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WHERE TO EAT IN PARIS

Seven Best Places & Spaces To Wine & Dine

Architecture Deeply Interconnected With Nature

SANAA's Ryue Nishizawa Weaves Architectural Flow At This Retreat in Karuizawa

Fine Dining at an Altitude of 2000m

Sustainably Championing Ingredients from the Alpine Region

BÀBÁ, FATHER

Photographer Olufemi Adegboye Presents His Intimate Photo Series of Black Fathers

The Delicate Art of Mixology

An Exclusive Hiroshi Sugimoto-Designed Six-Seater Bar Led By Mixologist Tsuyoshi Kimura

Maebashi’s Creative Revitalisation

Akihisa Hirata Structures A Space for Art, Living & New Encounters

A Cinematic Setting for this Modern Sushi Restaurant

A Stand-Out Japanese Dining Destination in Brisbane

THE BEST RESTAURANTS IN LONDON RIGHT NOW

Our Pick Of London's Top 5 Culinary Destinations

Harnessing the Power of Seaweed

On the Coast of Margate, A Risk-taking Skincare Brand Harvesting the Wild Material

Culinary Craftsmanship

The Avant Garde Blue Mountain School's New Michelin-Starred Restaurant

SERPENTINE PAVILION 2023

Architect Lina Ghotmeh Creates A Brilliant New Space For Gathering & Togetherness

Sky High

An Eastern Touch with Western Comforts at this 5 Star Hotel in Tokyo, 52 Floors Up

Kyoto’s Leading Art & Design Hotel

A Stellar Amalgamation of East Meets West

STUDIO GANG’S ORGANIC VERNACULAR

An Architectural Marvel: The Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation

Craftsmanship and Omotenashi at Its Finest

Unequivocally Tokyo's Most Extraordinary Luxury Urban Ryokan Experience

Samuel Ross

The British Artist-Designer's First Solo Exhibition at White Cube

Where They Create Japan Book

Photographer Paul Barbera Shoots the Studios of Japan's Leading Creatives

October, 2017

New York-based Australian photographer Paul Barbera presents his latest book Where They Create Japan, capturing 32 of Japan’s leading contemporary artists and designers in their studios, in the theme of “where they create”.

Following his self-initiated Where They Create online series that saw him shooting an intimate insight into the studios, homes and workplaces of various creatives worldwide during his travels, which soon caught the eye of Amsterdam-based publisher, FRAME.

From artist Mariko Mori‘s all-white uniform and workspace, to Wonderwall interior designer Masamichi Katayama‘s art-filled office in Harajuku, the book provides a rare view into the surroundings of some of the greatest Japanese creative minds of our time.

Photographer Paul Barbera worked with design journalist Kanae Hasegawa to create the authoritative and insightful interviews, with copyediting and local support from Champ Editor Joanna Kawecki. 

Mariko Mori - Where They Create © Paul Barbera

Did you know that architect Tadao Ando keeps artwork around in his office to provide him inspiration? Even designer Kenya Hara of Nippon Design Institute keeps a small Pyracantha Bonsai amongst his bookshelves.

One insight of note is architect Kengo Kuma‘s approach to good communication with his builders or local craftsmen during a project: “I think ideal architecture can only be realised when good communication between the people involved is established. Dining and drinking is the best way to get to know each other.”

Noritaka Tatehana © Paul Barbera
Noritaka Tatehana's studio © Paul Barbera
Tadao Ando - Where They Create © Paul Barbera
Tadao Ando - Where They Create © Paul Barbera
Tadao Ando - Where They Create © Paul Barbera
There are few places in the world where I feel that a community or even the country as a whole, has a constant craving for absolute perfectionism.
Paul Barbera
Kohei Nawa - Where They Create © Paul Barbera
Kohei Nawa's SANDWICH Studio - Where They Create © Paul Barbera
Hiroko Takahashi - Where They Create © Paul Barbera
Hiroko Takahashi - Where They Create © Paul Barbera
Hiroko Takahashi - Where They Create © Paul Barbera

Where They Create Japan
Creatives Studios by Paul Barbera
(2017)

Shinji Ohmaki's studio - Where They Create © Paul Barbera
Nendo - Where They Create © Paul Barbera
October, 2017