Perhaps these paper buildings could only have been conceived by an architect with a Japanese heritage (Ban was born and raised there) and an American education (Ban graduated from Cooper Union in 1978). There’s much about the paper tube system that seems deeply American. It’s a simple kit of parts, emphasizing practicality and economy over tradition and craftsmanship. At the same time the structures have a unique ephemeral, skeletal quality, which might reflect traditional Japanese ideas about the impermanence of architecture, and also its emphasis on fine joinery and assembly.
     Ban’s work challenges the notion that architecture is rooted in place. His buildings are portable, built of components that are simple to fabricate, light to ship, and straightforward to assemble. One of his largest buildings, a church in Kobe, was dismantled after many years and reassembled in a different city. His designs are free from specific geographical and historical references so that they can sit comfortably in many different landscapes.
     While much modern architecture has utopian intentions, Ban has devoted much of his time and efforts to directly serve those in need. In 1994 he approached the UN with a tent frame prototype to shelter Rwandan refugees.