Archinect - News

Fumihiko Maki, a leading icon of modern Japanese architecture, passes away in Tokyo aged 95

2024-06-12T12:56:00-04:00

Fumihiko Maki, the 1993 Pritzker Prize laureate and a leading figure in Japan's Metabolism movement, passed away in Tokyo on June 6th, his Maki and Associates firm announced late Tuesday. He was 95.

Maki was born in Tokyo in 1928 and immigrated to America to study at the Cranbrook Academy of Art and then the Harvard GSD, working in the New York offices of Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill (SOM) and for Josep Lluís Sert's Cambridge, Massachusetts studio before returning to Japan to found his own practice in 1965.

Online, Maki is being remembered for his many varied important works spread across three continents. Fans will recall his visionary contribution to the rich lineage of residential architecture in his home country, most notably the multiphase Hillside Terrace Apartments (completed between 1967 and 1992) that garnered several awards, including the country's prestigious Minister of Education Award for Fine Arts in 1973.

Maki's MIT Media Lab (E14) building, home to the Jerome Leme...

SFMOMA acquires Nakagin Capsule Tower pod

2023-06-13T19:37:00-04:00

A unique piece of architectural history is headed to America following the purchase of a remaining Nakagin Capsule Tower pod by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA).

The LA Times’ Carolina A. Miranda was first to report on the museum’s acquisition last week, which she said will join examples from fellow adherent to Metabolist architecture Fumihiko Maki and photographer Noritaka Minami (who documented his life inside the tower from 2010 to 2021) in the museum’s collection.

The A1302 capsule is one of just 23 preserved through the Tatsuyuki Maeda-led Nakagin Capsule Tower Preservation and Restoration Project and was personally owned by the building's architect Kisho Kurokawa himself, before his death in 2007.

Earlier on Archinect: Nakagin Capsule Tower capsules see new life following building's demolition in 2022

"It’s so rare to collect a 1-to-1 scale piece of architecture. It can fit inside, outside, and that’s phenomenal for us," the museum's architecture curator, Jennife...

Nakagin Capsule Tower capsules see new life following building's demolition in 2022

2023-06-09T15:11:00-04:00

The removal and restoration initiative was led by the Nakagin Capsule Tower Preservation and Restoration Project, which was established in 2014. The landmark building, a beacon for the Metabolism architecture movement, was demolished in April 2022.

According to TokyoArtBeat, "After the demolition, 23 capsules were removed and restored under the supervision of Kisho Kurokawa Architects and Associates, and since March, they have been transported to the new locations."

Previously on Archinect: The fate of Nakagin Capsule Tower's pods is getting a little clearer in Toyko

Two capsules are reportedly heading to a project called "SHUTL" by Japanese entertainment company Shochiku. They will be reimagined as creative spaces where contemporary artists can exhibit work, sell art and crafts, and use them for events.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by 中銀カプセルタワービル保存・再生プロジェクト/Nakagin Capsule Tower (@nakagin_capsule_tower)

Another company, Yodogawa Steel Works, Ltd., ...

The fate of Nakagin Capsule Tower's pods is getting a little clearer in Toyko

2023-01-23T12:11:00-05:00

[Tatsuyuki] Maeda and other members of the nonprofit Nakagin Capsule Tower Preservation and Regeneration project saved 23 capsules, which now sit in a warehouse in Chiba prefecture, near Tokyo. [...] Nakagin Capsule Tower is no longer, but Maeda is confident the restoration project honours the spirit of its creator. “Kurokawa intended for the capsules to adapt and change over time, depending on the environment, and if you think about it, this is exactly what is happening,” he said.

Maeda and his group had been fighting to have the tower properly restored before its demolition began last year. He told the Guardian: “[...] at some point next year it will be possible to see one of these pods in its original state somewhere in Japan.” Once it is, it will become the first among its former compatriots, which are supposedly forthcoming to yet-unnamed digital archives and public collections across the world.

