The 1864 Cathedral has stood at the zenith of Christchurch, New Zealand for almost 150 years. But this past February, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake ripped through the small island nation and delivered considerable structural damage to the age-old monastery.
Enter Shigeru Ban, a Japanese architect known for implementing cardboard and paper in load-bearing structures. Ban has been approached by the Christchurch city council to produce plans for a new building intended to temporarily replace the 1864 cathedral. The new house of worship will be made from cardboard, accommodating more than 700 people beneath its 80-foot-tall steeple.
Adding an exponent to the intrigue, Shigeru Ban is including an expiration date for the building: 10 years. You'll hear no complaints, though, as the eco architect is taking on this project pro bono. Let's just hope that another earthquake doesn't hit the city!
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Cardboard Architecture
- Exploring the use of cardboard and paper in load-bearing structures for sustainable construction.
- Temporary Building Solutions
- Designing temporary structures to replace damaged buildings in the aftermath of natural disasters.
- Eco Architectural Materials
- Developing innovative and eco-friendly building materials for construction projects.
Sectors Adopting This
- Architecture
- Opportunity for architects and construction companies to adopt sustainable and cost-effective cardboard structures in their designs.
- Disaster Relief
- Disruptive opportunity for companies specialized in providing temporary solutions for damaged buildings after natural disasters.
- Green Building Materials
- Market potential for companies involved in the development and production of sustainable building materials made from cardboard and other eco-friendly materials.
