I love the architecture of the Barbican - it is so important to its historical context, at a time when London was being shaped for modernity after the war - they also aspired to make it a bold art centre. We need bold, always. 

The Garden Museum and the Garden Museum Cafe are a welcome addition to an area of London that is slow to change. The food at the cafe is modern and seasonal, and the space is beautiful and looks out into a small garden by Dan Pearson. Christopher Woodward, the museum director, is active in improving and campaigning for local green spaces and creating space for the local community. The Museum lives inside an old 18th-century church and has a changing program of exhibits. Worth noting, it is a museum on the subject of gardening, not of gardens, so don’t expect many flower beds. Throughout the summer holidays, the Museum has lots of great events for kids, including cooking and drawing. Luke and I also designed the identity for the museum… the tote bags and visitor badges are particularly nice.

Great selection of books and magazine with a big focus on rare. out-of-print books Japanese photography. Can sends hours in this little shop. I'd try to avoid on Market day (Saturday) if you want to have a good look as it can get a bit busy for such a small space.

This beautiful 19thC industrial building is situated in Markfield Park just around the corner from my studio. Once a sewage treatment works serving the whole of Tottenham and now a museum. The fully restored Victorian pump engine is only open to the public on the second Sunday of every month but the outside of the building and surrounding park is a worth a visit regardless.

Key community arts centre, near to Shoreditch High St station. The cinema is handy and the music programming is solid, but they also host a variety of other interesting nights, most notably Jawdance, London’s (arguably) best spoken word night