Tall & Urban News

Developers have unveiled visuals for a new building replacing the iconic Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo’s Ginza district. The new structure will house the Tokyo flagship of Accor’s Pullman hotel brand, featuring 145 guest rooms, a restaurant, a destination bar, and other amenities. Its modular, gold-lacquered exterior sharply contrasts with the original Metabolist design by Kisho Kurokawa, completed in 1970.

Demolition of the Nakagin Capsule Tower began in 2022, ending years of maintenance challenges and public efforts to preserve the structure. Built as a condominium, its land was sold in 2018, and demolition plans resurfaced in 2021. The process concluded with the distribution of its iconic capsules to museums and collectors worldwide. Capsules are now displayed at institutions such as SFMOMA, Rome’s MAXXI, and Japan’s Museum of Modern Art Saitama. Efforts to conserve its legacy include a digital model, envisioning potential reconstruction at another site.

The new hotel is scheduled to open in late 2027.

Learn more about this story at Architects Newspaper.