2023
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 facade forms an hourglass shape, symbolizing the passage of time and the imminent end of a once-radical project. The techniques 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. 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, it succeeded in opening a profound discourse about the life cycle of buildings. The piece is created with ink on paper. Dimensions: 420 x 297 mm.