CHENNAI: Imagine a single-storey dwelling, its walls fashioned from compressed earth blocks, and its pitched roof crafted from teak and coconut wood sourced from the local area. Inside, there are two bedrooms, a spacious hall, and a sheltered courtyard. This open area serves not only as a dining room but also as a communal space where residents gather to socialise or quietly mend their fishing nets.
This was the design that Japanese architect Shigeru Ban had made specifically using earth materials to rebuild a Sri Lankan fishing village devastated by the 2004 tsunami. The Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate has a lot more lessons of unique models of architecture to impart, from Tainan Art Museum, Paper Dome to Shutter House. Hence, when SEED and Living etc, organisations from Kochi ,decided to bring the architect to their city, architects of Chennai Architecture Foundation (CAF) thought it would be a great idea to bring him to namma ooru too.
Architect Pramod Balakrishnan, trustee of CAF shares, “Shigeru Ban has won an award in 2014 that is the most prestigious one in the field of architecture. His work is completely different and includes a lot of earth materials like wood and timber. He has worked across various kinds of typologies.
His work in disaster areas is phenomenal. His other works also carry the same attitude to the built. He also does regular work which includes designing museums and schools.
Sustainability is the main message through his designs. It’s the fi.