image by jim o’connell for the new york times
as the residents of of kisho kurokawa’s 1972 capsule tower continue to call for its destruction the new york times’ writer nicolai ouroussoff asks why certain landmarks – in japan and throughout the developed world – are preserved, and others are not.
image by jim o’connell for the new york times
‘for many of us who believe that the way we treat our cultural patrimony is a fair measure of how enlightened we are as a society, the building’s demolition would be a bitter loss. the capsule tower is not only gorgeous architecture; like all great buildings, it is the crystallization of a far-reaching cultural ideal. Its existence also stands as a powerful reminder of paths not taken, of the possibility of worlds shaped by different sets of values.’
read the new york times article ‘future vision banished to the past’
shortly before his death in 2007 kisho kurokawa discussed the possible demolition of his capsule tower with tokyo art beat in the video below:
you can also see more images of the building here.
to read more about the ‘nakagin capsule towers’ by kisho kurokawa on designboom, click here.
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more commentsI’m going to agree that the building should be saved, but it’s worth noting that the people who have to live there each day want it to go away. I think that’s something to remember in terms of design, no?
My solution? Well, there’s got to be 140 people in Tokyo who are big enough architecture fans to replace the 140 residents currently there. Problem solved.
i think that what he believes in is just what we need more than ever, as it has been said here before.And that’s is a shame to destroy such great concept, it should be improved with the actual knownledge.By the way, i loved the idea of a contest.Design boom could help wiht that,
hmmm…..sad indeed. The Kurokawa capsule tower has been my favorite building of all time. Not only for its architectural beauty but also because of its ingenuity in concept. The saddest part is the fight is against an American company….c’mon, Japan needs to preserve that.