Tato Architects / Yo Shimada

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Location / Kobe, Temporary
Type / Emergency evacuation Housing or Shelter 

Design
Yo Shimada
Construction
Self-build
Scale
One-storey
Main structure – Timber and corrugated plates

In 1995, the Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake struck Kobe. Being from Kobe but living in Kyoto at the time, I returned to help my parents and friends who were victims of the disaster.
During the days in Kobe, I realized that I would not feel satisfied graduating without making something, so I came up with the idea of self-built temporary housing.
The idea was to create a structure that could be built by one-person using simple techniques + cheap and easy accessible materials.
The main frame consisted of plywood strips connected so they created a self-supporting structure using the tension in the wood and added diagonal plastic strings. The cylindrical form was cladded with galvanized steel sheets and corrugated PVC panels creating shelter and adding to the stability. The roof was likewise slightly curved to create tension and stability. The floor was created from beer cans and tatami parts.

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