We know a lot of you out there are looking for ways to contribute to the relief efforts in Japan. Archinect brought one effort to our attention today: Tokyo-based architect Shigeru Ban is currently building and preparing to deploy emergency shelters in Tohoku, Japan. Click through for info on how to donate, and more on the project.

From Ban’s website:

In case of contribution, please send us your contact to our mail ( tokyo@shigerubanarchitects.com ) or FAX (+81 3 3324 6789) for updates about this project. On March 11, 2011, 9.0-magnitude earthquake struck the Pacific coast of Tohoku, JAPAN. We are currently preparing to deploy simple partitions for evacuees taking shelter at gymnasiums in the Tohoku region. From now on, for people taking shelter in these sites, it is necessary to avoid distress from the lack of privacy and high density. We ask for your support of this important disaster relief endeavor.

Donations made to the following account are very much appreciated.

Bank:                The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd.
Branch:             Higashi Matsubara Branch
Account Name:   Voluntary Architects Network
Account No.:       3636723 (Futsuu)
Swift Code:         BOTKJPJT
Bank Address:     5-2-18 Matsubara, Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan

When the Fukuoka earthquake struck in 2005, ten years had passed since the Hanshin-Awaji earthquake, the last time a seismic intensity was recorded over 6 in a large Japanese city. The main issue in the first phase at evacuation sites is the high density of refugees. Privacy is needed due to the lack of close relationships between neighbors in everyday life. Simple cardboard sheets were offered for insulation and to create a border between families. The cardboard was only used to cover the floor in early crowded times; after the population decreased, the cardboard was used to create partitions for night time privacy.

Constant revision was done whenever large earthquakes occurred in Japan, aiming to fit the needs of evacuation sites since the first attempt made in Niigata (2004). After the project in Fukuoka, wall structures that had been honeycomb boards were changed to a strut-beam structure using paper tubes that can be furnished faster and conveniently at any site, with white cloth for partitions. The joints were made of plywood, and ropes were used for braces .For flexible partitioning depending on the family size, the modularized unit dimensions were standardized at 180cm. For administration, it is impossible to forecast partition needs, so low cost and high speed were the priorities in developing this partition system.

Ban is famous for designing using lightweight paper – you may remember projects like his famous cardboard teahouse:

by Kelsey Campbell-Dollaghan

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tagged earthquake, emergency, japan, News, shelter, shigeru ban

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