The following paper outlines approaches to the use of cardboard in structural design and construction and illustrates its successful use on a number of example projects. The paper summarises and illustrates the experience gained in cardboard design by the multi disciplinary engineering company Buro Happold Ltd.

Cardboard and paper products have been used for decades in the fields of interior and product design and the packaging industry. But cardboard has not been used widely in architectural design, building technology and structural engineering and construction, despite its potential advantages of flexibility, low material cost, ready availability and good environmental credentials.

So far only a few cardboard structures have been built, each designed as a one-off by designers specifically interested in cardboard as a structural and building material.

As the structural design with cardboard and paper products is not yet codified and only limited material data is available the designer relies not only on empirical knowledge, project specific tests and the understanding of first principles of engineering, but also on a willingness and curiosity to take extra design responsibilities. As a result, cardboard allows the designer to pursue structures not primarily based on precedent and go beyond conventional structural ideas. The designer can thus gain new knowledge from the individual one off structures which might feed back into standard construction practice and lead to a wider acceptance of cardboard as a valid and economic structural material.

In addition cardboard responds well to current issues of sustainability: it is primarily manufactured from waste paper products and can easily be repeatedly recycled; it has excellent acoustic and thermal properties; and it is very easy safe to work with on site.