Ideas worth spreading

Emergency shelters made from paper

1,893,000 views |

Shigeru Ban |

TEDxTokyo

• May 2013

Long before sustainability was a buzzword, architect Shigeru Ban was using ecologically sound building materials such as cardboard tubes. He uses them to build remarkable temporary structures for disaster-struck nations such as Haiti, Rwanda and Japan. Yet often, these buildings remain a beloved part of the landscape long after they have served their intended purpose.

Long before sustainability was a buzzword, architect Shigeru Ban was using ecologically sound building materials such as cardboard tubes. He uses them to build remarkable temporary structures for disaster-struck nations such as Haiti, Rwanda and Japan. Yet often, these buildings remain a beloved part of the landscape long after they have served their intended purpose.

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxTokyo, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

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About the speaker

Shigeru Ban

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Most people look at cardboard tubes and see something fit for the recycling bin. But architect Shigeru Ban turns them into beautiful buildings.

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This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxTokyo, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TEDx.