Table of Contents

Chapter One.........................................................................................................................................2
Project Review.....................................................................................................................................2
Cardboard Cathedral by Shigeru Ban...............................................................................................3
Chapter Two.........................................................................................................................................5
Critical Theory.....................................................................................................................................5
The Consent Issues..............................................................................................................................7
Infrastructure Issues...........................................................................................................................8
Chapter 3............................................................................................................................................10
Discussion and Analysis.....................................................................................................................10
Conclusion..........................................................................................................................................12
References..........................................................................................................................................13

1
 Chapter One
Project Review

The test case for the essay is Christchurch, New Zealand, which in the past was known as the
"Garden City" of New Zealand. Between September 2010 and February 2011, Christchurch
was rocked by several strong earthquakes, the last of which claimed 185 lives. Many people
decided to shut down their businesses as a result, and many families were evicted from their
houses and left the devastated city. Architectural critics often fall into two categories: those
who view architecture as a platform for aesthetic experimentation and those who view it as a
tool for promoting social justice. They frequently disagree with one another, causing raised
eyebrows and irate outbursts.

In an article he published in the New York Review of Books earlier this year, writer Martin
Filler paraphrased a line from Zaha. Hadid gave the impression that she was unconcerned
about worker fatalities on Qatari construction sites, followed by a false claim that one of her
ongoing projects had resulted in a thousand deaths (which had not even broken ground at the
time). Although Filler formally apologized and Hadid vowed to sue, the harm had already
been done. Others continue to cite the initial fallacy as if it were damning proof of the
heartless behavior of far too many well-known architects. They allegedly seek out the
wealthy and powerful as customers, willfully oblivious to the part their building plays in
upholding oppression and injustice (Daniell, 2014).

It is considered that their reputation comes at the price of all the unjustly overlooked
architects who quietly create excellent, understated structures with the honest intention of
improving everyone's lot in life. Although many examples may be used to refute this
caricature, there is still some validity to it. Shigeru Ban has looked to embody the possibility
of a synthesis between these two extremes, at all that since the construction of his first
cardboard church in Kobe after the 1995 earthquake: he is an architect who is ecologically
and socially conscious, yet inventive and engaging in his approaches.

2
His employment for the wealthy is allegedly only a method for him to subsidize free work
done for those unable to pay his fees because he is most well-known for coming up with
innovative applications for common materials to create emergency relief homes. Those who
believed that excessive focus is placed on seemingly reckless design were thrilled by Ban's
2014 Pritzker Architecture Prize, while those who support architectural inventiveness for the
sake of it were baffled.

Nobody was able to refute the fact that Ban's confirmation vote for the Pritzker Prize was at
least partially driven by a desire for a politically correct counterbalance to most of the
winners who came before him, even though few seemed to have the guts to point out Ban's
designs' aesthetic flaws and even fewer dared to recommend that there might be some extent
of hypocrisy in his aspirations. It had been obvious that the patch was in place for a while.

Cardboard Cathedral by Shigeru Ban

In 2011, Martha Thorne, executive director of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, reacted angrily
to Australian architect David Neustein's relatively strong criticism of Ban, "A paper-thin
humanistic ethics." Shame on you, David Neustein, she said in her opening statement.
However, this would be churlish and foolish to try and find fault with Andrew Barrie's book
or the endeavor it stands for. Critics engaging with Ban are in dangerous terrain. The
Cardboard Cathedral serves as both a global declaration of the city's enduring existence and
an upbeat emblem for Christchurch's traumatized residents. Therefore, it only merits praise.
The book, which was created by Alt Group, is a stunning work of art. It has a shiny hardcover
atop a cover made of unfinished cardboard, as well as a series of different paper types that get
progressively more gorgeous as the story goes from inception to final. The epitaph for
Cathedral serves as both a memory and a sign of Christchurch's regeneration.

3
Dean Lynda Patterson wrote the preface. Before the book was published, she passed away at
the age of 40. The content is written for both professional and lay readers, which helps to
explain why such a large portion of the book is devoted to a single project. Investigative
photographer Bridgit Anderson captured most of the construction-related photos, while
architectural photographer Stephen Good enough was hired to get images of the finished
structure. together with copies of agreements, construction permits, and architectural
technical drawings. In a lengthy essay, Andrew Barrie combines several of his previously
written articles to present a jargon-free summary of Ban's work and a show of the
Christchurch project. Apart from some anticipatory special pleading for Ban's decorative
usage of his trademark canisters to cover the timber A-frame, there isn't much criticism of the
architectural style:

Just though Ban often employs tubes in architecture. Demanding that he always be self-
sufficient runs the risk of being pedantic. Perhaps, but in that case, why utilize it at all? They
"preserve the architectural duties of delineating the space, imparting materials richness, and
shaping the way natural light travels into the area," according to Barrie. There are numerous
different ways to accomplish the same results, thus it appears more likely that the paper tubes
were selected, as with other Ban projects, for their consistent visual appearance and
simplicity of identification. Because you desire the tubes, you commission Ban.

