The decision ends years of uncertainty surrounding the eye-catching structure, which once offered a futuristic vision of urban living but had recently fallen into disrepair.
that emerged from the ruins of World War II with a radical new vision for Japan's cities. As well as embracing technology and mass production, the avant-garde group's members looked to nature for inspiration, with structural components treated like organic cells that could be"plugged" into a larger whole or later replaced.
Preservationists hope some of the the 108-square-foot capsules can be saved and repurposed or acquired by museums.Owners again agreed to sell in 2021, and the building was acquired by a group of real estate firms operating under the name Capusule Tower Building . A spokesperson for the joint venture, Takashi Shindo, told CNN over the phone that the last residents moved out last month, with demolition scheduled to begin April 12.
Preservationists had long expressed hope that the building might be saved -- including Kurokawa, before his death in 2007. Petitions and campaigns have called for the structure to be protected as an example of Japan's architectural heritage. The organization behind the conservation campaign, the Nakagin Capsule Tower Building Preservation and Regeneration Project, asked city authorities to intervene -- and even considered applying for protected status with UNESCO. But neither approach proved successful, according to project member Tatsuyuki Maeda, who acquired 15 of the capsules between 2010 and the building's sale last year.
"Japan does not have the legislation to preserve this kind of architectural culture," he said over the phone."It is unfortunate that one of the country's most representative examples of modern architectural heritage will be lost."
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