Its Beginning to FEEL A Lot Like... [XMAS IN FLORENCE]

Not sure if I've been hit with the Christmas spirit (not that I am ever that much of a Scruge) or if nostalgia has combined with the slow and steady home sickness that has been setting in, but I've decided to write about the holidays.

Being in Florence is quite an experience. Being in Florence as the Florentines prepare for Christmas is a whole other thing. It seems as though there is an influx in children in the city, and every single one of them has a winter jacket cuter than the next! All the stores are packed, the toys stores especially. I caught myself this evening, nose pressed up against the glass,

gawking at the Star Wars legos, along with three or four other little Italian boys. Our breath fogging up the glass, standing there in silence...and excitement.

Living here, and my route from home to school taking me right past the Duomo a few times a day, has allowed me to watch them erect and prepare the massive evergreen that now stands in the piazza between the Baptistry and the Cathedral. Its covered in lights and red fleur-de-lis. Its amazing to watch the medieval city transform in respect to the decorations and holiday energy they generate, even on its greyest and chilliest of days. Most amazing are the lights that hang between all of the main streets. With the sun setting by 5 PM now, they are a welcome addition. They give new life to these old buildings and new appreciation to the American student who has sadly, but naturally, began to take the little things of Florence for granted. I catch myself wandering through the streets with my eyes skyward, following the illuminated strings zig zag back and forth across the small sliver of night sky that tight city allows in.

Although I am slightly sad to be missing Christmas in Florence, I am much more excited to get home to my own Christmas traditions, my family, my friends, and the snow! Happy Holidays everyone! See you in just twelve days!!

Please Watch! [The Third and The Seventh]

Please, please, PLEASE! click on this link, full size the video, and watch the entire thing.

http://www.thirdseventh.com/index.php?/4thdimension/film/

If you have any adoration for the medias of film and/or architecture, you will appreciate this. Me be extremely interested in both, I was blown away. Alex Roman has combined the inspirational masterworks of architects like Louis Kahn, Mies Van der Rohe, Frank Gehry, and Santiago Calatrava with some of the best footage capturing the true 'spirit' of the architecture and CGI enhancement. The result is tremendous and astounding. Its such a perfect combination of reality and the dream world that I can't help but think of Christopher Nolan's Inception...and hit the play button again. Enjoy.

Freetown [CHRISTIANIA, COPENHAGEN]

Just a brief history and my interpretations on a small but impacting social anomaly...

Christiania is a small section of Copenhagen, Denmark, once occupied by the Danish military. When the military was relocated in 1967, the area of land was abandoned. Slowly but surely more and more homeless squatters moved into the vacant spaces and gutted buildings. By the year 1971 there were about 800 inhabitants in Christiania and enough of a push for a social and cultural change that the area became a self-proclaimed autonomous neighborhood or a comune of sorts. Officially speaking, Christiania or Freetown as many inhabitants call it, is a large social commune with in the capital of Denmark, that is governed by its own special Christiania law of 1989 and merely supervised by the Copenhagen Municipality. To enter Freetown you pass through a set of make shift gates, which read 'You are now entering the EU' [European Union] as you exit them back into the streets of Copenhagen. There are no pictures allowed to be taken with in the commune and this is mostly due to the Cannabis trafficking, which was considered legal in Christiania up until 2004, when the conservative party was elected into office in Copenhagen and a push or the regulation and conformation of the whole of Copenhagen.

Although there are still ongoing negations on its 're-legalization', marijuana is still very much for sale in the streets of Freetown. The unfortunate thing is, what the inhabitants of Christiania consider, the 'invasion' of the Copenhagen Police has caused the trafficking of pot to leave the safe and ordered confines of the commune and into the streets and hands of illegal immigrants and criminals. Which, as the natural progression of these sort of things go, has caused an increase in violent and gang related crimes in Copenhagen.

With out getting too liberal or hippy-dippy [commonly used phrase or just a Heidi Staib phrase??], its interesting to look at Christiania and the social impacts it implies. For instance, how allowing a legitimate family business of cannabis sales inside a safe and self governed commune can prevent crime and violence elsewhere. Just some food for thought....

