The Nakagin Capsule Tower is a building that embodies the fading ambitions of futuristic, ever-expanding cities like Tokyo. It stands as a beacon of 20th-century experimentation in what was known as Metabolist architecture—an organic approach to design, where buildings were envisioned to have lifespans of their own, capable of adapting to the unpredictability of urban change. This architectural drawing examines the tower’s material decay, depicted from the inside out in a single frame. The rigid structure is exposed through the peeling layers of concrete, plaster, and wallpaper from the capsules, while the central façade forms an hourglass shape, symbolizing the passage of time and the imminent end of a once-radical project.
"I would like to highlight the techniques used in this competition drawing. They came together in a chaotic and experimental way, reflecting the nature of the subject itself. Each material depicted required a different method of representation. Lines, curved lines, dotted lines, and points are used to convey change and the wear accumulated over time. I drew inspiration from the beautifully crafted documentary Nakagin Capsule Tower: Japanese Metabolist Landmark on the Edge of Destruction, which provided the source material that brought this drawing to life. The tower was an extraordinary piece of architecture, ultimately left to decay like so many others. While it failed to function as the dynamic organism it was intended to be—one that could shift and replace its capsules over time—it nonetheless behaved like a living entity, existing with the quiet awareness of its inevitable collapse."
The piece is rendered with ink on paper.
Dimensions: 500 x 700 mm
Dimensions: 500 x 700 mm
Competition project:
Non-Architecture, Re-Draw. 05 Nakagin Capsule Tower Competition (Honourable Mention).
Non-Architecture, Re-Draw. 05 Nakagin Capsule Tower Competition (Honourable Mention).
