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The Nakagin Capsule Tower Building in Tokyo, which was previously a renowned example of modern architecture, is undergoing a revival. One of its housing modules has been added to the collection of an art museum in the United States, while others are planned to be repurposed for various uses.
Designed by the esteemed Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa, the building featured 140 separate housing modules that gave it a distinctive and innovative exterior appearance.
Last year, the building was disassembled. However, some former residents, who recognized its historical significance as a representation of Japan’s postwar architectural movement known as metabolism, have come together to preserve the capsules.
The Nakagin Capsule Tower, located in Tokyo’s upscale Ginza shopping district, was fully constructed in April 1972. Despite the tower being designed with the intention of long-term usability by replacing its housing module capsules, it had to be disassembled after 50 years, partly due to the effects of aging.
In 2014, a collective of building residents initiated a preservation project. Owning 23 capsules, the group dedicated efforts to restore the capsules to their original state. Upon the decision to dismantle the tower, the group received approximately 200 inquiries from both domestic and international art museums and architects expressing interest in utilizing the capsules. The transferred capsules are being creatively repurposed, symbolizing the essence of the metabolism movement. One of the capsules has been incorporated into the esteemed collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
Yodogawa Steel Works, an Osaka-based steel manufacturer, has reduced the weight of a capsule and transformed it into a trailer by adding wheels. This modified capsule has been showcased as a “mobile Nakagin capsule” throughout Japan.
In the upcoming autumn season, Shochiku, an entertainment company, intends to install two capsules at a cultural promotion hub set to open in Ginza. These capsules will serve as rental spaces for exhibiting artworks. Another recipient is contemplating transforming the interior of a capsule into a traditional Japanese tearoom by adding decorative elements.
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