Project UrbEx

by Ikumi Nakamura, Liam Wong (Foreword)

A thrilling photographic adventure through an offbeat selection of the world’s abandoned buildings, captured by one of the videogame industry’s most beloved creatives. Fusing urban exploration with her trademark sense of wonder, famed videogame creator Ikumi Nakamura has spent over a decade infiltrating top-secret locations worldwide. Her daring escapades tap into a lost spirit of true adventure, proving that the world is still full of secrets and mystery, just waiting to be revealed. From derelict shipyards and military bases to colossal cooling towers, haunted hotels, and mystical islands, this book is packed with places you thought could only exist in videogames. Urban exploration is a way of life for those who choose it as their passion. The secrets and mysteries that disused places incite can be intoxicating and inspiring. As Nakamura has said, "I love breaking boundaries and making people say 'WOW.' As artists, we use our imagination to see the INVISIBLE." With a foreword by videogame designer-turned-photographer Liam Wong, Project UrbEx also features sections of Nakamura’s personal travel diaries, printed on pages with a narrower width in a rich Pantone black and illustrated by specially commissioned, exclusive manga―bringing her much-loved sense of humor to the forefront of the narrative and displaying her keen interest in exploring many mediums of creativity. 620 color and black-and-white illustrations

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Photography

256 pages, Hardcover

Published March 5, 2024

Reviews

[Tabish Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love great photographs of abandoned spaces and this book contains lots from around the world - from abandoned theme parks to power plants. Seen from the viewpoint of videogame creator Ikumi Nakamura it's a spectacular journey into the world of abandoned structures.

[Kayla Zabcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

god, I love abandoned places. they're so beautiful and sobering and haunting - every one I've ever visited lives in me still, like some sort of morgue for the memories of buildings. I hate when they're trashed, though, and I hope this book helps remind people that even if a place is abandoned, it deserves to be respected.

[Justin Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I initially flipped through this book, I felt kind of disappointed. The range of colors in the photography was very narrow — lots of concrete, some bits of green, but not much else. I set it on the shelf for awhile, but I'm very glad I picked it back up. Unlike many architecture books, Ikumi's writing is a huge highlight. It has a fun, informal tone that almost sounds like a friend writing you a letter. Her enthusiasm really brings the locations to life as she talks about her personal experience exploring these often dangerous modern ruins.

Her complete lack of fear is most striking in a photo where she's perched atop a narrow concrete tube that disappears into a black abyss beneath. She's a very fun person to get to know through her writing, and the various locations turned out to have more character than I initially gave them credit for.

Some of the pages do feel a bit cramped at times, and I found myself wishing some photos had been edited out to make room for larger layouts with some of the more striking images. But that's nitpicking and it's hard to complain about an overload of material.

Apparently this book was based on a blog and the author is a well-known video game developer. I haven't read the blog or played her games, but I really enjoyed this and definitely recommend it to anyone who has an interest in deteriorating architecture.

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This photo book was amazing. As someone who loves photos of abandoned places (and sometimes exploring them), this was awesome to get to see different places from around the world. Also, the commentary added by Nakamura was lovely, especially making connections being exploring and video games.

[Giulio Tedesco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ikumi Nakamura è una sviluppatrice videoludica con la passione dell’urbex e questo libro è una raccolta perlopiù fotografica di alcuni luoghi che ha visitato.

Personalmente mi è piaciuto, anche se non mi sarebbe dispiaciuto qualche dettaglio in più su alcuni luoghi.