RCR Arquitectes -DeKrook Library
While visiting friends in Belgium, the trip included a stop at this remarkable library. The layered façade and warm material palette create a strong architectural identity along the river. During the photoshoot, a group of cyclists passed by at the perfect moment, adding life and scale to the scene. A beautifully executed public building with a calm, contemporary presence.
BIG - La Meca
Its bold form has a strong presence along the riverfront. The sweeping frame works beautifully in photographs, catching light in a very cinematic way. Inside, the spaces feel open, varied, and surprisingly intimate despite the scale. The project balances monumentality and accessibility, creating an iconic cultural place for Bordeaux.
Snohetta - Lascaux IV
Lascaux IV sits in a landscape that’s personally meaningful, only a few kilometers from my hometown. The architecture enhances the importance of this heritage site with sensitivity and strength. The building blends into the terrain while creating a clear, inviting route through the exhibits. Seeing such a significant place celebrated through thoughtful contemporary design feels truly special for the region.
Zaha Hadid - Dongdaemun Desin Park & Plaza
A commission in Seoul offered the chance to spend a full day exploring this landmark. The flowing metallic surfaces and continuous curves create a futuristic atmosphere that shifts with the light. Moving through the galleries and outdoor paths reveals an architecture that feels fluid, immersive, and constantly in motion — a unique experience within the city.
Kazuyo Sejima Japan Women's University Library
A beautifully refined university library, shaped by soft lines and a calm atmosphere. The interior feels open and light, with gentle curves guiding movement through the space. The design creates a quiet balance between clarity and warmth, making it an inviting environment for study while showing the subtle elegance characteristic of Sejima’s work.
Mitsubishi Jisho Sekkei - Academic Ark
A striking university facility in Gifu, defined by strong geometry and a clear architectural character. The building’s angular forms create dynamic perspectives as you move around it, while the interior maintains a sense of openness and clarity. The project stands out for its confident composition, offering a bold yet functional environment for academic life.
SANAA - Hitachi City Hall
A motorcycle ride to Tochigi led to this beautifully gentle piece of public architecture. The city hall’s open layout and soft transitions reflect an elegant approach to civic space, creating an atmosphere that feels calm and approachable. Light, circulation, and transparency work together to form a public environment that is both refined and welcoming.
Toyo Ito - Taichung Metropolitan Opera House
An imposing façade introduces one of Taichung’s most remarkable buildings, where the fluid geometry continues seamlessly inside. The interior reveals a series of carved, flowing spaces, and the staircase becomes a highlight with its sculptural curves and shifting light. The whole environment feels immersive, turning movement through the opera house into a continuous spatial experience.
Kazuyo Sejima - Osaka Art University Facility
This university facility in Osaka shows an elegant structural clarity that immediately stands out. The lightness of the volumes and the gentle, continuous lines bring a poetic quality typical of Sejima’s work. Walking through the space reveals subtle shifts of light and motion, creating an environment that feels both refined and quietly expressive — architecture at its most delicate.
Kenzo Tange - Yamanashi Press and Broadcast Center
Located in Kofu, this broadcast center stands as a powerful example of postwar Japanese architecture. The structure has a strong presence yet blends naturally with the surrounding landscape and city fabric. The bold forms, elevated volumes, and careful detailing show a masterful balance between monumentality and lightness, making it one of the most compelling works of its era.
Nikken Sekkei - PalaceSide Building
This office building in Tokyo marks the beginning of a new collaboration with Nikken, and revisiting a masterpiece from the 1960s was a strong experience. The façade work is incredibly precise, and the public spaces carry a distinct atmosphere that feels transported from another era. The oval-shaped staircase is a highlight, revealing the elegance and craftsmanship of the original design.
Zaha Hadid Architects - Maxxi Museum
Visiting this museum in Rome during a trip to Italy was the first encounter with a built project by Zaha Hadid, and the experience was unforgettable. The flowing lines, dramatic ramps, and shifting light create a sense of movement throughout the building. Exploring the interiors revealed a space that feels bold yet fluid, offering a powerful setting for contemporary art and architecture.
Toyo Ito - Sendai Mediatheque
A true landmark of contemporary Japanese architecture, the Sendai Mediatheque remains as fresh as ever. Having lived in Sendai, the building carries a personal significance, and returning to photograph it highlighted how timeless the space feels. The transparent structure, floating floors, and iconic tubes create an open, flexible environment that continues to serve as one of the city’s most vibrant public gathering places.
Kengo Kuma - Yugawara Station Square
Yugawara Station Square is a small but beautifully handled project, and finally stopping after passing by so many times was worth it. The timber canopy and gentle rooflines create a welcoming transition between town and train. The space feels warm, open, and carefully detailed, showing how thoughtful design can elevate even a modest station into a calm, characterful public environment.
Nendo - Tenri Station Plaza Cofufun
This playground and public plaza in Tenri is full of life, with soft white forms that create a landscape for people to gather, play, and rest. Visiting during a trip to Nara showed how naturally the space fits into daily activity around the station. The gentle mounds, open areas, and playful geometry make it a welcoming environment that feels both sculptural and relaxed, perfectly suited to community use.
Shigeru Ban - Mt. Fuji World Heritage Center
This tourist center in Fuji City offers a striking experience, especially with the inverted reflection of the mountain in the central water basin. The architecture frames Mt. Fuji with clarity and calm, creating a strong dialogue between building and landscape. Inside, the exhibition flows naturally upward, echoing the ascent of the mountain. A beautifully crafted place where structure, view, and atmosphere align perfectly.
Akihisa Hirata - Tree-ness House
This family house in Tokyo marked my first collaboration with Hirata-san, and the two-day commission became a truly engaging experience. With the architects present on site, we explored creative ways to reveal the project’s complex exterior and its layered interior spaces. The structure offers shifting perspectives at every level, allowing the shoot to capture the full depth, rhythm, and tree-like character of the house.
Toyo Ito - Tama Art University Library
At Tama Art University, this library stands out as one of the most memorable I’ve visited. I came for a video shoot and was struck by the atmosphere created by the sweeping concrete arches. The space feels open, calm, and beautifully crafted — a powerful environment for both study and architecture.
Kazuyo Sejima - Hokusai Sumida Museum
This Museum in Tokyo stands out with its sharp geometry and reflective façade. On a sunny afternoon, the building mirrors the blue sky, creating a striking visual clarity. Inside, the exhibition layout is clean and fluid, echoing the calm precision of the exterior’s beautifully executed surface.
Sou Fujimoto - Envision Pavilion
The Envision Pavilion in Shanghai extends the spirit of his Serpentine Pavilion to a much larger scale. While in the city for another project, attending the opening ceremony offered a clear view of how the lattice structure grows into an immersive, cloud-like environment, expanding the original concept with impressive spatial depth.