中銀カプセルタワービルが取り壊しになるか

老朽化が進み取り壊しの話も取り沙汰される黒川紀章による中銀カプセルタワービル。1970年代のメタボリズム建築の思想に則って建設された中銀カプセルタワービルだが、デザイン先行で住み心地は悪そうで、ドアの外には私物が溢れている。需要に応じて時が経るごとにカプセルを取り替える方法もあったが今までカプセルが交換されたことは遂になかった。住み心地の悪いさに加え老朽化でほとんどの部屋は住む者もなく空き部屋となっている。黒川紀章は最近では2015年の完成を目途に進行している中国の鄭州のマスタープランなどに参加していたが、こういったトンデモ建築は中国でこそふさわしいと言えるだろう。

Consisting of 140 individual capsule apartments that were intended for people who worked in Tokyo during the week, they were all connected to the central beam by just 4, high-tension bolts. An element that was a key component of its Metabolist design, meaning the capsules could be replaced over time, allowing the building to adapt and meet changing demands. At least that was the idea, but in reality the capsules have stayed where they are, and a lack of maintenance has left the tower looking extremely worse for wear. Both the actual structure.
No doubt due to the tower’s increasingly desperate state, a good number of the rooms are now unoccupied ― something that the continued speculation about its demolition will presumably increase. International backing for it actually remains strong, with architects all over the world expressing their desire to keep the building as it is, or better still finally replace the capsules. But within Japan, and more importantly amongst residents, support appears to have wained, and although it is still standing despite numerous threats in the past, the Nakagin Capsule Tower seems unlikely to survive for much longer.

http://www.wordpress.tokyotimes.org/?p=7996