Culture

Japan turns capsule from iconic tower into moving pied-à-terre

Tokyo, Oct 16 (EFE).- When architect Akiko Ishimaru realized that the iconic Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo had its days numbered, she embarked on revamping one of the capsules to relocate it and turn it into a caravan that travels across the country as a moving pied-à-terre.The capsule A606 is currently the only one that will survive the demolition of the building, scheduled to commence in March 2022 after years of campaigns to preserve and renovate it.Ishimaru, 43, lived in one of the capsules of the iconic building for a year in 2013. (Camera: MARIA ROLDAN).B-ROLL OF THE NAKAGIN CAPSULE TOWER IN TOKYO, JAPAN.SOUND BITES: ARCHITECT AND MEMBER OF THE RESTORATION PROJECT OF THE A606 CAPSULE, AKIKO ISHIMARU, AND HEAD OF THE NAKAGIN CAPSULE TOWER PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION PROJECT, TATSUYUKI MAEDA (IN JAPANESE).TRANSLATIONS:1. AKIKO ISHIMARU, ARCHITECT AND MEMBER OF THE RESTORATION PROJECT OF THE A606 CAPSULE.- We will make this capsule move like a caravan. We want it to travel all over the country, for people to share it, to rent it , while it makes a lot of them happy. 2. TATSUYUKI MAEDA, HEAD OF THE NAKAGIN CAPSULE TOWER PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION PROJECT.- The requests come mainly from the United States and Europe, from top museums, who want us to donate. Some say they want to exhibit them and don't mind paying the necessary costs.