Tokyo-based Kisho Kurokawa Architect and Associates (KKAA) and Japanese investment company Laetoli are auctioning the rights to reconstruct the Nakagin Capsule Tower on OpenSea, the main marketplace based on NFT.

Currently, two ongoing sales are launched on 22 July: one will allow a winning bidder to rebuild the tower anywhere in the world, and another to construct a virtual version of it in the metaverse. To host the auction, a digital model of the tower has been created by the international architecture studio BDP. In the meanwhile, in Tokyo's Ginza neighborhood, the demolition of the iconic building composed of 140 modular tiny capsules is underway since April, due to the aging structure.

The sale of reconstruction rights is aligned with the theories about the adaptability of Metabolism, which aims to rethink society using architecture as a tool for potential change. “We hope that this auction will ensure that this historical masterpiece will be rebuilt somewhere in the world by those who value the idea of metabolism and are able to optimize his design to enhance society,” said Laetoli director, Yoshitaka Kataoka. The ambition is to preserve Japanese architecture in real and virtual spaces.

The cover image is courtesy of BDP.