Restored Nakagin Capsule Tower module goes on display at MoMA

The Museum of Modern Art in New York has opened a yearlong exhibition tracing the full lifespan of the Nakagin Capsule Tower. Titled The Many Lives of the Nakagin Capsule Tower, and on view from July 10, 2025, to July 12, 2026, the exhibition presents the tower’s legacy through a restored living capsule and an array of archival materials.

Designed by architect Kisho Kurokawa and completed in 1972, the Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo was one of the few built realizations of Metabolism, a postwar Japanese architectural movement envisioning buildings that could grow and evolve like living organisms. Kurokawa’s concept included concrete towers with detachable prefabricated “capsules” meant to be replaced over time; a plan never fully implemented. Instead, the 140 capsules remained in place until the building was dismantled in 2022.

At the center of MoMA’s exhibition is capsule A1305, originally located on the building’s top floor and now fully restored using salvaged parts from other units. The exhibition also features 45 contextual items, including the project’s only surviving model, original drawings, film footage, promotional material, and oral histories from former residents. Visitors can also explore an interactive virtual tour of the tower.

Over its 50-year history, the Nakagin capsules were repurposed in diverse ways, serving as homes, offices, libraries, DJ booths, and more. The exhibition invites reflection on how architecture adapts over time and how cities might engage with aging structures in a rapidly changing urban environment.

The exhibition is organized by Evangelos Kotsioris, Assistant Curator, and Paula Vilaplana de Miguel, Curatorial Associate, in MoMA’s Department of Architecture and Design. A new accompanying publication, Kisho Kurokawa: Nakagin Capsule Tower, offers further insight into the building’s design, transformation, and legacy.