Who wouldnāt want to live in something that looks like a Soviet washing machine?
Each room should feature a creative way to die. And a quasi-mathematical way to get out. However since this is Japan, they probably already have all this covered.
Igf Iām not mistaken, it looks like there is a gap between the individual units, meaning sound wouldnāt travel between units in the same way that shared walls do. After waking up yet again to my upstairs neighbor pumping Focus on the Family talk radio, this makes this incredibly attractive to me.
Actually, no, you probably couldnāt live there. The place is falling apart, and is mostly abandoned by residents at this point. Even when in good condition, residents found it designed badly. So little storage space (this by Tokyo standards!) that residents took to storing things outside their apartments in the hallway. This is Japan, so no, they really didnāt worry about stuff being stolen. The current residents apparently want the place torn down and rebuilt to modern earthquake standards, while Japanese architects are aghast at the idea and want it rehabilitated. It was designed so that the individual cubes could be replaced over time - itās just never been done.
I found it amusing that in the latest Wolverine movie, it was used as a ālove hotelā. 
Given the parlous and, in some cases, downright dangerous state of the white goods in my house, Iād be happy to have a Soviet washing-machine. It would doubtless be less awful than the malicious, fuse-popping horror that is my Hotpointā¦
Well, depending on the neighbourhood itās in, this hotel might rent by the hour.
As I scrolled down I thought it read āThe Naked Capital Towerā
Looks like they are actually sort of reasonably priced (for Tokyo) if you donāt mind asbestos in the ductwork and a few other issues:
http://sellingtokyo.wordpress.com/2010/12/08/nakagin-capsule-tower-buildin/
Disclaimer: Iām not involved in any way with the sale or lease of this place, I present the link for your edification.
just some more examples of futuristic architecture from Japan and Taiwan. Text in german, but the pictures are worth it.
Didnāt Johnny Mnemonic live in one of these? Also, the kid from Ready Player One?
Jenga!
All those conveniently sized concrete boxes look like they would make an excellent artificial reef.
Iām curious what the planned procedure to replace a unit was and what the expected cost was back when this was built?
Not quite ā the cyberpunk ācapsulesā are generally referring to what is often called coffin hotels ā basically a tube with a mattress. The Nakagin capsules are much bigger than that ā basically apartments the size of a small dorm room.
ā¦and whether the occupant was notified beforehand.
Nakagin is one of those things that is interesting to photograph from a distance but looks absolutely horrid up close. Part of why the unfinished concrete looks so crappy even in the photos is the building is right next to a elevated highway so you have 40 years of truck exhaust creating that patina. Even though it has a fancy address in Ginza, its a crappy location, no train station near by, no parking, supermarkets, restaurants or anything else you need for daily life near by.
It was Case anyway, wasnāt it? Had his 3MB of hot RAM stored thereā¦
ā¦and doesnāt 3MB sound like Shakespeare these days?
Reminds me of Aperture in a wayā¦
