Time and Place

Time: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Opening: Thursday, March 9, 2023
Location: SARUP Gallery (AUP146) – UWM Campus – 2131 E Hartford Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53211

Opening event Thursday, March 9 at 5:00pm
Noritaka Minami in conversation with James Pike of the Graham Foundation

Exhibition Summary

Chicago-based visual artist Noritaka Minami presents a photographic survey of the Nakagin Capsule Tower in his exhibition 1972/Nakagin Capsule Tower. The series of photographs–taken over the course of the past decade–captures the individuality of each capsule through the histories of people who lived there. Designed in 1972 by architect Kisho Kurokawa, the Nakagin building stood as an emblematic example of Metabolist architecture in the heart of Tokyo until its demolition in April 2022. Some of the capsules were preserved and are set to be re-purposed into second houses and hobby-style dwellings, while others will be showcased in museum installations around the world. At its inception, the Capsule Tower reflected the future of urban living envisioned by the renowned architect in postwar Japan. However, the building remained a reminder of a future that never materialized in the wider society and constituted an architectural anachronism in the urban landscape of Tokyo. Minami’s photographs document the capsules in various states of inhabitability through the passage of time. Some units retain the original futuristic furnishings, while others show a variety of modifications undertaken over the years, including spaces that are no longer habitable.

Need Directions?

Get directions to The School of Architecture and Urban Planning building at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is located at 2131 East Hartford Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Questions, comments?

All exhibits are free and open to the public.
Additional information about the lectures and exhibitions can be found by contacting the main reception at (414) 229-4014, and by emailing any inquiries to Chair of the Architecture Department Kyle Reynolds.