Previously on Archinect: The Nakagin Capsule Tower pods… coming soon to a museum near you

“If one of the pods is left, then I could see myself putting it in a forest, or even inside my house,” he promised further. “But if that’s not possible, I’ll be happy just to be able to watch over them.”

Kisho Kurokawa-designed Capsule House K is now one of Japan's most coveted short-term rentals

2022-08-31T18:57:00-04:00

As private lodging, a maximum of seven individuals can stay per night, and they can use the kitchen to cook. [...] Kurokawa used the building, called Capsule House K, as a villa residence. His son, Mikio, started offering it for private lodging in May. “I hope visitors will spend a leisurely time here and enjoy being in one of the few existing Metabolism buildings,” said Mikio.

The "sister" of Tokyo's recently-demolished Nakagin Capsule Tower was finished the year after the erstwhile apartment building and is now maintained by architect Kisho Kurokawa's son Mikio and an outside company which manages the bookings. Pets are not allowed, but interested parties can reserve a stay starting at the (fairly reasonable) price of ¥14,300 (or $103 USD) a night for one person.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by 牧野友衛 Tomoe Makino (@tomoemakino)

An NFT version of the more famous Tokyo capsule tower is also up for sale until October 20th. Otherwise, fans of Metabolism might have to cough up some heftier change for one of the structure's original capsules, which some speculate could be about to hit the auction block soon.

The Nakagin Capsule Tower pods… coming soon to a museum near you

2022-05-31T15:28:00-04:00

As reported by The Washington Post and other outlets, some of the 140 surviving capsules will be transformed into rentable apartment units, with others traveling to public collections abroad such as the Centre Pompidou in Paris, which has expressed interest along with many other international institutions. Digitally archived options are being floated as well.

Last month, we explored reactions from the architectural community following the news of the tower’s final decision, which came as a blow to the hard-fought preservation effort put forth by groups like the Nakagin Capsule Tower Building Conservation and Regeneration Project. (The group currently owns 15 of the capsules.)

Last the Nakagin Capsule Tower pic.twitter.com/TiMy4joiwe
— ringo134 (@ringo134) May 31, 2022

The dismantling of its famed “living cells” began last week, causing quite a stir online as fans and observers reacted to the sight of one of Metabolism’s last vestiges being taken apart piece by piece following years...

Scaffolding rises at Nakagin Capsule Tower demolition site

2022-04-26T13:43:00-04:00

On April 12, work on the demolition of the iconic Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo began after well over a decade of preservation efforts.

With its disassembly ongoing, an Instagram account dedicated to honoring the famed metabolist structure has posted updated images of scaffolding rising along the tower.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by 中銀カプセルタワービル (@nakagin_capsule_tower)

Stay tuned for further updates on the Nakagin Capsule Tower's demolition.

Previously on Archinect: The Nakagin Capsule Tower: The final goodbye or a chance at a second digital life?

The Nakagin Capsule Tower: The final goodbye or a chance at a second digital life?

2022-04-12T10:55:00-04:00

The fate of the Nakagin Capsule Tower, designed by Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa, one of the founders of the Metabolist movement, has sustained a strong following since the announcement of its proposed demolition in 2007. At first glance, it checks all the boxes of a futuristic and head-turning project that lures the attention of both architects and the general public.

Since it appeared on the streets of Chuo City, Tokyo in 1972, I can only imagine how many times this structure has been photographed and lauded at by visitors and passersby. The ongoing effort to preserve this building has been going on for fifteen years, yet after crowdfunding efforts, preservation pleas, and petitions, the iconic Tower that's dazzled us for years will be demolished today, on April 12, 2022.

Nakagin Capsule Tower is an example of the Japanese Metabolist Movement - metabolism is a "post-war architectural movement focused on the ideals of perceiving buildings as regenerative structures versus stat...

