Shigeru Ban Architects Unveils Paper Log House at Philip Johnson's Glass House. Image © Michael Biondo

什么是低技术建筑？比较坂茂和亚斯明·拉里的做法
What is Low-Tech Architecture: Comparing Shigeru Ban and Yasmeen Lari's Approaches

由专筑网王沛儒，小R编译

低技术建筑概念的提出是认识到碳密集型技术和建筑实践的影响，还包含了一种替代方案：重新发现实用、合理、因地制宜的解决方案，依靠智能设计策略而不是能源密集型设备来确保安全、舒适的生活环境。这个概念绝非一种倒退的方法，而是对创新持开放态度，寻求重新平衡建筑业对机械化的依赖。因此，它倾向于采用组件较少的结构，最大限度减少对高科技解决方案的依赖，偏爱低碳材料。

世界各地的建筑师们逐步接受了这个概念，逐渐认识到它在社会、环境和道德方面的积极潜力。其中，有两位建筑师在不同的环境下验证了这些原理。坂茂（Shigeru Ban）在参与大型、传统的项目时，因其在人道主义和救灾方面的努力而获得国际认可，他在面临资源匮乏的情况下选择与社区合作。

The concept of low-tech architecture recognizes the impact of carbon-intensive technologies and building practices and proposes an alternative: a rediscovery of practical, rational, locally adapted solutions that count on smart design strategies instead of energy-intensive devices to ensure a safe, comfortable living environment. Far from being a regressive approach, the term remains open to innovations but seeks to rebalance the industry’s reliance on mechanization. It thus favors an architecture of fewer components, minimized dependence on high-tech solutions, and a preference for low-embodied carbon materials.
Across the world, architects are embracing this concept, recognizing its positive social, environmental, and ethical potential of it. Among them, two architects stand out for embodying these principles, though in different contexts. While continuing to be engaged with larger, more conventional projects, Shigeru Ban became internationally recognized for his humanitarian and disaster relief efforts, working with communities in crisis in the face of a scarcity of resources.


Paper House Lake Yamanaka, Yamanashi, Japan, 1995. / Shigeru Ban. Image © Hiroyuki Hirai

同样，亚斯明·拉里（Yasmeen Lari）运用她的建筑专业知识，为巴基斯坦各地的社区制定了方便使用、适合当地情况的解决方案。虽然她的第一次干预也受到自然灾害的影响，但拉里主要做社会基础设施方面的工作，探究高危社区的需求，并与他们一起制定长期解决方案，通常是采用经过改造的本土技术。

Similarly, Yasmeen Lari applies her architectural expertise to develop accessible and locally adapted solutions for communities across Pakistan. While her first interventions were also prompted by natural disasters such as the 2005 earthquake and subsequent floods in her home country, Lari works primarily with social infrastructures, probing the needs of at-risk communities and developing long-term solutions with them, often by adapting forgotten vernacular techniques.


简单而高效的设计

Simple yet Efficient Designs


Cardboard Cathedral. - Shigeru Ban. Image © Stephen Goodenough

低技术建筑的主要原则之一是，相信通过简单的设计元素就能实现功能和实用的解决方案。不必要的复杂系统和结构可能难以维护，甚至更难以适应不断变化的环境。相比之下，专注于不需要先进技术或专业技能的简单设计，可以提供更合适的应对措施。

Among the main principles of low-tech architecture is the belief that functional and practical solutions can be achieved through simple design elements. Unnecessarily complex systems and structures can be difficult to maintain, and even more difficult to adapt to changing conditions. In contrast, focusing on straightforward designs that do not require advanced technologies or specialized skills can offer more appropriate responses.


ZEN Wellness SEINEI Accommodation Facility - Shigeru Ban Architects. Image © Hiroyuki Hirai

坂茂的作品恰好反映了这一点，他经常强调，危机并不需要新的模式或实验技术，而是需要有效且易于实施的应对措施。在他的设计方法中，创新来自于找到简单、实用的解决方案，从而有效解决现实世界中的问题。亚斯明·拉里的建筑设计同样以发现问题和解决问题为目标，而不是寻求独特的建筑表现形式。因此，创新源于功能需求，而不是建筑师对新颖性或复杂性的追求。

This is well-reflected in the works of Shigeru Ban, who often emphasized that a crisis does not require new shapes or experimental techniques, but an effective and easy-to-implement response. In his approach, innovation comes from the ability to find simple and functional solutions that address real-world problems effectively. Yasmeen Lari’s architecture is similarly geared towards identifying and solving problems, rather than a search for unique architectural expressions. Innovation thus derives from functional needs, rather than the architect’s desire for novelty or complexity.


