25 Sustainable Cardboard Structures

From Cardboard Churches to Homeless Cocoon Shelters

— August 2, 2013 — Eco
Building with eco-friendly materials has become increasingly popular but one surprising development is the creation of cardboard structures. Designers have put the sturdy material to use in building permanent shelters in an effort to use recycled materials. This list is composed of examples of sustainable architecture that incorporate cardboard.

Retailers have taken advantage of cardboard's sustainable image to build eco-friendly stores. Spaces like recyclable bookstores and cardboard retail shops appeal to the eco-conscious consumer in a fun and creative way. By showing how sustainable they are, retailers are able to effortlessly increase sales while saving the environment.

Other designers have leveraged the tough material to help those in need. Structures like homeless cocoon shelters and simple pop-up shelters help those in need of a temporary shelter in a cheap and eco-friendly manner.
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25
Cavernous Cardboard Structures
Cavernous Cardboard Structures
The Cardboard Pavillion is a Great Example of Creative Architecture
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24
Cardboard Castle Constructions
Cardboard Castle Constructions
Japanese Artist Upunushu Recreateas the Wondrous Matsumoto Castle
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23
Crafted Paper Bridges
Crafted Paper Bridges
Shigeru Ban Built a River-Spanning Bridge Out of 281 Cardboard Tubes
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22
Cardboard Bridges
Cardboard Bridges
Japanese Architect's Eco-Friendly Bridge in France
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21
Medieval Cardboard Chambers
Medieval Cardboard Chambers
The 'Hidden Lines' Guest Room by Jeroen van Mechelen
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20
Cardboard Churches
Cardboard Churches
The 1864 Cathedral in New Zealand Will Be Rebuilt Out of Cardboard
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19
Cardboard Room
Cardboard Room
Disposable Design at its Finest
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18
Life-Sized Paper Houses
Life-Sized Paper Houses
Chinese Architect Responds to Sichuan Earthquake
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17
Tubular Retail Spaces
Tubular Retail Spaces
Karis by Suppose Design Creates Wonder From Cardboard
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16
Coiled Cardboard Structures
Coiled Cardboard Structures
The Living Nature Pavilion Explores How Space and Light Interact
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15
Miniature Paper Cities
Miniature Paper Cities
The 'Paper Metropolis' by Kiel Johnson Redefines Building Blocks
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14
Flatpack Forts
Flatpack Forts
The 'Villa Julia' Cardboard Playhouse Lets Kids Play Designer
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13
100% Recycled Home
100% Recycled Home
The CardBoard House
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12
Shipping Palette Retailers
Shipping Palette Retailers
The CLAE Pop-Up Shop is Designed With Sustainability in Mind
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11
Cardboard Cafes
Cardboard Cafes
B3 Designers at London Design Festival
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10
Homeless Cocoon Shelters
Homeless Cocoon Shelters
This Nifty Hwang Kim Design Offers Discrete, Portable Outdoor Protection
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9
Disaster Housing Designs
Disaster Housing Designs
The Octagon Post-Earthquake House
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8
Cardboard Retail Shops
Cardboard Retail Shops
The Bombed Mache By Ksubi
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7
Odd Recyclable Offices
Odd Recyclable Offices
Alrik Koudenburg & Joost van Bleiswijk Design the Nothing Cardboard Bureau
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Recyclable Bookstores
Recyclable Bookstores
The Foldaway Bookshop is Earth and User-Friendly
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5
Luxury Paper Pop-Ups
Luxury Paper Pop-Ups
Hermes + Shigeru Ban Pavilion is an Eco-Friendly Design
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Prefabricated Playgrounds
Prefabricated Playgrounds
The Play Modern Cuba and 2cuba Playhouses are Built With Minimal Tools
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Simple Pop-Up Shelters
Simple Pop-Up Shelters
Atelier OPA Creates Simple Cardboard Havens That Takes Seconds to Make
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Cardboard Conference Cells
Cardboard Conference Cells
The Cellulose Meeting Pod Encourages Interactivity in Workplaces
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Cardboard Box Pop-Up Shops
Cardboard Box Pop-Up Shops
Naver App Square is a Cool Temporary Store by Urbantainer
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