Corrugated Cardboard at Tokyo Olympics

What has corrugated cardboard, the humblest of materials got to do with professional athletes and the Olympic Games?

Sustainable Cardboard Beds

For one thing, all of the athletes are sleeping on corrugated cardboard beds. These robust constructions have been designed to easily hold the weight of the strongest competitors. Corrugated cardboard is low-cost, naturally insulating and slightly cushioning, so why not?

Reducing the environmental impact of the Olympics is an important consideration. When there is a temporary demand for thousands of beds, a recycled material, which can be fully recycled after use, is an excellent solution. Corrugated cardboard beds (each with a mattress made from recycled material) certainly tick the sustainability box!

If corrugated furniture seems like a crazy idea, it is important to note that when disaster strikes Japan, temporary cardboard beds are now a feature of evacuation centres. Designer Mizutari Yoshihiro created a quick to assemble bed to improve conditions in emergency centres. He gifted the design to all cardboard manufacturers in the country. They now have cardboard beds in stock to supply when needed.

Cardboard Art Installation

To mark the Olympics, a series of art installations have graced Tokyo’s streets and parks. One of these, Tokyo Castles by Makoto Aida looks like a gateway into a city. Two traditional Japanese castles sit on either side of the road. The difference is the materials they are made of. Rather than timber, one is constructed from blue tarpaulin, the other from corrugated cardboard. Both materials can be reused when the installations come down.

When you are watching the Games on television, see if you can spot the structures in shots taken across Tokyo.