Origami Houses | Architecture Global Aid

After tsunami houses Tokyo / Japan / 2013

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“Origami Houses” is a project proposed by Tokyo-based help group, “Architecture Global Aid”, and was born through the experience of volunteering in the reconstruction of north Japan after the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011. The project consists of seven houses made of wood that can be folded flat in order to fit into an envelope which then works as a table. The idea was inspired by the Japanese art of “origami” that consists of creating three-dimensional figures through folding flat paper. The table structure is reinforced so that it can resist a shock if there is a new tsunami in the years to come. The structure of the house, however, remains light so as one adult or two children can easily lift it and evacuate before the tsunami ar- rives. The wood employed in construction effectively allows the tables to float on water and act as drift wood or as safety boats in case of need. A vital lesson learnt after the tsunami was that the most important human needs following a disaster, right after eating and drinking, are directly related to privacy and intimacy. We decided to create a shelter that could be placed either in- side or outside and that, in the case of a new tsunami, would provide a private space for those affected by the disaster. These “Origami Houses” have been donated to both the Omori 6th Junior High School in Tokyo, which specialises in safety against natural disasters and was awarded by UNESCO for its help to society, as well as to north Japan’s Miyagi High School in the area destroyed by the 2011 tsunami. In the event of a new disaster, the houses will be useful as temporary shelters for the students and will help the communities to protect themselves and survive after an earthquake or tsunami.
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    “Origami Houses” is a project proposed by Tokyo-based help group, “Architecture Global Aid”, and was born through the experience of volunteering in the reconstruction of north Japan after the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011. The project consists of seven houses made of wood that can be folded flat in order to fit into an envelope which then works as a table. The idea was inspired by the Japanese art of “origami” that consists of creating three-dimensional figures through folding flat...

    Project details
    • Year 2013
    • Work finished in 2013
    • Client Omori 6th Junior Highschool
    • Contractor DAII
    • Status Completed works
    • Type Modular/Prefabricated housing
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