Shigeru Ban on Inhabiting the Margins: “Anything Available Is Building Material”

From the 21st to the 25th of September, the Mextrópoli Festival + XII Ibero-American Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism took place in Mexico City. As part of the event, ArchDaily spoke with 2014 Pritzker Prize winner Shigeru Ban about the central theme “Inhabiting at the margins”, a proposal that sought to make visible the work of those who are providing solutions to the growing social, environmental, and economic needs at the margins of the system.

Shigeru Ban spoke from his experience of humanitarian projects in the aftermath of natural disasters. He presented his point of view by addressing the availability of material and the part technology plays in the role of architects while recalling his previous encounter with the city during the earthquake of September 2017, reflecting on the importance of creating a good team of people to bring projects to life.

Why do you think it is important to think about solutions outside the system?

I don’t think they are now solutions outside the system; they are already solutions that are part of the system. For example, when I was in Kobe in 1995, when there were no architects in the disaster area, maybe architects didn’t think that walking in a disaster area was part of the role of the profession, but it was. And now, everywhere, when I go to a disaster area and there are so many architects working, they then recognize that this is part of our role. So now there is nothing outside the system. For me, anything available is architectural building material. You can’t say outside or inside the system. Everything is connected.

The architectural profession has been evolving very fast in recent years. Where do you think the focus should be?

I don’t think the role is changing at all. Architecture in particular is a very unusual field compared to others. For example, technology makes other disciplines or any field better, even banking or anything. But architecture is just one of the few, or maybe one, where the advancement of technology does not make it better. That’s why I think professional work is not changing.

Buildings were better 100 years ago, 200 years ago, when there was no technology. Advanced computer technology makes it easier to design, easier to build. But the quality is getting worse and worse. So I don’t think the role of architecture and our field is changing dramatically, even because of technology. 

Why do you think it is important to keep going back to those countries where crises happen all the time?

First of all, unfortunately, I cannot go everywhere. For example, last month there was a big flood in Pakistan. I stopped traveling because I didn’t know anyone in Pakistan. So I called my contacts, my friend in India, to see if I could be of interest to someone. But still, it was difficult to do the organization there. Even five years ago I came here to Mexico to see the disaster area, I met some architects and people, but nothing happened. First I have to go alone to make the team and when I succeed in making a good team, the project can happen and move forward.

I also remember Ecuador in 2016, I went and we met the first prototype, but I couldn’t do the fundraising, so the project didn’t move. I don’t always make it. But the important thing is that I go there to meet someone. And if I’m lucky, to meet good people and make a good team, I can do some projects. But the important thing is to get to know each other because every occasion is different. Creating a team is the most important thing.

What would you say to the new generations who are facing this new world with many crises?

When I was a student, nobody was interested in talking about disasters. But now there are so many architecture students who really help with projects. They are interested in working with society and for society. However, the difficult thing here is to understand that we should not depend on technology.