As per Rennie, (2016) Earlier generations of architects may have valued structural honesty
and purity, but today there are many different genres of architecture, each with its own merits.
Ban's ingenuity with temporary fixes undoubtedly appeals more to the New Zealander's self-
image of do-it-yourself, low-tech ingenuity than his use of a single material solution for every
issue, regardless of appropriateness, much like the Kiwi farmer who will insist that nothing
can't be fixed with a little bit of number 8 wire. Although the book and the structure both pose
issues regarding their solidity and flimsiness, as well as which components are necessary and
which are unnecessary, their objectives are above fault.

4
Figure 1: Taken from Google.

Chapter Two
Critical Theory

"Critical theory seeks to contest the veracity of conventional or common-sense assertions

about reality, experience, and knowledge. On the premise of this, several critical theories set
out to investigate our core assumptions about life and examine the governing principles and
presumptions that govern our relationships (Wake & Malpas 2013).

From either the tiniest to the grandest scales, Ban considers environmental considerations
when creating his designs, encompassing infrastructure, community resources, resources, and
climates. The primary goal of Ban's design strategy is to meet the needs of both the current
and future generations. Rather than employing high-tech ideas, which are essential to today's
design sensibilities, he opted for a concept that is simply accessible, affordable, and
environmentally conscious. His creative use of materials and design strategy has gained
prominence thanks to the paper tube structural system. He was able to create his technique by
using Japanese architecture's use of paper as a model. Shigeru Ban asserts that a design
should be both affordable and simple to use in addition to being long-lasting. He merges
nature with architecture because of this.

In the lecture, we also learned that "The social and cultural dimensions of architectural
practices are extremely relevant. It is impossible to support corporate capitalism in a
pragmatic manner without criticism given the catastrophic changes to the Earth's climate
caused by dioxide emissions, along with the intensifying of imperialist aggression by oil-

5
dependent nations as supply increases (Jane Rendell). To do that would be to support the
inequalities that are fundamental features of this market structure. It is based on this mix that
traditional Japanese architecture's most noticeable characteristics are established. Ban
develops environmentally friendly designs that work with the environment. People did not
pay attention to nature thirty years ago, he has claimed in response to all those who identify
his building as sustainable; nonetheless, he has refined his architectural approach by paying
close attention to affordable, nearby, and recyclable materials The creation of makeshift
accommodations following natural disasters in Turkey, West India, Sri Lanka, Haiti, the
Philippines, and Ecuador are just a few of the significant humanitarian aid initiatives that Ban
has undertaken (URL2). He used paper tube technology to create products that were simple to
demount. The projects for the Japanese Pavilion, the Papertainer Museum, the Centre
Pompidou Metz, and the Cardboard Cathedral are among those by architect Tadao Ando that
are examined in the next section.

Figure 2. The Japanese Pavilion at Expo 2000 (URL3)

As per Bulut. & Gürani (2018) A study of Shigeru Ban’s environmentally sensitive
architectural Shigeru Ban's first project that made use of paper tubing in incredibly long
dimensions was the Japanese Pavilion in Hannover, Germany (Figure 1). Ban was tasked
with coming up with a design that would best represent Japanese culture for the expo focused
on the environment. The tunnel arch of the pavilion spans 3,015 m2, measuring roughly 73.8
m long, 25 m broad, and 15.9 m high (URL4). Rather than employing his previous paper
dome design, Ban worked with Frei Otto and Buro Happold to build the roof's grid shell
structure (Figure 2).

6
Figure 3. The Japanese Pavilion’s grid shell system (URL3)

The Consent Issues

The local area has been very critical of Christchurch City Council. To make matters worse, in
July 2013, International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) revoked the CCC's authorization
to grant construction assent (Cairns, & Young, 2013). These approvals serve as construction
permits that provide individuals with authorization to carry out planned construction works.
Thus, the Council was relieved of one of its major responsibilities just 17 months after the
deadly earthquake, leaving the city's citizens reeling from insurance company non-payouts
and the CCC continuing to collect rates on buildings that had been designated uninhabitable.
Buildings repairs are being made by people who wish to move on with their lives and repair
their destroyed structures so that businesses or homes can. Building permits were
subsequently outsourced to other municipal councils around the nation as a result, with CCC
serving just as a "postman." To be fair, no one anticipated these dreadful occurrences because,
according to a popular joke, the earthquake fault line beneath the river Avon had been
overlooked for 25,000 years! Most of the council employees were taken by surprise and
found to be lacking; few had firsthand experience with such an occurrence. It is
understandable why Christchurch residents felt further let down by the city's elected
municipal government. Its building assent status wasn't restored until December 2014 (Mead,
2014). Buildings, businesses, and homes that could not be reoccupied found themselves in a
precarious situation.

