Shigeru Ban is a Japanese Pritzker Prize winner architect, known for his innovative work with recycled cardboard paper tubes and wood. He became consultant to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1995, established the NGO, Voluntary Architects’ Network (VAN) in the same year and made significant contributions to disaster relief efforts worldwide.

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Other works include the Centre Pompidou-Metz (Metz, France), La Seine Musical (Boulogne-Billancourt, France), Mt. Fuji World Heritage Centre (Shizuoka, Japan) and the new surgical building at the UNBROKEN National Rehabilitation Center in Lviv of Ukraine to be built with cross-laminated timber.

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He is the recipient of multiple awards, including le grade de commandateur for L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, France (2014), Pritzker Architecture Prize (2014), Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon, Japan (2017), Mother Teresa Social Justice Award (2017) and Princess of Asturias Award for Concord (2022).