Japanese architect Shigeru Ban has been awarded this year's prestigious Pritzker Prize. He is best known for his post-disaster zone design projects, such as his temporary housing project in Onagawa, one of the coastal communities devastated by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that left thousands homeless. He also designed Christchurch's cardboard cathedral to replace the historic cathedral that was a casualty of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
From Haiti to Riwanda to China, Ban's low-cost structures have become a symbol of hope for people rebuilding their lives after natural disasters. "For me there is no difference between monumental architecture and temporary structures in disaster areas," he says. "They give me the same satisfaction."
Images: Shigeru Ban, 2014 Pritzker Prize laureate and his cardboard cathedral in Christchurch, New Zealand
