Okay, we know, holidays ought to be all about the culture – the sampling of new cuisines, meeting locals, immersing oneself in another way of life. But sometimes we just want to take a holiday somewhere that looks darn good. And if there’s one person who knows what’s aesthetically pleasing, it’s the film director Wes Anderson. Watch any of his works of genius, and you’ll be treated to a visual feast of symmetrical shots, nostalgic sets and retro colour palettes.
Frankly, we’d be happy if our lives looked a bit more like a Wes Anderson film. From the New York brownstone the Tenenbaums reside in to the ship Steve Zissou travels the high seas in, and the very on-trend millennial pink Grand Budapest Hotel, Anderson’s films are as easy on the eye as they are enjoyable to watch.
While we may never star in one of his films, there’s a whole host of places around the world that look as though they’ve been transplanted straight from a Wes Anderson set into the real world. If you fancy seeing a few for yourself, here are a few of our favourites…
Hamble-Warsash Ferry Shelter, Hampshire, UK
Is it just us, or does this tiny ferry shelter on England’s south coast look as though it could have inspired any number of shots in the 1960s-set Moonrise Kingdom?
Bastei Building, Cologne, Germany
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We can just picture the young protagonist of Moonrise Kingdom perched on the roof of this lookout-slash-restaurant in Germany, binoculars in hand as she surveys New Penzance Island. Or, in this case, the beautiful cathedral city of Cologne.
Bar Luce, Milan, Italy
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We know Wes Anderson would approve of this café in Milan’s Fondazione Prada – he designed it, after all. With its retro pinball machines, jukebox, formica furniture and shelves lined with sweet jars, it’s like stepping into one of the director’s films… or back in time to a ’50s Italian diner.
Victor Boin Swimming Pool, Brussels, Belgium
We don’t want to put words in his mouth… but we’re fairly sure Wes would be pretty enamoured with this amazingly symmetric swimming pool in Brussels. It’s so perfectly aligned, we wouldn’t want to ruin it by jumping in!
Johnson Wax Headquarters, Wisconsin, USA
The retro-cool design of this Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building looks right up Anderson’s alley. The soft pastel pink trimmings, wooden cabinets and symmetric workspaces fit his aesthetic to a tee.
Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
Also by Frank Lloyd Wright, this hotel in Tokyo was actually the inspiration for the home of the villainous mayor of Megasaki in Anderson’s flick, Isle of Dogs. Though it was mostly demolished due to earthquake damage, its iconic lobby wing and reflecting pool were brought in pieces to The Museum Meiji-Mura, reassembled and put on display.
Sketch, London, UK
There’s more than a whiff of The Grand Budapest Hotel about Mayfair’s palace of pastel pink, Sketch. Channel your inner Saoirse Ronan with a sweet cocktail in hand and pretend you’re in the imaginary Republic of Zubrowka where the film is set.
