Architect urges people not to throw away anything as waste

Renowned architect Shigeru Ban emphasizes sustainability and social responsibility in architectural design during lecture series in India.

Noted Japanese architect Shigeru Ban has urged people not to throw away anything as waste.

He was delivering the inaugural talk on the topic ‘Balancing architectural works and social’ in the lecture series Tomorrow is Now organised by Seed - APJ Abdul Kalam School of Environmental Design, Muvattupuzha, and Livingetc India here on Monday. The lecture series aims at bringing in architects and designers of international acclaim to India providing a unique opportunity for knowledge exchange and collaboration.

Mr. Ban is the winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, considered as the Nobel Prize in architecture, in 2014. During the course of the lecture, he showcased many of his architectural works created using recycled paper tubes, used shipping containers, and Styrofoam.

To be among the first to many a disaster-hit site, Mr. Ban described his relief works in the wake of many man-made and natural disasters. He explained how he fulfilled his social commitments at many disaster sites from Japan to Nepal hit by massive earthquakes, the Rwandan genocide that left around 20 lakh refugees, and the ongoing Ukraine invasion through his architecture to the applause of the audience made up of noted architects and architect students.

Ukraine used to export cross-laminated timber (CLT) in large quantities to the United States and Canada. However, this was disrupted following the Ukraine invasion. Mr. Ban recalled how CLT was used as far as possible in the construction of a 25,000-sq.ft. hospital building in Ukraine. Several temporary shelters were also constructed in a single day using Styrofoam that looks like thermocol.

Architect from New Zealand Jeremy Smith also showcased his architecture creations.