Long live the ephemeral architecture of Shigeru Ban
Thinking about Japanese architecture means thinking about concepts such as ‘kintsugi’ – the art of repairing broken vessels with gold as a synonym for resilience – or ‘wabi sabi’ – emulating the ephemeral nature of nature in the constructions themselves. Just two concepts from a Japanese dictionary nourished by caresses of nature, wood or sustainability as impulses of an architecture converted into a lighthouse. And a good example is found in the Japanese prefecture of Yamanashi.
Located in the Five Lakes regionfull of waterfalls, forests and cherry fields watched by the imposing Mount Fuji, Paper House (or La Casa de Papel) from the architect’s studio Shigeru Ban was born in 1995 to inspire a revolution of ephemeral homes with sustainability as the common thread of the proposal.
La Casa de Papel: the house before the series
110 tubes of recycled paper (or the promise of the ultimate sustainable home).© Shigeru Ban
The aspect that makes the difference between Paper House and any other construction lies in the use of recycled paper tubes, an unconventional material that offers a feast of options here. In this way, we are talking about the first permanent structure of this type, organized on a 10 x 10 meter plane with 110 columns of paper tubes arranged in an S shape that brings together various interior and exterior spaces.
These waterproof tubes were treated with a special coating that increases the durability of the structure and provides resistance to all the elements. In turn, wood and glass panels were used to complement the structure and enhance insulationat the same time facilitates the entry of natural light inside. All of this, supported on a raised wooden base, an element that helps protect the house from humidity, emulating a tatami of large proportions.
