CLASSIC AOTEAROA
New Zealand architecture through a photographer’s eye
by MikiNobu Komatsu
MikiNobu Komatsu’s love of travel began in childhood when his family moved from suburban Tokyo to New York City. The experience of living among the city’s older Western architecture left a lasting impression and sparked a lifelong interest in the character of place.
After moving to Sydney in the late 1970s and taking up photography, Komatsu travelled extensively throughout New Zealand photographing its landscapes and natural environment. This work led to the publication of his first South Island landscape book, Light Moods South. Alongside the landscapes, he found himself increasingly drawn to the buildings and streetscapes of the towns he visited.
Over the years, his interest expanded beyond celebrated historic landmarks to include the everyday architecture that gives towns their distinctive identity—shopfronts, hotels, theatres, halls and other familiar buildings that reflect local history and character.
Komatsu’s photographs are often driven by an intuitive response to a place. Rather than documenting architecture alone, they seek to capture the atmosphere created by light, weather and the quiet presence of the built environment.
Published in 2024, Classic Aotearoa presents 80 photographs spanning the length of New Zealand, celebrating the country’s architectural heritage through both iconic landmarks and overlooked vernacular buildings. Since its publication, the book has been launched in Christchurch and featured in a series of exhibitions, culminating in a recent exhibitions in Auckland.
Original publication date 2024
Flexi cover | 144 pages
Design concept by MikiNobu Komatsu
Published by Jap-Art Productions Pty Ltd
RRP $65