emily conrad

The other day on the NYTimes website I noticed an interesting article about the Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo. What struck me about this was the gap between theory and practice being embodied in a building. The theory was to allow for modularity among the capsules, they could be added or removed based on need. Thing is, perhaps that need came about, but how would that really happen? A tenant would call the landlord who would hire a crew to add on a second floor to his capsule? What protocol was in place for the capsules to be added or removed? Theories without methodologies to carry them out prove to often be fruitless. Unfortunately, the tower is likely to be demolished despite earlier pleas by architect Kisho Kurokawa. The tenants hope to rebuild a more modern tower.

nano-cabin.com says:
The Nakagin Capsule Tower was the first capsule architecture design with the capsule as a room inserted into a mega-structure. This realized the ideas of metabolism, exchangeability, and recycleablity as a prototype of sustainable architecture. Located in the Ginza area of Tokyo, the Nagakin Capsule Tower, was originally designed as a Capsule Hotel to provide economical housing for businessmen working late in central Tokyo during the week.

The 14-story high Tower has 140 capsules stacked at angles around a central core. Kurokawa developed the technology to install the capsule units into the concrete core with only 4 high-tension bolts, as well as making the units detachable and replaceable. The one-man-room capsule, a modified (4 x 2.5 meter) shipping container, has a circular window, a built-in bed and bathroom unit, and is complete with TV, radio and alarm clock. The capsule interior was pre-assembled in a factory then hoisted by crane and fastened to the concrete core shaft.