Shigeru Ban gives an overview of his work since establishing an architectural practice in Tokyo in 1985. Ban has used a fascination with materials to develop his own style in which the use of paper tubes features strongly. The Paper House, a holiday home designed by Ban in 1995, illustrates many of the themes that occur in other projects. A pure square plan is rendered into a 3D volume by a curving S of paper columns. Dividing the space into a series of functional yet fluid zones, the paper tubes appear to spiral out and unite the forest of trees surrounding the site. The project unites traditional Japanese spatial ideas with clear references to modernism. Paper tubes have a low envronmental impact and, though weaker than other materials, if well used they have the potential for many applications - as evidenced by Ban's study of the application of paper tube construction in refugee shelters for the UNHCR and by his work on shelters for those made homeles following the Kobe earthquake. In his view, paper will increasingly be used, requiring continuing investigation into techniques for its development.