7
Figure 4. Proposed East and South Frame to Christchurch, 2012, highlighting important
project locations

Image is a part of the 2012 "Breathe, the architectural competition for a new urban hamlet"
information pack (CCC)

Figure 4 depicts an overhead image of New Zealand, Te Rnanga o NGI TAHU, and the
Christchurch Earthquake Recovery Authority of the Christchurch City Council. The
government's suggested approach of using the "East and South Frames" to "frame" the
earthquake-devastated CBD. The Christchurch City Council constructed a "solar table" to
demonstrate that it was recovering control and that it "had its finger on the pulse" (19 May
2014). According to the Council, they "opened the first free public solar-charging table in the
nation, allowing people to plug in their cellphones or tablets to charge while hanging out in
the food court at Re: Start Mall" (Squires, 2014). Currently, there is about equal support for
and opposition to such an initiative in internet comments. The number of votes cast in favor
is greater than the number of negative ones, nevertheless. By the responder going by the
name "Kuzak," one such illustration is

Infrastructure Issues

The Christchurch City Council constructed a "solar table" to demonstrate that it was
recovering authority and that it "had its fingers on the pulse" (19 May 2014). According to
the Council, they "opened the first free public solar-charging table in the nation, allowing

8
people to plug in their cell phones or tablets to charge while hanging out in the food court at
[the] Re: Start Mall" (Squires, 2014). Currently, there is about equal support for and
opposition to such an initiative in internet comments. The number of votes cast in favor is
greater than the number of negative ones, nevertheless. A responder going by the name
"Kuzak," one such illustration is:

Figure 5: New Zealand's first public solar-charge table Source: The Christchurch Press

"What a waste of tax money. The CCC continues to waste money on PR instead of correcting
problems. What a waste of time it is to have to stand and wait while your phone charges. It
should be the user's job, not the ratepayer, to charge their phone since backup batteries, desk
chargers, and car chargers are all inexpensive. The [thousands of dollars] invested may have
been better spent on issues that directly affect people (and their cars), like the potholes in the
East side of town's roads. It's nice how the west side is getting new sidewalks and roadways,
while the east is still waiting” (Squires, 2014).

9
 Chapter 3
Discussion and Analysis

Paper tubes are something that Shigeru Ban simply adores. In Christchurch, New Zealand,
which was severely damaged by a terrible earthquake in February, the famed Japanese
architect, who is known for designing buildings that can be quickly and affordably erected in
disaster zones, is back at work. More than 200 people were killed by the 6.3-magnitude
earthquake, which also irreparably damaged the city's famous gothic cathedral that has stood
for 132 years. The cathedral, which was a replica of the one in Oxford, England, was one of
the most well-known sights in Christchurch and was featured on cards, gifts, and hand
towels. Shigeru Ban, a pioneer of so-called "emergency construction," has started building a
modest A-frame structure made of 20-foot boxes and equivalent paper tubes as a unique
substitute. The architect has been creating waterproof polyurethane and flame retardants since
1986, long before using affordable recyclable materials and being environmentally conscious
were ever issues in architecture. These coatings will be applied to the tubing.

Figure 6: Courtesy: Ban’s Sketches

Eight shipping containers—four on each side—are positioned on top of a deep concrete

foundation to stabilize the cathedral's sloping walls. These walls are constructed of 96
cardboard tubes and join at a location 70 feet above the altar. Church officials urged Ban to
build the cathedral using his distinctive cardboard tubes, but the architect determined it was
more crucial to utilize locally made tubes, even though they were too small to support his

10
design. By using local laminated wood beams to reinforce each tube internally, this issue was
rapidly fixed. Finally, the Cardboard Cathedral will become tranquil and airy thanks to two-
inch openings between the tubes that will let light in.

Figure 7: Taken from Googleof Shigeru Ban Architects

People have been killed by collapsing buildings, not earthquakes, according to Ban.
"Architects are responsible for that, but since we are too occupied serving the affluent, we are
not there when people need a temporary shelter. A structure can become a home even if it is
transitory."

