The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York has opened a new exhibition titled The Many Lives of the Nakagin Capsule Tower, dedicated to one of Japan’s most iconic architectural works. The show explores the groundbreaking design, cultural significance, and complex legacy of the Tokyo landmark designed by architect Kisho Kurokawa in 1972.
Why the Nakagin Capsule Tower Was Ahead of Its Time
The Nakagin Capsule Tower, completed in Tokyo’s Ginza district, was the world’s first example of capsule architecture. Its modular units, 140 individual capsules attached to two concrete cores, were conceived as interchangeable and replaceable, offering a radical vision of urban living in postwar Japan. Kurokawa’s design embodied the principles of Metabolism, a movement that imagined cities as flexible and adaptable systems.
Though celebrated internationally, the tower faced decades of maintenance challenges. Despite its futuristic ideals, the capsules were never replaced, and by the early 21st century, the building had fallen into disrepair. In 2022, after years of debate about preservation, demolition began. Fortunately, several capsules were salvaged and preserved in Japan and abroad.
From Tokyo to New York
MoMA’s exhibition traces the history of the tower through photographs, drawings, architectural models, archival materials, and one of the original capsules. Visitors can examine how the tower was designed, built, and inhabited over five decades. The show highlights the building’s cultural impact on architecture, film, and design, as well as its enduring fascination for historians and the public.
The exhibition also documents the process of dismantling the tower and the efforts to preserve its capsules. Several units were donated to institutions, museums, and private collectors. One of these capsules is now part of MoMA’s permanent collection and is a centerpiece of the exhibition.
The Many Lives of a Tokyo Icon
The Many Lives of the Nakagin Capsule Tower not only reflects on the building’s architectural importance but also considers the broader themes of urban life, sustainability, and preservation. It illustrates how an experimental design can take on new meaning as it transitions from futuristic housing to a cultural artifact.
By bringing together rare archival materials and physical pieces of the tower itself, MoMA presents a vivid portrait of a building that continues to inspire architects and designers around the world.
Exhibition Details: The Many Lives of the Nakagin Capsule Tower will be on view at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, from May 18, 2025, to October 12, 2025, curated by Evangelos Kotsioris, Assistant Curator in the Department of Architecture and Design.
The exhibition invites visitors to revisit Kurokawa’s radical ideas about urban living and to reflect on the challenges of conserving modernist architecture in a rapidly changing world.
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