Vernacular-Inspired Passive Strategies


Housing by Yasmeen Lari. . Image © Al Jazeera

亚斯明·拉里（Yasmeen Lari）的作品代表了乡土技术和传统材料的主流，这些技术和材料经过重新设计，能够更好地服务于当地社区。例如，她注意到巴基斯坦各地的农村社区经常使用明火烹饪，这会导致妇女面临烧伤、火灾和呼吸道问题。拉里重新设计并推广了巴基斯坦的无烟土灶，可以确保更安全的烹饪条件。自 2014 年以来，当地已经建造了 6 万多个这样的炉灶，改善了 40 多万人的生活。同样的设计理念促使拉里提出在高架平台上建造建筑的建议，这样可以防止洪水破坏，促进被动降温；采用传统的庭院设计，可以帮助通风和降温；整合当地材料和知识，建造了诸如Makli零碳文化中心这样的建筑。

Yasmeen Lari’s work represents a staple of vernacular technologies and traditional materials reimagined to better serve local communities. In one example, she notices that rural communities across Pakistan often use open-flame cooking, exposing women to burns, fires, and respiratory issues. Lari applied her design acumen to reimagine and re-popularize the Pakistani Chulah, a smokeless earthen stove that ensures much safer cooking conditions. Since 2014, over 60,000 such stoves have been built, improving the lives of over 400,000 people. The same design ethos has led Lari to suggest building structures on elevated platforms to prevent flood damage and promote passive cooling; to implement traditional courtyard designs to aid ventilation and cooling; and to integrate local materials and knowledge to create structures such as the Zero Carbon Cultural Center in Makli.


Pakistan Chulah.. Image Courtesy of Heritage Foundation of Pakistan

我花了一些时间重新学习和了解自己所处的环境。我漫游过的老城镇给了我很多，不仅是信息，还有灵感，让我能够看到以前发生的事情，也许我们现在还可以做些什么。- 亚斯明·拉里

It took some time to relearn and to understand my own situation. My old towns that I roamed around in gave me a lot of, not only information but inspiration, to be able to see what had been happening before and maybe something that we could do now as well. – Yasmeen Lari


Self-built housing.. Image © Al Jazeera

尽管这可能是一个极端的例子，但被动式设计策略既可用于高科技项目，也可用于低技术项目，通常需要在充分了解当地条件的基础上进行低成本干预。坂茂的永久性和临时性建筑通常都采用了多种被动设计策略。东京的Nicolas G. Hayek Center等项目在中心空间战略性地安置了可开启的窗户，以实现自然通风，而法国的梅斯蓬皮杜中心（Centre Pompidou-Metz）则通过使用半透明材料，使日光均匀地分布在内部空间，从而最大限度地利用自然光。在临时建筑方面，坂茂选择了轻质且耐用的建筑系统，新西兰的纸板大教堂就是一个很好的例子。

While this may seem like an extreme example, passive design strategies can be incorporated in both high-tech and low-tech projects, often requiring low-cost interventions informed by a good understanding of local conditions. Shigeru Ban’s structures, both permanent and temporary, often incorporate several passive design strategies. Projects such as the Nicolas G. Hayek Center in Tokyo employ strategically placed operable windows throughout its central space to allow for natural ventilation, while the Centre Pompidou-Metz in France maximizes natural light through the use of translucent materials that distribute daylight evenly in the interior spaces. In the case of temporary structures, Ban opts for lightweight yet durable construction systems as is the case of the Cardboard Cathedral in New Zealand.


本地可用资源

Locally Available Resources


Shigeru Ban Architects Unveils Paper Log House at Philip Johnson's Glass House. Image © Michael Biondo

坂茂因创造性地使用不同寻常的材料而获得国际认可。将纸张和纸板用作结构材料通常被称为创新，因为在此之前，建筑中从未使用过此类材料作为结构元素。不过，在采访中，坂茂经常驳斥这种说法。他认为，他追求的不一定是创新，而是用合适的材料达到适当的目的。他的设计，如纸原木屋和纸板大教堂，展示了如何使用简单的材料来提供有效的隔热、结构稳定性和美学吸引力。坂茂的方法不仅解决了受灾地区的紧急住房需求，还通过使用易于获取的资源和简单的建造技术加速了当地社区的重建。

Shigeru Ban gained international recognition for his creative use of unusual materials. The use of paper and cardboard as structural materials has often been called innovative, as no such materials have been previously used as structural elements in architecture. In interviews, however, Shigeru Ban often dismisses this claim. According to him, it’s not necessarily innovation that he seeks, but the appropriate material for the appropriate purpose. His designs, such as the Paper Log Houses and the Cardboard Cathedral, demonstrate how the use of simple materials can provide effective thermal insulation, structural stability, and aesthetic appeal. Ban’s approach not only addresses immediate shelter needs in disaster-stricken areas but also empowers local communities by using easily accessible resources and straightforward construction techniques.