Concrete corrosion and disrepair: Holding on to the Nakagin Capsule Tower

2021-05-11T19:30:00-04:00

The infamous Nakagin Capsule Tower has mesmerized architects, designers, and architecture enthusiasts for decades. Whether you're a fan of Japanese Metabolist architecture or not, many continue to share a fondness and adoration towards the mixed-use residential and office tower designed by Kisho Kurokawa in 1972.

Archinect's brief coverage of the tower and talk of its demolition in 2005 was a glimpse into the now sixteen-year discussion and debate regarding the fate of the Nakagin Capsule Tower. Recently, a report from the Tokyo Reporter shared the latest details regarding what is to come of Tokyo's well-known metabolism tower. According to the Tokyo-based news outlet," the management association for the tower has decided to sell it. The move clouds the future of the structure, which could be headed for demolition [...] A preservation push has been ongoing. But the management association for the building, which consists of capsule owners, voted to sell the building to the landowner ...

Nakagin Capsule Tower: demolish or preserve?

2019-08-26T13:43:00-04:00

Tatsuyuki Maeda, a member of the Nakagin Capsule Tower Building Conservation and Regeneration Project, hopes the building will be spared both for its place in architectural history and because of its popularity with tourists. If he had his way, it would not only be preserved but improved, restored to its original state.

Reports about the fate of the Kisho Kurokawa-designed Nakagin Capsule Tower — and likely most popular example of the Japanese Metabolist Architecture movement — have been from swaying from planned demolition to possible protection in recent years.

Marie Doezema's CityLab piece tries to find out if the iconic, but troubled, 1970s structure will still be around when the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics and Paralympics kick off next summer.

Condition of the tower in 2018. Photo: Wikimedia Commons user Kakidai.

‘Time-Space-Existence’ video series launches with a focus on Arata Isozaki

2017-10-30T17:41:00-04:00

Archinect is excited to announce a new partnership with PLANE—SITE, a Berlin-based creative agency working at the interface of urban form, cultural space and social life. Every three weeks, starting today, we will be sharing a video from the Time-Space-Existence project, a series of videos created by PLANE—SITE, commissioned by the Global Arts Affairs Foundation in conjunction with their exhibition at the Venice Biennale of Architecture. Each video, typically running 3-5 minutes in length, will feature a prominent architect discussing his/her work within the context of the project's theme.

Time, space and existence. These three concepts sketch out the contours of the world around us — a fact especially true within architecture. Taking these words as its starting point, the GAA Foundation is set to curate its fourth collateral exhibition in the context of La Biennale di Venezia Architettura, entitled Time-Space-Existence and opening in May 2018. Featuring over 100 established and em...

This Pod Hotel of 1972 Offers a Glimpse at the Future That Never Was

2013-09-30T11:35:00-04:00

Few cities evoke ideas of the future like Tokyo. When the Nakagin Capsule Tower was built in 1972, it was supposed to mark the Dawn of the Capsule Age. At the time, Japan was preparing for explosive growth fueled by a new economy built on technology and manufacturing. A group of architects from the so-called Metabolism school of architecture, championed by the tower’s architect Kisho Kurokawa, believed new structures should be made to grow and adapt organically with the society they served.

Related: I ♥ METABOLISM

Nakagin Capsule Tower to be Demolished

2007-05-09T13:21:00-04:00

Kisho Kurokawa's iconic Nakagin Capsule Tower is scheduled to be demolished and replaced by a new 14-story tower. The Metabolist capsule building consists of 140 units attached to a central core, articulating the ideology behind the Metabolist movement of the 1960s and 1970s, which envisioned cities formed of modular components. Previously (09/05)

Metabolist Breakdown

2005-09-10T11:31:00-04:00

Kisho Kurokawa's famous experiment in living and working in tiny pods (Nakagin Capsule Tower, Ginza) may be in danger of demo. Built in 1972, the demolition campaigners complain that Mr Kurokawa's units are too difficult to maintain. IndUK (gracias, manobox).