-meter intervals | image © designboom