Shigeru Ban's Partitions

Shigeru Ban is a remarkable architect. A very accomplished designer, he has authored the so-called Swatch Building in Tokyo, the Pompidou Center in Metz and the soon-to-finish Metal Shutter Building in New York. However, when disaster strikes, Ban drops everything and heads to the site to see how he can help. Championing the overlooked and the under served, Ban always ferrets out groups of people whose needs are not being met by government initiatives.



After the earthquake and tsunami toppled a good portion of Tohoku, Ban made a beeline for the blighted area and immediately assessed how he could help. Quick to spring into action, he turned his attention to the needs of displaced persons bedding down in gymnasia and other large rooms throughout the region. Though they had shelter and food, there was a palpable dearth of privacy. To ease this problem, Ban resurrected a scheme for partitions made of paper tubes that started out as a project with his students a couple years ago.





Earlier this week, I had the chance to see his paper tube partitions on display at the Interiors and Lifestyle Fair at Tokyo Big Sight. A simple assembly of tubes and tape, each unit is able to encircle an individual space with cloth curtains that provide a modicum of privacy. Ban told me recently that he is about to trot out a summer version made of mosquito netting.
Here is the link to my article about Ban's partitions published by Architectural Record in April: http://archrecord.construction.com/news/2011/04/110421-Ban-Offers-Japan-Aid.asp

My Eggcellent Easter

On Sunday I went to services at a lovely church about an hour west of Tokyo. The purpose in attending was not spiritual fulfillment (wrong religion) but an Architectural Record assignment. A modest structure made of wood, the building contains a wonderfully meditative chapel bathed in soft daylight. I was very impressed but I won't go into detail here. For my critique, you will have to visit the magazine's web site (http://archrecord.construction.com/) in the coming months. If you visit now, you will find my feature on Tree House, one of this year's Record Houses.

After the service concluded, I mingled among the congregants. Most of the regulars are over the age of 65. One kindly gentleman prepared Easter eggs for everyone and one of the few children, a girl of about 10 years, was entrusted with their basket and distribution. Swaddled in a cute little wrapper adorned with bunnies and topped with a ribbon, the egg I received was your basic hard-boiled. For this reason I chose not to eat mine but preserve it for posterity with these pictures instead. Now if chocolate had been involved, the little egg might not have survived the journey back to Tokyo.