| [ History of Paper Architecture ]
We first used paper tubes in an installation project for an exhibition of Alba Aalto's Work in 1986 and noticed their potential as a building material with considerable aesthetic possibilities. We then built Suikinkutsu Arbor using 48 paper tubes in the venue of the Nagoya Design Exposition which was followed by Main Hall for the Odawara Festival and Library of a Poet. In 1993, paper tubes were officially authorized by the Minister of Construction as structural materials for permanent building structures in conformity with Article 38 of the Building Standards Act. When we were developing shelters for refugees in Africa using this system in cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, a great earthquake hit the Hanshin Awaji area of western Japan on January 17, 1995. We then decided to build temporary houses for people whose houses were destroyed by the earthquake as well using the same system. |
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| [ Paper is durable ] Paper tubes, made of recycled paper, have stable qualities as industrial products and are highly durable. In this sense, they can be regarded as "evolved wood." |
| [ Paper is light ] Paper tubes as structural materials are much lighter than wood, let alone steel or concrete. This characteristic is one of great merits of paper tubes because we can build light weight buildings using them that can be easily handled and transported. |
| [ Paper will go back to nature] Paper tubes can be easily manufactured and processed. More importantly, they are recyclable. Therefore, if we use paper tubes, the risk of destroying the environment is quite small when procuring the materials or disposing of surplus materials. |
| [ Paper is beautiful ] Paper tubes are simple yet powerful and beautiful. They have a soft, gentle texture which is different from that of steel or concrete. |
