Nakagin Capsule Tower to be Demolished
Kisho Kurokawa’s famed Nakagin Capsule Tower is set to be demolised according to the NY Times.
A rare built example of Japanese Metabolism, a movement whose fantastic urban visions became emblems of the country’s postwar cultural resurgence, the 1972 Capsule Tower is in a decrepit state. Its residents, tired of living in squalid, cramped conditions, voted two years ago to demolish it and are now searching for a developer to replace it with a bigger, more modern tower. That the building is still standing has more to do with the current financial malaise than with an understanding of its historical worth.
TOUCHPUPPET will be in Tokyo next week to pay our respects to the building during our Japanese invasion, so stay tuned. More images and video after the jump.
3 Responses
7.28.2009
Waiting for your photos!!!
8.3.2009
what a shame.
i definitely love the concept of the building, but maybe it’s too 70′s by now. It would be great to re-design each capsule according to the 21st century style. but then again financial motivations are the core of everything now a days. shame.
8.7.2009
I don’t understand how people even can come to the agreement to demolish such a thing? Don’t they have any respect for historical value of movements? Imagine what a great location for a film this could be…