Most North [COPENHAGEN]

I knew it was going to happen the moment I stepped foot on that dock in the Baltic Sea and saw the twenty foot platform. But I hesitated...it's cold...it's real cold!...and we're in the middle of our field trip.......But, there's just something about stripping down to your skivvies, feeling the adrenalin building up inside you, taking a deep breath of the cold Copenhagen air, running to the edge and.....

Most northern point of the world that I have been to in my life.

Copenhagen, Denmark.

October. 41 degrees. You only live once. DIVE IN.

Experiencing Architecture [FALLEN LEAVES]

Say what you want about Daniel Libeskind's Jewish Museum in Berlin and its ridiculous undulating zig zags and complete ignorance for its urban context. It is Daniel Libeskind theories on EXPERIENCE that I, and this post, are interested in. I tend to agree with Libeskind when he says, "What is important is the experience you get from it. The interpretation is open." ['it' being the architecture]. Many don't think about how architecture and built spaces can affect you being there, your feelings at that time, and the collective memory you take away with you. That is, until you are hit with a truly experiential space. Libeskind manages to do this not only once, but numerous time through out his Jewish Museum in Berlin. Easily, the most memorable of these experiential spaces was with in one of Daniel's "Memory Voids" which was occupied by a truly experiential art exhibit, Menashe Kadishman's "Fallen Leaves"...

=Birra alla Blog [LONDON PRIDE]=

A weekend trip to Rome with my good friend and former roommate, Corey [who's visiting from the States] and my two other Italian counterparts, Logan and Geo, brought me to this post's 'Birra all Blog'. Fuller's London Pride is a dark red 'bitter' that we found on tap in Rome of all places, and at the suggestion of the waitress we gave it a try. I thoroughly enjoyed this beer and would consider comparing it the more commonly known dark 'bitter', Killian's Red. Even if you look past the numerous awards London Pride has won worldwide... you can't look past the words of known beer crit and writer, Stephen Cox, who said, "A pint of London Pride gives the sensation of angels dancing on the tongue." Stephen, I'm not sure about any ethereal dance parties, but a delicious beer none the less! Try a pint!

Found a New Home [BERLIN]

I know I say it often, much to my mother and my Bubba's dismay, but I could definitely see myself living here in Europe, even if it be only for a few years. For a while, I believed I would find this new home somewhere in Italy. But after a semester and a half living in Florence, as great of a place as it is to study architecture, I don't believe I could set up shop here [most likely because of all the tourist and mosquitos].

Last week, I found that new European home I was looking for! I found it in the layered city of Berlin, Germany. Ah, just saying it makes me smile. Beautiful women, delicious food, real beer, terrific architecture, and a general feeling of acceptance all around! They all exist in Berlin and will all exist in this post.

There is no denying the fact that Italy produces some of the most gorgeous women known to the world.

Enough said.....

But there is, and any sensible male will agree, a big difference between 'sexy' beautiful and 'beautiful' beautiful. In other words, there is 'long legs, 24inch waist, C cup' beautiful and then theres is 'intense blue eyes, long blonde hair, and perfect lips' beautiful...there is 'German' beautiful. I'm not sure if I'm explaining myself properly, so you'll probably just have to go to Berlin to check out what I'm talking about for yourself. Here's a pic of me getting caught appreciating some 'German beauty'...

Just when I started feeling homesick at the thought of missing out on my favorite season and the hoodied footballs games, drunken bonfires, and smell of changing leaves that come with it, we landed in Germany just in time for the exact seasonal weather I was missing. Slightly threatening clouds, a light breeze, and the countryside outside of Hamburg pushed those feelings of missing out away. At that moment, I could have closed my eyes, breathed deep through my nose, and been in Johnstown preparing the fire ring for a meeting of friends or in Kent walking to the football game on a Saturday morning. I knew what was needed to complete this autumn sensation...some meat and potatoes! A meal typology not fully appreciated by the Italians, at least not like us carnivorous Anglo-Saxens. And my anglo-saxen, meat and potato needs were met again and again by the fine German cuisine we encountered. This baked potato was dressed up like a swan!

