The Metabolist Movement

Metabolism was likely the most important architectural movement in 20th century Japan. It went far beyond the idea of making buildings in a certain style – it was a pilosophy rooted in traditional Japanese values which tried to solve many social, economical, and environmental problems facing the architects. Part of the reason this movement was so powerful is that it manifested itself in many ways: it included artworks, full scale prototypes of structures and connections, urban planning, and concepts for futuristic utopian cities.

Although not a part of the movement himself, Kenzo Tange is where the movement began. Noticing many problems with the urban fabric of Tokyo, he created a new plan which proposed an information and communication spine that extended over the bay and formed a spine for the city, creating much needed amenities such as parks and plazas. At the same time, five young architects working for Tange also wanted to solve this problem of Japan’s urban sprawl: Kisho Kurokawa, Kiyonori Kikutake, Fumihiko Maki, Masato Otaka, and Noboru Kawazoe. In 1960 they published a collection of their works titled “Metabolism”.

The metabolists went on to create many inventive ways that a city can function and expand. They explored building entire cities on unbuildable terrain such as oceans, steep cliffs or in the sky. Building upwards was a poular theme among them. It was also important for these projects to be able to be quickly repeated and reproduced. To solve this, they designed modular pieces and clever connections that allowed for these projects to evolve naturally, whether its expanding or replacing old parts.

Nakagin Capsule Tower

After years of studying and experimenting, it was the youngest of the group, Kisho Kurokawa, who finally brought together the Metabolists’ fantastical overarching vision with a practical design. In 1972 he unveiled the Nakagin Capsule tower in the heart of Tokyo. This was a fully functioning building on its own, but to Kurokawa it was only a prototype for a larger network of these towers. The project consists of two steel and concrete cores to which 140 prefabricated living capsules are attached. The target demographic for these units were bachelor salarymen, but much to Kurokawa’s delight, the units attracted many different types of residents.

The cores contain nothing more than a spiraling staircase and an elevator. The capsules spiral along with the stair, minimizing the amount of circulation needed. Even the services are all condensed into prefabricated panels placed outside of the core. The capsules can be attached in many different orientations, varying the shape of the towers and the views from the rooms.

Designed so that any capsule can be replaced or removed and refurbished, The Nakagin Capsule tower perfectly reflects a part of what the metabolist group was striving to achieve.

Nakagin Today

From the outside, the tower looks practically the same more than four decades later thanks to its rugged materials such as steel and concrete. Unfortunately, the building has fallen into disrepair.

Most of the units are uninhabited and are used for storage. Demolition has been considered for this building for many years to free the valuable land for bigger developments. Luckily, many locals and architects are fighting against this plan. They understand that this building is not just a residence but a symbol of the metabolist movement, and an important part of Japan’s architectural history.

The few people that still own these units are taking wonderful care of them. As society progresses and new technology emerges, they have adapted and modified the capsules to their needs.