In Tokyo, the demolition of the Nakagin Capsule Tower with residential cells is planned

Tokyo – In Tokyo, the demolition of the capsule high-rise building Nakagin, designed by architect Kisho Kurokawa, will begin in a week. According to the ArchDaily website, this will close a long-standing debate about the fate of the building, once considered a realization of a futuristic vision of urban living. The tower consists of 144 prefabricated concrete capsules of ten square meters each.

The construction was completed in 1972. The individual residential capsules are "suspended" around two concrete load-bearing structures. They offer views through round windows and include storage space and kitchen facilities in addition to a bed.

The building reflects the principles of the so-called metabolist movement, of which Kurokawa was a founding member. It was an avant-garde movement that blended architectural styles with Asian influences.

In the case of the Nakagin Tower, Kurokawa originally envisioned that the capsules would be replaced every 25 years. However, this did not happen, and the capsules gradually deteriorated and became outdated. Most of them have recently remained vacant or were used as storage or offices. Architecture enthusiasts occasionally rented them short-term.

In 2007, the owners' association agreed to sell to a development company that wanted to demolish the building and construct a different structure in its place. However, the company went bankrupt during the economic crisis in 2008, and the fate of Nakagin remained unresolved. The owners reached an agreement to sell it again last year. The building was acquired by Capsule Tower Building, whose spokesperson stated that the last tenants vacated in March, and demolition will begin on April 12.

Many people, including Kurokawa, who fought for its preservation until his death in 2007, lobbied for the building's retention. Tatsuya Maeda from the movement dedicated to saving the tower said that Japan does not have a law to protect similar architectural works. "It is unfortunate that one of the most iconic examples of Japanese modern architecture will disappear," he was quoted by CNN.

Maeda stated that supporters of preservation wanted to raise two to three billion yen (358 to 531 million koruna) for the restoration of the building and the removal of asbestos elements; however, this effort was thwarted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the "protectors" are focusing on saving at least a certain number of individual capsules, with interest already shown by 80 institutions, including the Paris Centre Pompidou.