SAYONARA

One of Tokyo’s Most Famous Towers to Be Destroyed

Iconic work of modern architecture couldn’t be preserved.

After years of back and forth and aborted attempts to rescue it, one of the most photographed buildings in Tokyo is going to be destroyed this month. The Nagakin Capsule Tower, built in 1972 and made up of 144 pre-fabricated units winding around two concrete cores, was designed by Kisho Kurokawa. Each capsule has a porthole window that looks out on the street below. Over the years, the tower fell into disrepair (the architect originally intended each capsule to be replaced every 25 years). Gritty and photogenic, it was featured in a number of shows and movies, including Wolverine, the X-Men movie with Hugh Jackman. In the movie it was used as a love hotel. Preservationists are now hoping that some of the individual capsules will be bought and taken off the tower to be preserved.