"Metabolism" fails
Japan's most famous capsule tower
Demolition is underway
Just this month, a demolition project brought the attention of all of Japan together.
The object of the demolition is the most famous work of the late Japanese architect Noriaki Kurokawa, the Nakagin Capsule Tower.
He had predicted that the building could achieve "eternity" with the replacement of the old and new capsule rooms, "at least for 200 years".
But 50 years later, the BOC Capsule Tower failed to realize its original beautiful vision, and its fate came to an end.
Demolition work has begun, and workers have gradually removed the capsules from the main body of the tower, peeling out scars in mid-air in Ginza, Tokyo.
01
Resident fans are hard to give up capsule towers
They all came to punch in and say goodbye
This sci-fi Nakagin capsule tower has been used as a film location for many times in Japan and abroad, with countless fans in Japan and abroad.
Fans who came to say goodbye to the capsule tower were endless, taking photos and punching cards, taking photos as a souvenir, and stopping at its feet for a long time and not wanting to leave.
"This building has been around for 50 years, and if it disappears, it's really Sabisi."
"Here are my precious memories, and I want to say goodbye to them."
"Yes, I really hope it can stay here forever, but it is impossible after all, I am sorry."
Japanese musician DJ Sound (DJ Voice さん) is also one of the fans who came to say goodbye to the capsule tower. "Counting from above, 1, 2, 3, 4... This is my room. ”
Moving away from 2019 to the beginning of this year, she lived in the hut here for 3 years, broadcasting and practicing in front of the DJ station every day.
The iconic round portholes, combined with the meticulous arrangement of the rooms, make this cottage her label.
"There is no contact between the floor and the floor, the wall and the wall, so there is no need to worry about the noise disturbing the neighbors." Dj voice said.
Perhaps because of the building's special charm, she said, the residents gathered here are also very interesting, many people with full personalities.
Residents decorate their rooms in different styles, from Japanese japanese to European style, each room shines with individuality.
"[The building] slowly disappeared, and people in the future will not understand its charm and value, so I am very sorry."
02
A product of the times
A nest for Tokyo office workers
Completed in 1927, the Nakagin Capsule Tower is home to 144 capsule rooms on the main body of the 11th and 13th floor towers, each with a size of 10 square meters inside, and is regarded as the originator of today's popular capsule hotels.
Inspired by Soviet spacecraft, Kurokawa designed the capsule rooms in a capsule style, including a round window shaped from a porthole that could not be opened, which also became one of the symbols of the Nakagin capsule tower.
Although the sparrow is small, it is complete. The small room is filled with TVs, stereos, storage shelves, and activity desks to maximize the use of space.
Although there is no kitchen and washing machine, with a separate bathroom, this small capsule is enough to meet the living needs of a Tokyo office worker.
The Nakagin Capsule Tower is a product of the times, and Kurokawa's original intention was to provide inexpensive micro-apartments for office workers who integrated into Tokyo in that era of rapid economic development, so that they could avoid long commutes or high-priced hotels.
Located in the small area of Ginza, after its completion in 1972, each capsule room was sold for about 3.8 million to 4.8 million yen, and considering inflation, a room has exceeded 10 million yen (about 500,000 yuan).
In 2018, BOC Capsule Tower also partnered with MUJI to launch a monthly suite with a monthly rental of 120,000 yen (about 6,000 yen).
All the furniture and daily necessities in the house are provided by MUJI, which has become a hot topic.
03
Difficult to achieve "metabolism"
Romantic visions are no match for harsh reality
Kurokawa Tried to implement his own design concept of "metabolic movement" in this capsule tower.
The capsule rooms are the cells of the building, which can be "metabolized" by replacing the old and the new. Replace the "capsules" every 25 years.
This idea is very romantic and sci-fi, but it also lays the groundwork for its disappearance today.
Tatsuyuki Maeda, the initiator of the conservation and regeneration project of the BOC Capsule Tower, explained that because of the block design of the capsules, it is impossible to achieve the effect of a single replacement.
If you want to remove one of the capsules, the other capsules above must also be removed together, resulting in a huge amount of work.
Coupled with costs, aging and other reasons, it has been dragged out until now to become a "dangerous house". After the central water heater was deactivated, the residents who stayed behind had to install the water heater themselves.
The broken walls revealed asbestos, and some of the long-abandoned rooms were covered with mold.
Since 2007, the decision to demolish the BOC Capsule Tower has been made. Many residents and artists have initiated activities to preserve the capsule towers. One of them is tatsuyuki Maeda, who was also a resident of the capsule tower.
He tried unsuccessfully to ask the local government to intervene in the demolition decision, to find buyers willing to buy the building, and even to apply to UNESCO for the protection of the building.
"We don't have laws to protect this architectural culture, and unfortunately, one of Japan's most iconic modern buildings will disappear forever."
Although the capsule tower could not avoid the demolition of the democracy movement, its life did not end here, and the dismantled capsule rooms will appear in many parts of Japan for reuse as accommodation facilities.
Some capsules will be donated to museums and galleries, including the Centre Pompidou in France, as collections that will continue to remain in people's memories.
Text, Editor/Cardi C
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