paper log house
Collaborators: Shigeru Ban, Volunteer Architects Network (VAN), Hawai’i Off Grid Architecture, UH Manoa School of Architecture, Lahaina Jodo Mission, UH Maui College, Pacific Millworks, Paia Rinzai Zen Mission
In response to the devastating wildfires that displaced over 11,000 Maui residents, Hawaii Off Grid was honored to collaborate on a groundbreaking initiative led by renowned Japanese architect and Pritzker Prize laureate Shigeru Ban. Known globally for his innovative disaster relief work, Mr. Ban brought his sustainable Paper Log House prototype to Maui—an eco-conscious, mid-term housing solution that uses paper tubes as a structural system.
This international effort brought together the Paia Rinzai Zen Mission, Lahaina Jodo Mission, the Volunteer Architects Network (VAN), the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa School of Architecture, UH Maui College, Pacific Millworks, and our team at Hawaii Off Grid Architecture and Engineering.
PROJECT DETAILSThe prototype was assembled at the Paia Rinzai Zen Mission with the help of volunteer students from Japan and Hawaiʻi, including members of our design team. Now complete, the structure serves as a model to be replicated in West Maui—offering displaced families shelter that is fast to build, affordable, and rooted in principles of sustainability and resilience.
“We are so grateful to Shigeru Ban and the Volunteer Architects Network (VAN) to inspire and remind us of the compassion and creativity that architecture and architects can provide to our communities,” shared David Sellers, Principal Architect of Hawaii Off Grid.
The Paper Log House Project is not just about rebuilding structures—it’s about restoring dignity, stability, and hope for the people of Maui.
