Inspired by Japan

My husband returns from nearly two weeks in Japan tomorrow, and I'll be honest, all of a sudden I feel like I am running on empty.  I've been so focused on HERE and my girls and keeping my head above water and preparing for back to school and building headboards and quoting drapery etc, I've hardly thought about the sort of alternate reality of Dave's trip.  Someone asked me the other day why I didn't go, and it struck me: I never thought about it.  I mean, with the girls it just wasn't feasible, but I never thought about what I was missing: about this island country so far away.

Tonight I started thinking about some of my design-associations with Japan, and I wonder if you are familiar with   Shigeru Ban's paper structures?  The Walker Art Center had an amazing exhibition a couple of years ago with alternative forms of architecture, and I was really struck by the tea house made of cardboard tubes, kind of like this.

here

Some other projects.

Hermes Pavilion, 2011

Design Studio Gallery, 1994

Paper House, 1995

Portugal, 2009

Aren't they just beautiful?

This construction method has been used for temporary housing, churches, and other community uses in the wake of disasters like the 1995 earthquake in China.  I suppose I also have natural disasters on the brain.

We've been glad to hear reports from East Coast family and friends who seem to have sustained minimal damage, and hope this continues to be the case.

Hoping my husband has clear sails.