Victoria Matthews, bishop of Christchurch Cathedral, who personally saw the earthquake and
its tragic consequences, couldn't concur more so with Ban's vision. She argues that what
Christchurch needs right now, "above all else, is something to celebrate." "We have said
goodbye to a great deal of stuff, which has caused a great deal of loss and pain. It will be
fantastic to be able to build this cathedral swiftly and efficiently, pray there, and invite guests
inside."

The Cardboard Cathedral will be Shigeru Ban's largest paper tube building to date. The
cathedral will have a seating capacity of 700 people and serve as a venue for events and
concerts in addition to being a house of worship. By April 2013, Shigeru Ban hopes to
complete the Cardboard Cathedral. He is also working on paper constructions in Russia,
India, Switzerland, and other countries. Church officials view the design as temporary, to be

11
built for no longer than 10 years until the original cathedral can be restored. However, the
Japanese architect hopes that the positive reception the new cathedral has already received
from the people of Christchurch will result in it becoming perpetual.

Paper is made from pulp and can be shaped into any shape, so according to Shigeru Ban, it
might be a flexible material. Shigeru Ban used cardboard as an architectural material in over
55 of his designs. The projects' characteristics vary depending on their purpose (furniture,
exhibitions, pavilions, educational and cultural structures, and relief structures), duration
(temporary or permanent), and materials. Most projects utilized paper tubes; however,
honeycomb panels were also occasionally employed. Shigeru Ban has been heavily involved
in disaster management initiatives, and most of his constructions are temporary edifices that
might be taken apart and utilized again for refugees. Ban is renowned for his innovative use
of cardboard tubes and paper as building materials.

He was the first architect in Japan to create a building made primarily of paper with his tissue
house, and his construction required special approval to meet building code requirements.
Ban prefers paper because it is inexpensive, environmentally beneficial, low-tech, and
replaceable. Instead of hiring skilled professionals, he provides locals like craftsmen the
chance to work on constructing his structure. He focuses more on local buildings than
inclusive design. He used the concept of a universal floor from Japanese architecture, which
is also known as Shoji (a traditional Japanese door, window, or room divider made of
translucent (or transparent) sheets on a lattice frame). His practice in all aspects reflects a
minimalistic approach to design. He gives the most consideration to the design of
ecologically safe, non-toxic, durable, non-hazardous, and recyclable stages (Dhivya, K. and
Yogapriya, 2021).

Conclusion

To design, ideate, and approve sustainable materials, anyone working in the construction
industry—including architects, civil engineers, policymakers, clients, and other stakeholders
—must be concerned about the environment. If the construction industry reduces waste, uses
recycled materials, chooses ecological materials, and experiments with new combinations of
durable, cost-effective materials with visually appealing features and structural stability, the
definition of sustainability can be achieved to a minimum extent.

12
References

Daniell, T., 2014. Shigeru Ban: Cardboard Cathedral; Andrew Barrie. Interstices: Journal of
Architecture and Related Arts.

Rennie, J., 2016. Inconsistent coherence in post-quake Christchurch, New Zealand.

URL3: Japan Pavillion Expo 2000 Hannıver, https://en.wikiarquitectura.com/building/japan-

pavillionexpo-2000-hannover/

Bulut, D.M. and Gürani, F.Y., 2018. A study of Shigeru Ban’s environmentally sensitive
architectural design approach. Gazi University Journal of Science Part B: Art Humanities
Design and Planning, 6(3), pp.147-157.

Wake, P. and Malpas, S. (ed.) (2013) The Routledge companion to critical and cultural theory.
(Second edition) London; New York: Routledge.

Rendell, J., Hill, J., Fraser, M. and Dorrian, M. eds. (2007) Critical Architecture. Abingdon:
Routledge.

CAIRNS, L. & YOUNG, R. 2013. Council set to lose consenting power [Online].
Christchurch: The Press. Available: http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8862238/Council-
set-to-lose-consenting-power

MEAD, T. 2014. Christchurch City Council regains building consent accreditation [Online].
Christchurch. Available: http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/christchurch-city-council-regains-
building-consent-accreditation-2014 121811#axzz3hgvGFSIU

SQUIRES, S. 2014. Re:Start installs first solar-cell charger. Available:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/city-centre/10061571/Re-Start-installs-first-solar-cell-
charger

https://www.archdaily.com/345255/shigeru-bans-cardboard-cathedral-underway-in-new-
zealand

Dhivya, K. and Yogapriya, G., 2021. Approach of sustainability using paper as a building material in
Shigeru Ban works. Journal of Architecture and Civil Engineering, 6(7), pp.01-04.

13