Neues Museum

One of the highlights of our trip to Berlin was visiting the Neues Museum, which reopened five years ago following its renovation by David Chipperfield Architects. The museum had suffered substantial bomb damage during the war and had sat untouched until the 80s. The architectural intervention is possibly the most beautiful and well done I have seen, the way the old meets new has been sensitively and cleverly done and the detailing is incredible. I only hope my photos do it justice. I think we're really lucky in the UK that our museums are free for all to enter, but the entrance fee to see the building and fascinating Pre and Early-History exhibits, including the sculpture of Nefertiti, is well worth it. A must visit if you're in Berlin.

Brrrr in Berlin

It had been six years since my last trip to Berlin, and this one was to celebrate a few milestones: Dan's big 3-0, his becoming an architect, and us putting up with each other for the past 3 years! We arrived on a Thursday lunchtime to the realisation that minus temperatures had also just turned up too. Never to be put off by bitter winds we started a jam packed weekend of tourism: warming up with Gluhwein at the Christmas markets in Gendarmenmarkt and Charlottenburg Schloss, brunch in the rotating restaurant of the Fernsehturm, winding our way up the Reichstag dome, visiting the Checkpoint Charlie museum, exploring the tombs of the Holocaust Memorial, checking out the stall at the Mauerpark flea market, walking along the wall and seeing the great architecture and exhibits of the Neues Museum. It's incredible to believe that the history of this city is still so young and from what we hear it's an ambitious city where people think you can do anything.

Curiosity at Kew

Autumn had just arrived when we ventured along to Kew Gardens in September, which feels a world away now that the temperature has dropped on November's arrival. It's a beautiful spot on the outskirts of the city, and with gardens so vast that even if it is busy you might not see anyone for a while. The smell inside the Palm House reminded me of when my grandparent's used to take us to Wisley when we were little; some happy nostalgia. We even made it up into the tree tops, and as one who has mild vertigo it was well worth the trip into the sky to see the views all around, even if the walk ways swayed in the wind…! A great end to a fun weekend with the gals!

Morris' House

William Morris appears to be the theme for our outings of recent. On Good Friday we headed as a family down to Standen, an Arts and Crafts house near East Grinstead, designed by Philip Webb, a friend of Morris. The interiors are a wealth of fabrics and wallpapers by Morris & Co. and had a real warmth and a feeling of being lived in. I’m starting to get an idea of what my favourites are, and seeing materials that have so many memories for me, such as Nanna’s sofas.; I didn’t realise they were a Morris creation. The architectural design of the house seemed to me like a collection of parts, and perhaps one day I can emulated the greenhouse and seating alcove in designs of my own.

Sensing Spaces

Sometimes you just need to be inspired or reminded about the reason you are doing what you chose to do. Last weekend Helen and I visited the Sensing Spaces exhibition at the Royal Academy, a collection of architect design installations. Having been given one brief, each exhibit was so different from the next, clearly indicating the architects' distinctive influences and inspirations be that culture, Japanese woods and smells, or social collectiveness, through participatory hands on building. Hearing the architects speak about their work was motivating, to see that they are able to design according to their beliefs. All the more, the exhibition was exciting and interactive; it was great seeing kids of all ages running around and getting exposed to architecture and art.