The Timeless Capsule: Reviving the Nakagin Tower’s Radical Vision at MoMA

Image Courtesy of The Museum of Modern Art

Step inside the future—by way of the past. Opening July 10 at MoMA, The Many Lives of the Nakagin Capsule Tower invites visitors to rediscover one of Japan’s boldest architectural experiments. Designed by visionary architect Kisho Kurokawa and completed in 1972, the Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo’s Ginza district once stood as a symbol of Japan’s Metabolist movement—where cities were imagined as ever-evolving organisms.

The exhibition centers around a rare and fully restored unit from the building’s top floor: capsule A1305. This compact, single-occupancy pod—now part of MoMA’s collection—offers a tangible glimpse into a radical idea of modular living. Surrounding the capsule are original architectural drawings, models, photographs, films, and cultural artifacts that chart the Tower’s unique history as both a physical space and a creative community.

Far more than a relic, the Nakagin Capsule Tower is presented here as a living legacy—one that continues to spark debate about sustainability, urban density, and the spirit of experimentation in architecture. Through this thoughtful and immersive exhibit, MoMA challenges us to imagine what cities might become when architecture dares to dream.