=Bier des Blog=

Technically, there should probably about thirty of these in this Berlin post, but for the sake of time and parental concern will keep it to just my favorite beer, or bier in German. The Krombacher Pils is statistically the most consumed beer in Germany and it is fantastic! While just about every beer I tried in Berlin was great, this one really stood out. Its no wander the brewery's moto is "Eine Perle der Natur"..."A Pearl of Nature"!

This being our first school trip, there was obviously a reason our teacher, Giovanni Damiani, chose Berlin for us to travel to. The reason became very apparent as we spent all five days sprinting from architectural masterwork to masterwork. Even if you're not a architectural history buff you can at least marvel at the sheer beauty or the incredible amount of thought that went into so many of these buildings. Mies Van De Roes' Neue National Galerie, Le Corbusier's Unite d'Habitation in Berlin, The Bauhaus - Berlin project, and Lebiskind's Jewish Museum, just to name a few. Berlin is unlike any other city, in the way that it has been built up in layers. The city has been destroyed and built over again and again, creating an amazing and intriguing, sedimentary labyrinth. Your average tourist might walk through the city and be memorized by the huge glass skyscrapers lining Potsdamer Platz or Peter Eisenman's Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe [rightfully so, both beautiful examples of Berlin art/architecture]. But a historian, architect, or architectural theorist can have a hay-day just considering these multi-facitted layers and how they pop up through out different parts of the city.

You can understand when a city goes through three major regime changes, a massive growth, total destruction after World War II, the occupation and reconstruction of the four different allied victors of WWII, the great socialist divide of East and West Berlin, the end of the Cold War and the destruction of the Berlin Wall, and then some how filling in the gaps left behind, how Berlin can 1.) be a melting pot of experimentation in modern and contemporary architecture. 2.) interesting as a 'layered city'. And 3.) a city not one hundred percent sure of its identity yet [at least in my opinion].

Which leads me to my final reason for love of this city. And that is, where many find a "lack of identity" as a flaw, I see it as an 'open-mindedness'. An acceptance to a growing identity, if you will. Whether it's because of the centralized location of Berlin to the rest of Europe, or it really is because of so many layers with in the city [both for good and very bad reasons], the general feeling of Berlin and its people is acceptance. Although I was obviously an English speaking tourist, I still received courtesy and respect at multiple levels and on numerous occasions even smiles. Walking down the average commercialized street we saw Cuban, Chinese, Italian, Greek, Turkish....even a Burger King! They embrace the international market. But even better they embrace each other, at least the younger generations of Berliners do.

We had the remarkable experience to spend sometime with Logan, his German cousins & company, who live in Berlin and the surrounding region. Through talking with them and with Logan about his numerous visits with them, it was apparent that these kids, excuse the terminology...but let's face it...we're still kids =) , are accepting. Accepting of each other and each other's styles. Accepting of us and our curious outlooks on Berlin. Accepting of the new art and architecture that is moving its way into this amazing city.

So, years from now, if you haven't heard from me in a while and wondering where I am...chances are, it will be Berlin...or at least dreaming of living there...

Please, PLEASE!, go on facebook and check out all the picture I posted and/or was tagged in. There are so many great ones! Corey Anderson arrives tomorrow! ...I'm not sure Florence is ready....

=Birra alla Blog [LUCIFER]=

Wooo! Its back! I figure I'll just post these separately as needed, unless they have to do with the trip/experience/subject of post. This one kinda just snuck up on me, but once Geo and I saw the name on tap, we couldn't pass it up....much like the previously mentioned tilt-whirl-of-death in Bologna!

Lucifer, despite its name, is not quite as demonic as it might suggest. But none the less an excellent beer, especially to wash down some spicy enchalattas in a small Spanish trattoria. The Belgian Golden Ale has a slightly spicy bite and won the Gold Metal at the 2004 World Beer Cup! A panel of beer drinking judges, Geo, and I can't all be wrong! Give it a taste!

