Japanese architect and humanitarian Shigeru Ban has been named the 35th Laureate of the Praemium Imperiale Award for Architecture. Established in 1988 by the Japan Art Association, the annual award seeks to recognize exceptional achievements in Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Music, and Theatre/Film. Shigeru Ban's contributions to architecture have been significant, not only for the distinctive design aesthetics but also for the innovative use of materials, particularly in the context of emergency interventions and humanitarian work.
Born in Tokyo in 1957, Shigeru Ban's early interests were not in architecture, but in carpentry, due to his childhood belief that carpenters were responsible for building all structures. This laid the foundation for his enduring appreciation of wood, which continues to inform his work. Ban's interest soon turned to architectural design, and he studied at the Southern California Institute of Architecture and later at Cooper Union's School of Architecture in New York, where he was influenced by noted architects such as John Hejduk.
Ban's work is characterized by the creative use of unconventional materials, most notably paper and cardboard tubes. These materials are not only cost-effective but also sustainable, aligning with growing environmental consciousness in the field of architecture. One of his earliest and most famous projects is the Paper Church (1995) in Kobe, Japan, created as a temporary replacement for a church destroyed by the Great Hanshin earthquake. This project exemplified his philosophy of creating architecture that serves immediate needs while also being flexible and sustainable.
Ban's commitment to humanitarian architecture is further demonstrated through his disaster relief projects worldwide. He developed innovative solutions like the Paper Log House, which provides temporary, dignified housing for disaster-affected populations. These structures have been utilized in earthquake-stricken areas such as Haiti and Nepal, showcasing his dedication to addressing urgent human needs through thoughtful design.
I design houses and public buildings, but disaster relief is my life's work. - Shigeru Ban
In addition to his humanitarian work, Ban's projects often employ local materials in distinctive ways, resulting in distinctive works such as the Centre Pompidou-Metz in France or the Swatch and Omega Campus in Switzerland. For all of his contributions, Shigeru Ban was awarded the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2014, acknowledging his innovative approach and commitment to sustainability and humanitarianism.
In addition to Shigeru Ban, the 2024 edition of Praemium Imperiale recognizes artist Doris Salcedo for the Sculpture section, Maria João Pires as the Music Laureate, Taiwanese film director Ang Lee as the Theatre/Film Laureate, and French conceptual artist Sophie Calle as the Painting Laureate. Last year, Diébédo Francis Kéré has been named the 2023 Praemium Imperiale laureate for architecture.
