Tucked within the tranquil urban greenery of Tokyo Midtown’s garden, 21_21 Design Sight is a living institution committed to creating a space to host design as museums host art. Conceived by some of Japan’s most influential creatives (fashion designer Issey Miyake and architect Tadao Ando), this visionary space was imagined to cultivate public interest in the world of everyday design across industries, leading in research and shaping perspectives on how we see the world around us. The dynamic program of exhibitions challenge convention and spark curiosity, inviting visitors to take a closer look at familiar things.

The striking concrete structure was designed by Ando, with a sleek sloping steel roof, and geometric windows that invite light into the subterranean gallery spaces, architecture in conversation with the landscape around it. The name, 21_21, is inspired by 20/20 vision, with its mission to get people to see even deeper beyond the ordinary. This design institution is less of a destination, more of a dialogue. A place to visit and revisit over time, to be taken on curated little trips of discovery through the eyes of its directors. It’s a sanctuary where everyday designs are valued, and design in every form is examined to provoke thought and reshape your vision, teaching how to see the world like a designer.