50 Years of Nakagin Capsule Tower

Summary

Rebuild or create your own configuration of the Nakagin Capsule Tower today and celebrate its 50th birthday!

This design is a 1:200 scale model representation of the famous Nakagin Capsule Tower (中銀カプセルタワー) found in Tokyo, designed by Kisho Kurokawa (1934-2007).

The structure is well known for the modular nature of the building's 140 prefabricated capsules attached to two cores, which housed salarymen during the weekdays. 

This Tokyo icon faces threats of demolition and the future of the building and its capsules is uncertain. However, with this model you can still daydream about a Metabolist future that never came to be.

Print Settings

Notes:

-All files are intended to be printed in the provided orientation.
-The files are scaled as to provide a 1:200 model. This means downsizing the files might render it unusable because of the tight tolerances.
-The files are tested at 0.1 layer height as to provide the cleanest model. This means using different settings might render it unusable because of the tight tolerances.

Files to Print

RetailAndOffice (1x)

-No support needed
-Brim to prevent warping

The ground floor of the building consists of retail space, as well as the main entrance and lobby of the residential units. On the first floor office space is found.

Tower1 (1x)

-No support
-Benefits from a brim in order to stabilize the print
-Postprocessing required to make sure all holes are fully accessible by the hinged capsules in case of bad bridging

The two concrete cores contain the vertical transport for the attatched capsules. 

Tower2 (1x)

-No support
-Benefits from a brim in order to stabilize the print
-Postprocessing required to make sure all holes are fully accessible by the hinged capsules in case of bad bridging

WaterTower (1x)

-Support needed

MechanicalFloor (1x)

-No support needed

FireExit_NoHinge (3x)

-Support needed for the knob

Three bridges between the two cores improve the building's fire safety.

Type_A1_29 (29x)

-This and the following capsule types need support for the hinge

Type_A2_26 (26x)

Type_B1_18 (18x)

Type_C1_24 (24x)

Type_C2_31 (31x)

Type_D1_12 (12x)