real-life locations that echo wes anderson's quirky aesthetic captured in new book

‘accidentally wes anderson’ (AWA) captures real-life destinations around the globe that echo the film director’s distinct visual aesthetic in color and style. the book takes readers on a visual journey to the most beautiful, idiosyncratic locations around the globe with contributions by more than 180 photographers from more than 50 different countries. first established on instagram in 2017, AWA has since grown into a global community of modern travelers and fans of wes anderson’s quirky aesthetic.

designboom’s own image of the first THE DESIGN PRIZE gala night is also included in the book (more here)! selected from over 15.000 contributions, the image captures teatro gerolamo in milan, where our award ceremony took place in 2017.

presidio county courthouse, marfa, texas, image via AWA

all images courtesy of accidentally wes anderson

‘accidentally wes anderson’ seeks out the real-life counterparts of the film maker’s captivating, imaginative film sets. with a foreword by wes anderson himself, the book tells the extraordinary and unexpected true stories behind more than two hundred locations around the world. from los angeles to milan to tokyo and beyond, readers are invited to explore quirky landmarks and undiscovered gems, all of which evoke the distinct visual qualities of anderson’s films. teatro gerolamo, milan image © designboom / THE DESIGN PRIZE

an image of designboom’s annual award program THE DESIGN PRIZE is also included in ‘accidentally wes anderson’! the location of our first gala night, teatro gerolamo was built for the marionettes of milan in the late 19th century. after a long-term restoration, the theater reopened to the public in 2017.walt disney world, bay lake, florida image by jose yosigo

founded three years ago by brooklyn-based husband and wife team of wally & amanda, AWA has since grown from an instagram platform to a community with contributions from all over the world. ‘over the course of ten films and counting, wes has honed in on a distinct visual aesthetic that is both undeniably beautiful and deserving of adulation,’ note the project’s founders. ‘each frame of his films stands alone, resulting in a collection of delightful gems. AWA has built upon wes’ imaginative scenes and seeks out their real-life counterparts around the globe. we are forever indebted to wes for opening our eyes to the beauty that surrounds us. sometimes all we need to do is “reframe the perspective”.’babylon, berlin, germany image by michael schulz

bastei building, cologne, germany
image by geli klein

fargo theater, fargo, north dakota image by simeon ganev

moseley road baths, birmingham, united kingdom image by hanny foxhall

the starlite motel, kerhonkson, new york
la maison rose, paris, france image by nadia maynemovie park, bottrop, germany
image by paul hillerhotel president, bielsko-biała, poland image by maciek lulko