Paper Log House II Daanbantayan, Cebu, Philippines, 2014 / Shigeru Ban. Image © Voluntary Architects’ Network

人们通常认为开发新的东西是采用更高科技，但即使是使用原材料、简陋的材料、我们身边现有的材料，也可以作为一种结构--赋予它们更多的意义和功能。因此，我所做的并不是真正意义上的新发明，我只是利用我们身边现有的材料作为建筑结构的一部分。- 坂茂在接受《ArchDaily》采访时说。

People normally think developing something new is more high-tech, but even using raw material, humble material, the existing material around us, can be used as a structure--giving them more meaning and more function. So what I'm doing is not really inventing something new, I'm just using existing material around us as part of the building structure. – Shigeru Ban, in an interview for ArchDaily


Makli Zero Carbon Training Centre  Yasmeen Lari, Heritage Foundation of Pakistan, since 2016.. Image Courtesy of Heritage Foundation of Pakistan

同样，亚斯明·拉里的项目经常使用当地的材料，如泥土、竹子、石灰和茅草。这种选择不仅减少了对环境的影响，还降低了建筑成本，使当地居民更容易获得建筑材料。这些材料也很好地融入了她所倡导的乡土技术，确保建筑易于建造、维修和改造，同时还能加强文化相关性和所有权。

On a similar note, Yasmeen Lar’s projects often employ locally available materials such as mud, bamboo, lime, and thatch. This choice reduces not only the environmental footprint but also lowers the construction costs and makes the process more accessible for the local population. These materials also lend themselves well to the vernacular techniques she champions, ensuring that buildings are easy to construct, repair, and adapt, while also fostering cultural relevance and ownership.


适应性和社区参与

Adaptability and Community Involvement


Hualin Temporary Elementary School. - Shigeru Ban. Image © Li Jun

通过让当地社区参与进来并与之密切合作，这些设计可以真正适应当地人民的需求，也符合当地的特殊条件。这种合作之所以成为可能，是因为它采用了低技术方法，让各种技能水平的人都能学习技术并积极参与到建设过程中。亚斯明·拉里的“赤脚企业家模式”就是这种参与方式的最佳范例之一。在这个系统中，当地人，尤其是妇女，接受如何建造 Chulahs、零碳庇护所和社区中心的培训。接受过培训的赤脚企业家随后到其他村庄，教其他妇女建造这些房屋，并收取约 2 英镑的服务费，帮助其他人建造房屋的同时增强自学能力。这样就形成了一个工匠链，他们可以将新获得的技能转化成货币，同时还能带动其他社区重建。

By involving and working closely with the local community, these designs can become truly adaptable to both the needs of the people and the particular local conditions. This collaboration is made possible because of the low-tech approach, as it allows people of all skill levels to learn the techniques and actively participate in the construction process. Among the best examples of this type of involvement is Yasmeen Lari’s “Barefoot Entrepreneur Model.” In this system, local people, especially women, are trained in how to build chulahs, zero-carbon shelters, and community centers. The trained barefoot entrepreneurs then move to other villages, teaching other women to build them and charging about £2 for the service of empowering others to build and teach themselves. This creates a chain of artisans who can monetize their newly acquired skills while enriching other communities.


Community center - International Dialogues – Vernacular Approaches Yasmeen Lari with Razia Iqbal.. Image Courtesy of Heritage Foundation of Pakistan

正如亚斯明·拉里和坂茂等建筑师所示范的那样，低技术建筑是一种概念，它提供了一种可持续的、对社会负责任的替代方案，以取代碳密集型建筑做法。这一概念所倡导的技术并不排斥创新，而是注重有效和实用的解决方案，充分适应当地条件，并与所服务的社区共同发展。这样做的好处不仅限于对环境的影响，还能增强人们的能力，创造了更有弹性、更有社会责任感的建筑实践。

As exemplified by architects like Yasmeen Lari and Shigeru Ban, low-tech architecture is a concept that offers a sustainable and socially responsible alternative to more carbon-intensive building practices. Far from being innovation-adverse, the techniques promoted by this concept focus on effective and practical solutions, well adapted to the local conditions and developed together with the communities it serves. The benefits thus go beyond the environmental impact, empowering people and creating a more resilient and socially responsible architectural practice.


Post-Tsunami Rehabilitation Houses Kirinda, Hambantota, Sri Lanka, 2007. / Shigeru Ban. Image © Dominic Sansoni


Cardboard Cathedral. - Shigeru Ban. Image © Stephen Goodenough


Paper Partition Systems in Emergency Shelters for Ukrainian Refugees by Shigeru Ban Architects + VAN. Image © Serhii Kostianyi


Refugee Shelters in Kenya - Shigeru Ban Architects + Philippe Monteil + UN-Habitat + VAN. Image © Philippe Monteil  VAN, Courtesy of Un-Habitat


Shishi-Iwa House II Karuizawa, Nagano, Japan, 2022. . Image © Hiroyuki Hirai


Prototype of a Reassembled Mosque by Yasmeen Lari.. Image © Alanood Al-Sudairi


Women centre by Yasmeen Lari. Image © Al Jazeera


Pono Colony - August 2022. Image . Image Courtesy of Heritage Foundation of Pakistan