Busy, Busy, Busy (just like Frosty says it)

These past two weeks have been busy ones!  Monday we had our first crit for studio, so last week was a rush to get our designs to a point then crank out drawings and all that jazz.  I was in the studio for almost ten hours on Monday for our nine hour crit... While it was exhausting, I was surprisingly engaged.  It was nice to see what the rest of the class had created and how each person's approach to relatively the same thing can be so different.  My crit went really well and I feel good about what I need to do next.  (We have been working on residential buildings around Checkpoint Charlie- see previous post for site pictures "Wie geht es dir?")

On Tuesday we had a field trip to one of Berlin's crematoriums.  This one is only about ten years old and functions also as a space for funerals and mourning ceremonies.

Crematorium by Axel Schultes and Charlotte Frank built at the end of the 90s.  Charlotte Frank met us there to show us around and speak with us.  It was really great to be able to hear about the building from the architect herself!

Chelsea and Shawn in the background.  This shows a bit of the monumentality of the building.

The main hall is filled with randomly spaced columns (although they are on a grid) that allow to larger and smaller gathering spaces in the hall so each person can mourn in a way that suits themselves.

The columns are attached to the ceiling by a small part in the lateral direction, as opposed to the ceiling just sitting on top of them.  This allows for southern light to come into the space.  It is also a good reminder that we don't have to do things a certain way just because that is how they have always been done.  The crematorium as a typology speaks to this, as well.  Why would we as architects want to leave this sort of space to be poorly designed by someone else when we can challenge the status quo and create something truly special?

I really enjoyed experiencing this building.  The spaces created by it are epic to say the least and do a wonderful job of creating a useable space with a positive response from the community given the connotations that surround this typology.

All the grave sites around the crematorium were so lushly decorated!  They were covered in ever green, dried fruits, colorful flowers, and even some pine cones and mushrooms!

On our way back from the field trip we all sat around this rather creepy looking suitcase.  A few minutes later one of us noticed that there was a "no suitcases" sticker (I'm guess it meant don't leave things unattended) right behind the suitcase! haha

Today were our two midterms and I am pleased to say that they are over and done with!  We really had no idea what to expect which led to some tension, but all in all I'm feeling pretty good.  German was ridiculously easy and only took about 12 minutes and history was not as bad as it could have been, I guess, but there really is no telling... we'll see how dear Jan grades. haha  But, the good, no awesomely exciting, news is that I am now free for 2 and a half weeks!  My next challenge is finding at least one pair of shoes to escort me on the coming two weeks of travel! Ah!  I'll let you know how it goes! :)