Ban Shigeru: Designing Places of Refuge

A screen, a device, no hidden connections in between.

South Korea's LG Electronics introduced a 4K TV that does away with cable clutter.

This box houses all the circuitry so it can send the audio and picture signals right to the television.

CES... formerly known as The Consumer Electronics Show...

was held fully in-person for the first time in 3 years.

More than 3,000 exhibitors showed off technologies across a wide range of areas.

The US firm OVR Technology demonstrated virtual reality equipment that makes it possible to smell things in the metaverse.

Wow! It smells like a toasted marshmallow.

The company says pleasant aromas will help ease stress.

Machinery producer John Deere developed a tractor that uses artificial intelligence quickly detect weeds...

then precisely target them with herbicides.

French cosmetic firm L'Oreal unveiled a lipstick applier that uses sensors, robotics, and machine learning.

It is designed to help those with limited mobility.

No matter what your movement, it will always stay steady and always stay towards your mouth when you apply.

It actually learns how your arm and your hand move and in what angle, and then it actually corrects for it in the direction that's towards your face.

As automakers use more software and cars become like gadgets, CES has become one of the world's largest motor shows.

This year, participation from the auto industry was the biggest ever, with over 300 companies showing off vehicles and related technology.

This is how we reimagine.

Choosing the color has always been one of the major decisions when buying a car.

But that could change with BMW's concept car.

It is covered in panels that can change to 32 different colors.

A joint venture by Japan's Sony and Honda created a prototype electric vehicle with a touchscreen dashboard and entertainment features such as games.

The company aims to start taking orders in 2025.

Cars are incorporating technology more and more.

It will become more common for companies to cooperate with a number of other firms, rather than doing what they can do alone.

From mobility to health care and farming, this year's CES revealed how technology could dramatically change the way we live in the near future.

This contemporary tea bar, M-T-C-H, draws customers from around Bangkok.

Its name is taken from matcha...

the Japanese word for powdered green tea.

They import high-quality ingredients directly from Japan to make over 500 cups a day.

They are also creating their own unique beverages.

We would like to keep developing for making a good thing for art.

Even now we try to make a new recipe of the new brand of the new menu all the time.

They incorporate Thailand's tropical produce by making drinks with coconut water or sweet lemon soda.

He actually manages to pick a few different types of blends which turned out to be things that I like, suit my tastes.

Thai tourists have not needed a visa to visit Japan since 2013.

In that time, there have been a number of trends based on tastes travelers have experienced in Japan.

The green tea trend is long-lasting, with imports increasing 250 percent in the last decade.

They have experienced Japanese culture.

If the product says the green tea from Japan or Matcha from Japan, they would treat it as more authentic products.

And they are willing to experience it.

Another cafe prepares its drinks in a more traditional manner.

Koto Tea Space was opened recently by Danittha and her Japanese partner.

Danittha first encountered Japanese tea in Kyoto five years ago while on an internship in Japan.

She began visiting regions of Japan that grow tea.

Her aim in opening her shop was to introduce authentic Japanese tea in Bangkok.

Not special, but more like a curated store, where we accumulate tea from many places.

The signature course allows customers to sample a number of different brews.

The first cup is tea that people drink in the New Year to welcome good health.

It is known as Oobuku-cha and comes from Kyoto.

Kelp is added to create a complex flavor.

The second is the most popular tea at the moment in Japan, where it is grown in Kagoshima prefecture in the south of the country.

"Saemidori" is said to have no shortcomings, with a beautiful green color, elegant aroma and a deep, sweet flavor.

The final cup is matcha.

Leaves grown in Kyoto are ground into a powder using a stone mortar and pestle.

It is a method used only for this type of tea.

This is at a different level than any Japanese tea I've ever had before.

The course including handmade Japanese-style sweets isn't cheap at 40 dollars, but there is no end to the customers who want to savor something while also learning.

The customer here, they love to learn about where is the tea cultivated.

We want to have more people enjoying the tea style, the tea way.

More people in Thailand are now making green tea at home, and experts are watching how this will affect the trend.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began in February of 2022, millions of Ukrainians have fled to neighboring European countries.

Just 2 weeks after the conflict began, Ban Shigeru went to provide assistance at an emergency evacuation center located in Poland.

Teams of local volunteers quickly joined his cause and helped assemble special paper partition systems.

They can be easily be put-together by almost anyone.

Each unit is 2 square meters in size.

Adding or removing dividing curtains allows for creating private rooms or for opening them up to make larger gathering spaces.

