In the 1960s, Japanese architect Kisho Kurosawa started thinking about how to design structures for cities of the future.
A building, he argued, should be able to change in order to keep up with the evolution of cities and technologies. Parts should be able to be removed and improved, then reintegrated back into a structure.
In 1972, he created the Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo.
The structure is comprised of 140 tiny homes, each of which can be separated from the building to be renovated or replaced. Each detachable unit is bolted into the structure's core, and from the outside, the building looks like a series of enormous washing machines.
Inside, a large circular window anchors each 108-square-foot space. The capsules have one small bathroom, and appliances and storage spaces are built into the walls. When constructed in the 70s, the units included a built-in TV, stove, mini-refrigerator and a tape deck. Many still feature those original appliances, while some owners have renovated their spaces.
The building was recently featured in a new book about Brutalist architecture, called "This Brutal World," which was published in May. Author Peter Chadwick celebrates the style's use of raw concrete and the way Brutalist building exteriors reflect the internal functions. The Nakagin Capsule Tower is a prime example of these characteristics.
The apartments were intended to be modern-looking pied-a-terres for businessmen who lived in far-away suburbs or visited Tokyo periodically for work.
Kurosawa imagined that the capsules would be updated occasionally with new technologies and replaced completely every 25 years. But the cost of doing so proved too high, and the building has since fallen into disrepair.
Although the concept didn't turn out exactly as the architect imagined, Kurosawa's design was prescient in several ways. Each capsule was prefabricated outside of Tokyo, then brought to the site and assembled in just a few months — a construction process that has since become the norm.
And though the micro homes were initially criticized for their lack of space, tiny houses and apartments are now gaining popularity around the world, from New York City to Hong Kong. You can even design your own on a new app and get it delivered.
Kurosawa considered the building to be part of a Japanese architectural movement called Metabolism, which debuted during the Tokyo World Design Conference in 1960. The movement celebrated buildings that could continuously adapt to changes in human society and urban life. The name Metabolism, appropriately enough, references the organic transfer of materials and energy between living organisms and the external world.
Unfortunately, Kurosawa's signature building has not kept pace with the transformation of the city. Approximately half of the capsules are now unused, even though the building is in a desirable part of Tokyo's Ginza neighborhood. The owners voted to demolish the tower in 2007, but it's still standing — according to Fusion, plans came to a halt after the global financial crisis struck.
For now, curious visitors can rent a capsule on Airbnb and stay in a human-sized washing machine of their own.