Japan based practice Shigeru Ban Architects has unveiled their proposal ‘cardboard cathedral’, a temporary replacement structure for the Christchurch Cathedral.
The design consists of an A-frame quickly erected with cardboard tubes and polycarbonate which will rest upon foundations fabricated from twenty foot long shipping containers. The interior volume will serve as an event and concert space capable of holding 700 individuals.
The monumental triangular entry facade will be composed of a series of smaller triangles filled with stained glass window panes sourced from local artists. With initial research and
engineering phases currently underway, once resolved the structure will take
three months to assemble with a projected completion of February 2012. The durable materials are weatherproof and fireproof with a functional lifespan of at least fifteen years. Volunteers may assist with the rebuilding process as structural connections of the eight centimeter diameter tubes require minimal construction experience.
Ban has built DIY refugee shelters in the past, and his work was used after the Great Hanshin Earthquake struck the Japanese city of Kobe in 1995.
Instinct Furniture BlOG – mostly about cool furniture and design in general – keeping you abreast of our world.