"Thank you."

Millions of Ukrainian refugees have to sleep in gymnasiums or in other large shared spaces.

At the bare minimum, I feel that each person deserves to have some degree of privacy.

Ban first thought of using paper-based partitions back in 1995.

The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake that struck in Western Japan's Hyogo Prefecture killed nearly 6,500 people...

and forced over 300,000 to evacuate their homes.

I was shocked when I first saw the evacuation sites and immediately wanted to help make a difference.

Because of their wide range of uses, paper tubes are manufactured in countries all over the world.

In addition to being easily procurable, Ban felt that the light and easy-to-work-with tubes would be an ideal material during times of trouble when quick installation was needed.

However, convincing others about the merits of using paper tubing wasn't easy.

In 2011, Ban once again found himself visiting evacuation centers following the Great East Japan Earthquake.

When he tried to introduce his paper partitions, officials declined said the material would be vulnerable to fire and water.

Everyone said, "There's no precedent for using something like that, so they'll will never allow it."

But I refused to give up!

Ban continued to visit evacuation centers with his paper-tube partitions.

They're quite sturdy!

Little by little, local governments began using the partitions, and before he knew it, he had installed them in 50 different locations.

Earthquakes aren't what kills people.

Injuries or deaths usually occur when buildings or other man-made structures collapse.

As architects, I think it's our responsibility to help those who have lost their homes to disaster.

His passion for helping evacuees is now rubbing off on people throughout Europe who want to help support Ukrainian refugees.

Just 3 days after being contacted by Ban's team, a Belgian paper company responded by donating over 10,000 paper tubes from its Poland-based factory.

"We were happy that we don't have to think how to support.
The solution is already in our hand."

Fellow architect Hubert Trammer over-saw the on-site assembly for the project.

Together with a crew of over 60 volunteers, they worked to transform several evacuation shelters in Eastern Poland.

"When this information came from Shigeru Ban,
many people were encouraged."

By the time Ban reached the site to check on their progress, the team had already completed over 300 units and the first facility was ready to receive refugees.

"I like it. It is great."

"Can you ask him how he feel about this?"

"Normal."

"Normal is important, right?"

Word of the partitions spread and soon other volunteer groups were installing them in facilities in France, Germany, and Slovakia.

For temporary locations, we need easy to dismantle solutions, as well as know what to do with the materials after use.

In September of 2022, Ban unveiled a prototype of a new kind of temporary housing he came up with for use in Ukraine.

The walls are made primarily of polystyrene foam.

Much like paper tubes, this material can easily be procured in most countries around the world.

The house's simple design allows it to be assembled without the help of professional builders.

"I want to prepare an affordable housing,
without depending on contractor."

Ban's former student, Dr. Jezy Latka and a group of about 40 student volunteers helped to build the prototype.

The wall panels are made from a thick layer of polystyrene foam that is laminated with fiberglass reinforced plastic resin.

All materials used were sourced locally.

Each panel weighs less than 20kg.

Using just basic tools and bonding adhesive, the house only took about two weeks to complete.

"We all know that the aim is to build something important
and hope to develop it further."

"This is something unexchangeable to any money."

The day before unveiling the house, Ban visited a town in western Ukraine.

He hopes that his temporary housing will play a key role in helping the country to be able to quickly recover and rebuild.

Not only can this type of housing provide shelter, it can also create jobs.

After the war, they will need to find work for many of the returning people.

Since it can be built by almost anyone, it could also offer an instant source of employment.

One issue facing his current design, is that the wall panels aren't strong enough to be approved for housing in Ukraine.

In response, Ban sought the help of a world-class fiber glass manufacturer located in Japan.

The company specializes in producing components for racing cars using ultra-light materials such as fiberglass and carbon fiber.

Each one of these sheets is comprised of 4 layers of glass fibers oriented four different directions.

By layering the sheets together, the design ensures provides uniform strength.

With the new panel design complete, Ban and his team plan on building another prototype in July of this year for strength testing.

The manufacturer thinks this project may be the beginning of a new line of products.

Now that we have an example of what we are capable of, it can serve as a foundation.

This experience has given us the boost we need to enter into the housing industry.

Ban hopes to continue taking on various challenges and says that these experiences have helped to mold him into the architect he is today.

As with any job, I think you never stop learning or improving - it's an ongoing process.

For me, going to disaster stricken areas and working with local people to build something together is part of how I learn and improve.

So when I go out and work on these projects, I am not doing something special, I am simply growing as an architect.