Japan’s landmark capsules coming down to sit in museums

By YURI KAGEYAMA
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Nakagin Capsule Tower, a building tucked away in a corner of downtown Tokyo that is made up of boxes stacked on top of each other, is an avant-garde honeycomb of science-fiction-era housing long admired as a masterpiece. It’s now being demolished in a careful process that includes preserving some of its 140 capsules, to be shipped to museums around the world. The first capsule will be removed in the next few weeks. Built in 1972, the 13-floor building embodies the so-called “metabolism” vision of its architect Kisho Kurokawa: The idea cities are changing, reflecting life, in rhythm with the human body.