A Wandering Marsupial

This is the second site we visited on our architecture trip through Germany and the Netherlands. The title of this post pretty much is how the trip felt. DIS faculty constantly pushing us forward up through the architecual wonders of the region, some going by too quickily, having us peering over the railing, looking back in vain to fully comprehend their design mysteries. Others of course, could not go by fast enough, like a fart from somewhere ahead when you are stuck on some jampacked holiday hell escaltor in the mall. But I am pretty sure I never felt like that on this trip, except maybe the all-night busride home.

Anyway back to the details, this grand marvel (the longest escalator located in Hong Kong) is located in Essen Germany on an old coal mine. The site, Zeche (http://www.zollverein.de/index.php?f_categoryId=3&f_menu1=3&lang=en ) Zollverein is being turned in to a culture center by the great OMA (http://www.oma.eu/) with components designed by various other architects. The starchitect Rem Koolhaas is responsible for the escalator and these orange glowing stairs that are the movment core in what is to become coal factory turned contemporary art musem.

The original spaces of the factory are amazingly well suited for display art. They high cielings and large filmy factory windows create the perfect light. The textures of the factory rooms (I have probably 50 photos of this) are probably going to more interesting than much of the art displayed. Im not dissing contemporary art, its just these spaces have such strong character and history in them. I haven't yet tackled sorting through these texture pictures so you will just have to imagine them. Just combine coal with; rusted metal, bare concrete, glass, gears, you get the idea.

Our tour guide through this site was just as remarkable in himself. Classic designer, Black trench over black blazer over black turtleneck followed by black pants and boots, capped off with combed straight back neck length jet black hair and black top heay rimmed glasses. Part of me feels this dress is much to easy. He was pretty self centered and slightly dissed the design

sense of our intro tourguide. I hope i took a picture of this guy, its probably lost in textures for now. Well this guy took us through the red dot museum which is a design award for everything design. Upon entrance you are blown away by this huge cathedral like hall with three story tall coal machines flanking either side. Dead end and center is a bmw or something suspended like a crucifix with its doors hanging open for additional effect. He then gives us a quick tour, tells us this vacuum inspired the macbook and then smokes a cigarette as we head off for lunch.

This is a view from the top of the Factory. That white cube in the distance is our next destination, but right now Morten needs to use the internet and im gonna take a walk to the castle on this brisk autumn day.