Shigeru Ban: Timber in Architecture

Why wood?

Though it is one of the world’s oldest building materials, wood is still revolutionizing the way buildings are designed and constructed today. It is imperative that everyone considers how construction practices impact climate change. Timber buildings are not only environmentally responsible—they also make us feel measurably happier, healthier, and more productive, benefiting both individuals and organizations.

Shigeru Ban Architects has innovated in wood for over 35 years, creating inspiring spaces that have a positive impact on building inhabitants, communities, and the environment. The firm has built over 65 wood and mass timber projects, from prefabricated plywood houses to parametrically modeled glulam gridshells.

Timber in Architecture presents the trajectory of 45 works from concept through construction, demonstrating the challenges and merits of wood buildings through essays, technical drawings, and photographs. Featured projects include the Centre Pompidou-Metz (Metz, France, 2010), the Aspen Art Museum (Aspen, Colorado, USA, 2014), the Mt. Fuij World Heritage Centre (Shizuoka, Japan, 2019), and Swatch/Omega Campus (Biel/Bienne, Switzerland, 2019), as well as current works.

Shigeru Ban is a Japanese architect based in Tokyo. The 2014 Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate, Ban is known for his bold, innovative forms and sustainable use of materials, which achieve great expression in both commercial and humanitarian projects.