In April 2015, Nepal was hit by a massive earthquake that claimed thousands of lives and destroyed or seriously damaged many structures, including ancient monuments. On the second anniversary of this tragic event, we are publishing a series of interviews with architects involved in rebuilding the country after the disaster. The first material in the series, a conversation with a specialist in the protection and restoration of architectural heritage, UNESCO expert Kai Weise, can be read here.
You have been participating in the elimination of the consequences of natural disasters for two decades. What is the difference between this work and common architectural practice?
- When I started to participate in projects for victims of natural disasters, it was difficult to find a balance between such work and ordinary orders. However, the only difference between the two is that the first type of projects does not provide for a fee. The time required to invest in development and implementation, as well as the feeling of satisfaction from the implementation of the project, are exactly the same. In my opinion, the previously existing gap between these areas of architectural practice has been overcome.
When and why did you decide to participate in disaster relief as an architect?
- I have always believed that in Japan there is not enough awareness of the social responsibility of architects. I first took part in disaster relief in 1995, when an earthquake struck Kobe. When the restoration work was over, I decided to organize the Voluntary Architects' Network (hereinafter VAN). Today, as a VAN, we partner with a laboratory at the Keio University Shigeru Ban Lab, as well as architects and universities in disaster-affected areas.
Was your decision to participate in the elimination of the consequences of natural disasters due to the fact that Japan is located in one of the most seismically active zones in the world?
- Natural disasters can happen anywhere, which means that assistance in eliminating their consequences may be in demand anywhere in the world. This was not my decision. I have always been concerned about the poor living conditions in evacuation centers for people affected by natural disasters. The cardboard tube shelter in Kobe in 1995 was the beginning of my contribution to solving this problem. Later, in 2004, after the Niigata earthquake, we began to develop a paper partition system that can be used to create personal space for victims in evacuation centers.
How and when did you create a model of temporary housing from cardboard tubes (Paper Log House)? How did it evolve?
- This model of the shelter was developed in 1995 after the Kobe earthquake. Since the Vietnamese refugees who worked in the local shoe factory refused to move (because they wanted to stay close to the factory), we built a “log house” in the local park, using cardboard pipes instead of logs. Later, we erected new, improved versions of such a dwelling in Turkey, India and the Philippines. Their designs were adjusted for each region after examining factors such as climate, culture, economy, religion, and available materials.
Should we strive to make architectural disaster relief projects universal in nature?
- In my experience, there is not a single prototype of temporary housing that could be applied everywhere. It is important to design homes and shelters that are appropriate for the specific environment, after examining the local culture, economics and typical construction methods in the affected area.
Every year there are many natural disasters in the world, it is hardly possible to participate in the elimination of the consequences of each of them. How do you choose the recipients of your help?
- It is true, it is impossible to help all areas affected by natural disasters. We make a decision as soon as information about the scale of destruction and the current situation becomes available, or after receiving a request for our participation in eliminating the consequences of a disaster.
How and when did you find out about the earthquake in Nepal in April 2015?
- When this earthquake happened, I was in Tokyo and learned about the massive destruction from the news. The Gorkha earthquake was a major event in Japan.
Why did you decide to start a project in Nepal?
- One Nepalese student who studied in Tokyo wrote to us that he would like to support the victims. Then I decided to come to Nepal and see for myself the consequences of the earthquake.
Your Nepalese project was supposed to consist of three phases: emergency response, construction of temporary shelters and construction of permanent housing. How was the project implemented in practice?
“First, we provided the affected areas with temporary shelters that can be easily assembled from cardboard pipes. We also got acquainted with the situation and learned about the typical construction method in Nepal - masonry, skillful wood carving and other processing techniques. After the main earthquake in April, in May 2015, a series of aftershocks occurred, so structures that were resistant to seismic shocks were required. As a result of that trip, a draft design of a permanent dwelling appeared.
What are the main differences between the Nepalese project and other VAN disaster relief initiatives?
“Although not unique to Nepal, the construction project was created after we carefully studied the economy and culture, building traditions and materials of the affected area in order to best fit into the local environment.
When erecting emergency shelters, you use three types of cardboard pipe joints - plastic and plywood, as well as adhesive tape joints. Which one is preferred and which one was used in Nepal?
“In Nepalese emergency shelters, we used duct tape to connect the pipes. Instead of choosing the best universal joint type, we select the joint type based on the availability of certain materials in a particular area.
In Nepal, you applied a special wall-building technology: you assembled a modular wooden frame and filled it with bricks. How did you test this construction method? What were the results of these experiments?
- Brick fills the timber frame to increase the strength of the supporting structures and to simplify construction. We conducted several tests of this structure at a Japanese university to verify its seismic characteristics and compare them with the seismic standards adopted in Japan. The results showed that due to the use of a wooden frame, the entire structure experiences less deformation. After some experimentation, we improved one detail - we increased the shear strength of the plywood fasteners.
In addition to providing shelter to people, in Nepal you continued the tradition of creating a symbol of hope and disaster recovery by building a temple (as in Kobe and Christchurch, New Zealand). How did you design the Buddhist gompa?
- We are designing a Buddhist temple in a place called Simigaon. The basis of this building is the same as that of our residential project in Nepal - a wooden frame. A round atrium with cardboard tube columns is used to create the atmosphere of a sacred space.
One of your projects, which is currently under construction in Nepal, is a school in the village of Kumjung, located in the Sagarmatha National Park in the Upper Himalayas. How is it different from your own temporary elementary school in Hualing in Sichuan province?
- These projects have many differences. The schools in Kumjung were built at the request of the Climbing Club of Dosis University in Japan. And in China, we ourselves approached the local authorities with a proposal to build a primary school during our visit to the areas affected by the earthquake. In Hualing, construction was carried out by Japanese and Chinese students and teachers, in Kumjung, a local contractor was responsible for the construction work. Finally, Kumjung is at a higher altitude than Hualin.
What is your impression of the Nepal earthquake relief program?
- Nepal has a special charm that attracts people - many Japanese NGOs supported the reconstruction work in this country. And the situation with the availability of building materials in the areas around Kathmandu and in the Himalayas is different, when designing it was necessary to take this into account. For example, we used brick to fill timber frames in the Kathmandu Valley, while in the mountainous regions of the Himalayas we used stone.
Do you monitor the functioning of your structures - both temporary and permanent housing - after their implementation in areas affected by natural disasters?
- In Japan, we built temporary homes after the earthquakes in Tohoku (2011) and Kumamoto (2016). I still find time to visit these places and communicate with their inhabitants. For example, while visiting temporary homes in Kumamoto, residents once asked me to design kitchen tables that make the best use of the available space.
In your disaster relief projects, you usually partner with local organizations such as universities and architecture firms. How do you choose local partners? What is their role in the implementation of your projects?
- The choice of project partners occurs in two ways: we ourselves apply to local universities and architectural workshops or receive proposals for cooperation from them. We often invite students to participate in construction and ask local offices to contact authorities and contractors.
Disaster relief projects are usually carried out with the involvement of volunteers. What is the peculiarity of cooperation with volunteers for you?
- Working with volunteers leads to additional difficulties in project development: you need to choose the simplest construction methods and provide them with a safe working environment.
How do you usually raise funds for disaster relief projects?
- We receive donations from individuals and companies, and some firms constantly support our projects.
Do you follow the activities of other architectural firms involved in the elimination of the consequences of natural disasters? Have you ever collaborated with any of them?
- We do not pay special attention to the activities of other architects. On a number of projects, we cooperate with the Japanese medical nongovernmental organization AMDA.
