Capsule A1305 from the Nakagin Capsule Tower Building, Tokyo, Japan
Kisho Kurokawa
Japanese, 1934–2007
Kisho Kurokawa Architect & Associates
est. 1962
1970–1972, restored 2022–2023
A prefabricated micro‑apartment capsule by Kisho Kurokawa, a self‑contained living unit made from steel, wood, glass, plastics and integrated electronics intended to plug into a larger tower.
At first glance it reads like a compact spaceship interior: a round porthole window, a bed jammed into built‑in white cabinets and curved seating, and integrated control panels that make the whole room feel tightly packaged and futuristic.
A key realization of the 1970s Metabolism movement, the Nakagin capsule experimented with replaceable, prefabricated housing and helped shape later ideas about modular construction, urban density and temporary living solutions.
Medium
Steel, wood, paint, plastics, cloth, polyurethane, glass, ceramic, and electronics
Dimensions
100 3/8 × 106 5/16 × 166 9/16" (255 × 270 × 423 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Gift of Jo Carole and Ronald S. Lauder, Alice and Tom Tisch, and the Nakagin Capsule Tower Preservation and Restoration Project, Tokyo, Japan
Accession
73.2023
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