The Perks of Grad School ... in Italia

So, was the past four years of my education in Architecture school a test in progression or more of a mental break down / torturous physical conditioning, like that of military bootcamp? Lord, and JP Skelley, know that I would never even try to compare the two, my undergraduate career and a marine's first brutal steps to becoming a soldier, that is. Nor can I complain that much about my time as an undergraduate. Both Lord and JP Skelley know also, that I had one hell of an amazing time studying, living, learning...partying in Kent State. But did I really have to deal with all of those horrific professors, waste-of-my-time and money classes, and in general...bullshit, to get to this level of education? If that be the case, then I am happy to have dealt with said bullshit if this, a true graduate level education is the reward. In Florence, Italy no less.

Please, TAKE these statements as gloating, because that is exactly what I AM doing. I am sorry, but I have never been happier with what I am learning, who I am learning it from, how I am learning it, and the intense amount of mutual respect that is given to and from myself, my peers, my professors, and the faculty here at KSU-Florence. We are all learning from each other. It's true! This set up does seem very communistic. But it is easy for it to be this way when it is only myself, eight other architectural grads, and a genius professor [who specializes in exactly what he/she is teaching...and not simply thrown into the lecture hall like a maladjusted substitute]. Every Monday, it is the 10 of us sitting around a conference table debating about Aldo Rossi's historical theories or the evolving public realm in Venice during the 1400's, or any other architecture strain worth discussing...and I love it!

It brings out my competitive side, that which only a few, like those who sat across the fake multi-colored dollar bills and the board of Monopoly, may have seen. But most of all it makes me, for the first time in a while, truly excited to pursue what I am learning.

So that being said, I have composed a short list of things that make grad school, especially in Italia, amazing...and if you are an undergrad questioning if there is a light at the end of the bullshit tunnel...there is.

1.)RESPECT. There is so much here. We respect our professors and their seemingly infinite knowledge. We respect the school and all of the great amenities that lie within. We respect each other, and the fact that not one us knows all, but we all know that we've all made it this far and deserve to be here.

2.)RESPECT. In return, the professors rain down their seemingly limitless knowledge upon us, and have enough respect in us to listen to all of our opinions when we may disagree. The school offers so many great things that I will go over next, some more fun than others. And lastly, in return for the respect of each other, we gain great experiences and great friendships.

3.)FREE PRINTING AND PLOTTING. I know, 'whoopty shit!' says the common man. But I know, that every other architecture or design student out there is drooling!

4.)A PIANO. It seems trivial, but I know for me and at least two other grad students having our very own full-sized piano in our studio, not only gives us a little taste of home, but allows us to explore other forms of creative release.

5.)HOME THEATER. I shit you not! The school has allowed us the use of laptops, a projector, and a surround sound system. Needless to say the boys and I have been enjoying numerous episodes of 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' on the big screen. All we need now is a popcorn machine!

6.)WERE IN ITALY! DUHH!!!

Which brings me directly to my last point,

7.)OUR 'EUROPEAN CITIES' CLASS. Much like my 'Reading Cities' class of my last semester abroad, I have another 5 credits of my class load totally devoted to the travel, exploration, and analytical documentation of foreign cities. Only, this time, we travel to BERLIN, COPENHAGEN, ROTTERDAM, and AMSTERDAM and we stay in each for a week! This class alone will make my time here worth while. So...I am off to Berlin tomorrow! Expect posts from this trip very soon!

I apologize for gloating again. Think of this post more of a check up on my thoughts and feeling on grad school in Italy, not sure if any of you were wandering...but know that I am happy. =)

Berlin, here I come!

The Steps of Santa Croce

Uno. Due. Tre!

With every jump

The four year old yells

as he stomps the next lower step.

The steps of Santa Croce.

Uno. Due. Tre!

Mom is ready to leave.

But he is not.

Uno. Due. Tre!

I sip my beer,

lean back on the white marble steps

and take another upside down look

at the cathedral.

Uno. Due. Tre!

Mom is ready to leave.

But he is not.

"Ok! Buona notte!"

she yells as she starts to walk away.

The old, "Ok! I'm leaving! I guess you're staying here!"

"Non! Non! Non! Andiamo Mamma!"

I smile and take another sip of beer.

Uno. Due. Tre!

-The Steps of Santa Croce [31.08.10]