MoMA's exhibition, "The Many Lives of the Nakagin Capsule Tower," explores the complex legacy of Kisho Kurokawa's iconic metabolist structure. While intended as a model for adaptable, sustainable architecture with replaceable capsules, the tower ultimately faced demolition due to asbestos, outdated technology, and disagreements among owners. The exhibition showcases the tower's history through archival materials, photographs, and a full-scale capsule, examining its initial utopian vision, its eventual decline, and its enduring influence on architectural discourse surrounding modularity, prefabrication, and the future of urban living.
Jia Tolentino's "In Its Purest Form," explores the evolution and cultural impact of reality television. She argues that reality TV, initially lauded for its potential for unscripted authenticity, has morphed into a highly constructed and exploitative genre that mirrors and amplifies toxic societal dynamics. The essay traces this transformation through examples like "An American Family" and "The Real World," highlighting how the pursuit of "reality" has become increasingly intertwined with performance, manipulation, and the commodification of personal trauma. Ultimately, Tolentino suggests that reality TV's current iteration, characterized by influencer culture and carefully curated online personas, reflects a broader cultural obsession with self-presentation and the blurring of the lines between genuine experience and manufactured drama.
Hacker News users discuss the LA Review of Books article on competitive programming, largely agreeing with its portrayal of the intense, often isolating, nature of the field. Several commenters shared personal anecdotes reflecting the article's themes, including burnout, the pressure to specialize early, and the disconnect between competitive programming skills and practical software development. Some debated the value of competitive programming, with some arguing it hones specific skills while others questioned its real-world applicability. The prevalence of cheating and the focus on speed over elegant solutions were also criticized. A few commenters offered alternative competitive platforms or learning approaches that prioritize collaboration and broader software development skills.
Boston City Hall's Brutalist design emerged from a complex interplay of factors in the 1960s. Facing pressure to revitalize Scollay Square and embrace modernism, the city held an architectural competition. The winning design by Kallmann, McKinnell & Knowles, though initially controversial for its stark departure from traditional styles, aimed to embody democratic ideals with its open plaza and accessible interior. The project, part of a larger urban renewal effort, reflected the era's optimism about government's ability to solve social problems through architecture and urban planning. Despite its initial unpopularity, City Hall stands as a significant example of Brutalist architecture and a testament to the city's ambition for a modern future.
HN commenters discuss Boston City Hall's Brutalist architecture, mostly negatively. Several lament its ugliness and unfriendliness, comparing it to a parking garage or fortress. Some criticize its impracticality and lack of human scale, citing confusing navigation and wind tunnels. A few offer counterpoints, arguing that it's a significant example of Brutalist architecture, reflecting the era's optimism about government's role. One suggests its imposing design might have been intentional, meant to convey authority. The concrete's weathering and the surrounding plaza's design are also criticized. A couple of commenters express appreciation for the building's unique character, suggesting that its starkness has a certain appeal.
Summary of Comments ( 16 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44080820
HN commenters largely lament the demolition of the Nakagin Capsule Tower, viewing it as a missed opportunity for architectural preservation and a symbol of the challenges in realizing utopian visions. Several express disappointment that a practical solution for renovating and updating the capsules wasn't found, citing the inherent modularity as a key advantage that should have allowed for such adaptation. Some point out the inherent conflict between the building's original utopian ideal and the realities of individual ownership, fluctuating property values, and the difficulty of collective decision-making. The impracticalities of the original design, such as limited space and outdated technology, are also acknowledged, but framed as solvable problems given sufficient will and resources. The MoMA exhibition is welcomed as a way to remember and learn from the building's history. A few commenters express a more pragmatic view, accepting the demolition as inevitable due to the building's deteriorated state and the complexities of renovation.
The Hacker News post titled "The legacy of the iconic Nakagin capsule tower" generated several comments discussing various aspects of the building and its demolition.
Several commenters focused on the practicality and livability of the capsules. One questioned the long-term viability of such small living spaces, highlighting the lack of adequate storage and the challenges of raising a family in such confined quarters. Another commenter, who had toured the building before its demolition, noted the cramped conditions and the presence of asbestos, contributing to the impracticality of renovation. This commenter also mentioned the surprisingly spacious feeling once inside a capsule despite its small size.
The discussion also touched upon the building's historical and architectural significance. One commenter lamented the loss of the Nakagin Capsule Tower as an architectural experiment, representing a unique vision of the future that ultimately proved unsustainable. Another expressed disappointment that a single capsule wasn't preserved as a historical artifact in a museum, though acknowledged the challenges of doing so given their interconnected nature within the original structure.
The topic of modularity and prefabrication also arose. A commenter pointed out that the building was a real-world example of the modular construction concept, although it ultimately faced limitations due to the difficulties in replacing and updating individual modules. This led to another discussion point about the impracticality of the original design, which envisioned capsules being easily replaced. The reality of cost and complexity meant this never happened, contributing to the building's eventual decline.
One commenter drew parallels between the Nakagin Capsule Tower and other architectural movements, suggesting its modular design was a precursor to today's container homes and tiny houses, highlighting the cyclical nature of architectural trends.
Finally, a couple of comments focused on the preserved capsules, with one user mentioning having seen one on display in Japan and another sharing information about the possibility of purchasing individual capsules.
Overall, the comments reflect a mix of nostalgia for a lost architectural icon, pragmatic assessments of its limitations, and reflections on the broader themes of modularity, prefabrication, and the challenges of realizing utopian architectural visions.