Timelines

Here are the six timelines: Relevant World Events, History of Japan, Periods of Japan History of Japanese Architecture, Construction of the Naked House and Biography of Shigeru Ban. Further connections will be drawn between the six timelines.

The main purpose of these timelines is to demonstrate various connections. Despite the significant changes occuring in each period, particularly the change in government and change in Emperor, Western influence has maintained its impact on many aspects of Japan, whether it is architecture, culture, social norms or government. In addition, it has also affected Shigeru Ban himself, who has studied in the United States under John Hejduk, where indications of his use of elementary and uncommon materials have been first spotted.

*The thicker, green line indicates the year the Naked House was completed in.

Up until WWII, Japan was often involved in conflicts that opposed the United States. This included the Second Sino-Japanese War, in which Japan fought against China who was supported by the States. This war later led to Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the American declaration of war on Japan on December 8, 1937, and the surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945.

After a long series of conflicts between the two countries, Japan and the United States developed a less chaotic, and more harmonious relationship. Following the occupation of Japan by the Allied Powers that ended in April 1952, Japan experienced a post-war economic miracle and stabilized economic growth. In conjunction with American military protection and aid, Japan recovered from its defeat in 1945, became free of general political turmoil, and continued to prosper.

It was only until the start of the 1990s that Japan saw a decline and eventual collapse in its economy that some say lasted longer than the Lost Decade.

In spite of monumental changes in government, the presence of the Western world remains consistent and strong in the context of Japan.

Shigeru Ban has often been present in areas such as Rwanda and Haiti that are suffering from natural disasters or poverty, and utilizes the same "weaker" materials to erect strong structures that provide shelter. Furthermore, he has also responded to the Great Hanshin earthquake that struck Kobe, Hyogo prefecture, Japan with his paper tube homes.

Shigeru Ban is most famous now for his innovative work with paper and cardboard tubing as a material for building construction. Shigeru Ban and his work emerged in the late 1980s, a period in which Japan prospered and achieved stabilized economic growth. However, at the start of the 1990s, Japan fell into the "Lost Decade," a period that started after its asset price bubble gradually collapsed. 

Perhaps in response to the Lost Decade that plagued Japan for ten years, Shigeru Ban takes advantage of the use of paper because it is inexpensive, recyclable, low-tech and replaceable.

Shigeru Ban lives in a time period where people have become more conscious of the effects of their actions, which also includes their carbon footprint. Ban, who does not simply want to produce work that "looks good," looks at existing materials and builds structures out of weak materials such as recycled paper and laminated bamboo to erect structures that coexist well with their surroundings. His cost-effective work, which appeals not only to people who embody a "green" attitude but also to people who are in unfortunate situations, has demonstrated Ban's innovation and difference as an architect. He is an individual who does not underestimate the strength of material that often appears to be weak and inferior to more commonly used building materials.

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Arnardottir, Halldora. “Stories of Houses: The Naked House in Kawagoe, by Shigeru Ban.” Accessed December 2, 2012. http://storiesofhouses.blogspot.ca/2005/10/naked-house-in-kawagoe-by-shigeru-ban.html.

Ban, Shigeru. “SBA_Naked House.” Accessed December 2, 2012. http://www.shigerubanarchitects.com/SBA_WORKS/SBA_HOUSES/SBA_HOUSES_24/SBA_Houses_24.html.

Ban, Shigeru. “Shigeru Ban Architects.” Accessed December 2, 2012. http://www.shigerubanarchitects.com

Ban, Shigeru. “Shigeru Ban Architects: Paper Log House.” Accessed November 30, 2012. http://www.dma-ny.com/site_sba/?page_id=331.

Firshein, Sarah. “A Look at Shigeru Ban’s Minimalist Shelters for Earthquake Victims.” Last modified 2011. Accessed December 10, 2012. http://curbed.com/archives/2011/04/21/a-look-at-shigeru-bans-minimalist-shelters-for-earthquake-victims.php.

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N/A. “America’s Best History U.S. Timeline, 1940-1949.” Last modified 2012. Accessed November 30, 2012. http://americasbesthistory.com/abhtimeline1940.html.

N/A. “History of Japan.” Last modified 2004. Accessed 4, 2012. http://www.historyofnations.net/asia/japan.html.

N/A. “Japan – Chronology of Major Historical Periods.” Last modified 1994. Accessed December 4, 2012. http://ancienthistory.about.com/library/bl/bl_japanchronologyperiods.htm.

N/A. "Japanese History." Last modified 2011. Accessed December 4, 2012. http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e641.html.

N/A. “L|Studio: Shigeru Ban.” Accessed December 2, 2012. http://www.lstudio.com/shigeru-ban.html.

N/A. “shigeru ban: designboom interview.” Last modified 2009. Accessed December 2, 2012. http://www.designboom.com/interviews/shigeru-ban-designboom-interview/.

N/A. “Shigeru Ban: Rebuilding Home with Paper Tubes.” Last modified 2011. Accessed December 4, 2012. http://www.architizer.com/en_us/blog/dyn/30700/shigeru-ban-paper-tubes/#.UMeHeanuf8s.

Rosenberg, Jennifer. “1990s Timeline.” Accessed December 4, 2012. http://history1900s.about.com/od/timelines/tp/1990timeline.htm.

Rosenberg, Jennifer. “History of the Twentieth Century.” Accessed December 2, 2012. http://history1900s.about.com/od/timelines/tp/timeline.htm.

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Szczepanski, Kallie. “Japan – Facts and History.“ Accessed December 2, 2012. http://asianhistory.about.com/od/japan/p/ProfileJapan.htm.

Turkington, David, “A Chronology of Japanese History.” Accessed December 2, 2012. http://www.shikokuhenrotrail.com/japanhistory.html