Tokyo's Futuristic Capsule Tower Threatened With Demolition
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk
#nakagincapsule #tower #japan #tokyo #architecture
One of Tokyo's most famous buildings the Nakagin Capsule Tower threatened with demolition.
Designed by Kisho Kurokawa in 1972, it caught the world's attention with its minuscule living spaces for the country's single office workers.
The striking tower, in Tokyo's Shimbashi district, even appeared as a Japanese love hotel in the 2013 blockbuster "The Wolverine" starring Hugh Jackman.
But over the years, much of the once-modern building has fallen into disrepair. Around half of the 140 units are used as offices, art studios, and second homes, but just 20 are lived in full-time.
Each of the 140 units in the tower contains a bed, a fold-out desk and a tiny bathroom; all squeezed in just 10 square meters. Rent for a capsule is around 60,000 yen (US $539) per month.
The rooms feature a large round window and retro features such as clocks and sound systems, giving them the appearance of being suspended in a 1970s vision of the future.
The building's dilapidated state does not make for an easy life. The capsules' asbestos insulation is deteriorating, so winters are cold, and summers can get very hot.
Corroding pipes, water damage, and an uncertain future mean half the capsules have been left to rot by their owners, who would rather see the tower demolished and reap the profits of a brand new apartment building.
The individual capsules were originally designed to be removed and replaced every 25 years, except that failed to happen.
This isn't the first time that the building has faced the threat of demolition. Back in 2007, CTBUH reported similar findings, where the building's management actually approved plans to raze the tower. These plans eventually fell through and the building still stands today.
While some owners are keen to restore the building, others feel demolition is the best route. Eighty percent of them need to agree on any changes, before a decision is made.
Meanwhile, a crowd-funding project hopes to safeguard the future of the 13-story tower - that some see as a monument to Japanese architectural history.
The campaign, known as the "Save The Nakagin Capsule Tower Campaign" aims to collect donations from people all over the world who love this capsule tower and use that money to buy the capsules one by one.
But Japan, like many countries in Asia, often prefers the new to the old. Christian Dimmer, Professor of Urbanism at Tokyo University, told AFP news agency: "It is hard to raise public awareness about the preservation of historic buildings in Japan, where buildings are usually torn down and replaced after 30 years."
Designed by Kisho Kurokawa in 1972, it caught the world's attention with its minuscule living spaces for the country's single office workers.
The striking tower, in Tokyo's Shimbashi district, even appeared as a Japanese love hotel in the 2013 blockbuster "The Wolverine" starring Hugh Jackman.
But over the years, much of the once-modern building has fallen into disrepair. Around half of the 140 units are used as offices, art studios, and second homes, but just 20 are lived in full-time.
Each of the 140 units in the tower contains a bed, a fold-out desk and a tiny bathroom; all squeezed in just 10 square meters. Rent for a capsule is around 60,000 yen (US $539) per month.
The rooms feature a large round window and retro features such as clocks and sound systems, giving them the appearance of being suspended in a 1970s vision of the future.
The building's dilapidated state does not make for an easy life. The capsules' asbestos insulation is deteriorating, so winters are cold, and summers can get very hot.
Corroding pipes, water damage, and an uncertain future mean half the capsules have been left to rot by their owners, who would rather see the tower demolished and reap the profits of a brand new apartment building.
The individual capsules were originally designed to be removed and replaced every 25 years, except that failed to happen.
This isn't the first time that the building has faced the threat of demolition. Back in 2007, CTBUH reported similar findings, where the building's management actually approved plans to raze the tower. These plans eventually fell through and the building still stands today.
While some owners are keen to restore the building, others feel demolition is the best route. Eighty percent of them need to agree on any changes, before a decision is made.
Meanwhile, a crowd-funding project hopes to safeguard the future of the 13-story tower - that some see as a monument to Japanese architectural history.
The campaign, known as the "Save The Nakagin Capsule Tower Campaign" aims to collect donations from people all over the world who love this capsule tower and use that money to buy the capsules one by one.
But Japan, like many countries in Asia, often prefers the new to the old. Christian Dimmer, Professor of Urbanism at Tokyo University, told AFP news agency: "It is hard to raise public awareness about the preservation of historic buildings in Japan, where buildings are usually torn down and replaced after 30 years."
