31 December 2005

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

After an exhilarating architectural journey in the beautiful Spanish city of Barcelona, I head north to UK for a relaxing New Year with a few familiar faces. After spending a few days with my brother I headed to London to meet Amrita, Avani, Pragya, Chintan and Nayan. It was a great week in London and Nayan was an amazing host.

Unlike all my previous trips to this great city this time around I took it really slow and easy; not wanting to kill myself trying to see everything I had not seen here. I think I've finally figured it out London like Mumbai is one of those cities that you never finish seeing. After staying all most Seven years in Mumbai I can say that there are parts of Mumbai I have never seen and probably never will but that okay, I guess there in lies the charm of the place - there always is more to see.




The New Year celebrations itself I thought was a bit disappointing, the great fireworks show didn't quiet live up to its name. However, It was nice to meet Kausha and Shyam.

Hopefully under the pretext of Gaurav going there in a couple of weeks I'll be able to make another trip to London.

And heres a few snaps of all the people.





Thanks people - once again ! Can't wait to be back

28 December 2005

Roger's London Master Piece

As far as I'm concerned this building deserves a heritage status. The Lloyd's Bank HQ s by one of the architect of an even more legendary building in Paris (Center Pompidou).

Check out Richard Roger's website for what he has to say about the Lloyd's of London.

27 December 2005

I just love this snap. In fact I love night snaps and if they have streaming car lights all the better.


This was clicked on the Waterloo Bridge looking towards the South bank and the National Theatre.


Snowwwwwww....

Technically speaking I have seen snow before, while trekking in the Himalayas and from my studio in Rotterdam. But neither of those were snow like this with such huge snow flakes and neither of them created such beautiful white landscapes. So finally on the 27th of December 2005, I saw and felt snow as it should be.




And all I can say now is "Wow!!! there really is soo much beauty".

26 December 2005

This ordinary looking building is the Willis Faber and Dumas Headquarters designed by Sir Norman Foster and was designed in 1971-75.

But you have to check the official website of the architects to see the most interesting parts of this building, which is an amazing roof garden. http://www.fosterandpartners.com

24 December 2005

Blogging - Barcelona, Spain.

Just got back from a few days in the amazing Spanish city of Barcelona. I'll start off with a few photos from the old Quarter of the city.


The above photo is from near the main Cathedral.


Some Random shots of old Quarters.


The city was very high on the Christmas Spirit

More Images from Barcelona - 01 02 03 04 05

23 December 2005

Gaudi's Barcelona

I couldn't think of anyone but Shivani (the biggest fan of Architect Antonio Gaudi's work that I know) when I saw these buildings.Personally I was never a fan of his work, or should I say at least not till I saw the real thing.





Check out this website to know more about his work - http://www.gaudi2002.bcn.es/english/

More Images from Barcelona - 01 03 04 05 06

22 December 2005

And FINALLY!!! I got to see the real thing.

The beautiful German Pavilion by legendary Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe.

And here's a few snaps of the Museum of Contemporary Art

Designed by Mr. White - Richard Meier (check out rest of his White work @ http://www.richardmeier.com/).


And these are from the Barcelona Olympic Village.

This is the telecommunication tower by famous Spanish Architect Santiago Calatrava.


The swimming stadium by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki.

More Images from Barcelona - 01 02 04 05 06

21 December 2005

Herzog & de Meuron in Barcelona

I have to say that this building is not as good as it looks in snaps. There is something seriously wrong with its scale. In fact with the scale of everything about this building - the volume, the spaces and above all the textures.




However, I have to say I am happy that I got to see by first building designed by this duo in person. Strangely it seems that these very famous architects still don't have an official website.


More Images from Barcelona - 01 02 03 05 06

20 December 2005

Here's some snaps of Jean Nouvel's new Monster that sits on one of the most strategic locations in the grid of Barcelona.

The snap on the extreme left was taken from Antonio Gaudi's Placa de la Sagrada Familia.


But one of the highlights of the trip has to be watching FC Barcelona play against Celta at their home stadium.

The highly acclaimed home side had a cracking 2-0 victory over their Spanish league competitors.

More Images from Barcelona - 01 02 03 04 06

14 December 2005

Book Launch at the Berlage

Last evening Winy Maas from MVRDV launched his latest book titled 'KM3 - Excursions on Capacities'.

A very sceptic Alejandro Zaera Polo (Pricipal Architect of FOA and Dean of the Berlage) questions Winy.


And as expected Winy being the show man he is made an ordinary Book Launch into a night to remember.

The lounge downstairs turned into an amazing dance floor.


12 December 2005

10 December 2005

@ the Hook

Plotting for world domination ...

Image Courtesy : Adolfo Des
We* went to the see the beach today at the Hook of Holland (or Hoek Van Holland as they call it here). Was a great day with a nice blue sky and lots of people out. Below is the famous long pier that extends into the sea where the Maas river joins the North Sea. (Check out of the interesting signboards on the pier).

*- Adolfo, Elena and I
The Rotterdam port building at the Hook of Holland....
Somebody told me that this is the end of the Netherlands I'm not soo sure of that (but atleast it is the end of the Maas River).
An image of the Old Harbour at Hoek Van Holland

Misty Rotterdam

The Church behind my school in the mist last night

03 December 2005

Sand beasts and more

I went to the outskirts of the Hague today to see some very interesting work by artist Theo Jansen. He makes these amazing walking installations that he believes will one day roam around freely on the beaches of the Netherlands. Check out some very interesting images and videos of his work on his website - http://www.strandbeest.com/

Magic - somewhere below the Hague

I've always wondered - what is it about Rem Koolhaas and OMA that architects like soo much?
Though there are many replies to this question I shall state one of them here. It's about the spaces they create, what is the word I'm looking for - MAGICAL - that's it simply that.


How else would one explain what should have been just anotherwise boring tram station looks like this?


As in a lot of there other projects the multiple levels of the project seamlessly flows into one another creating an amazing sense of unity even in the Vertical Axis.


With just two simple materials (Concrete and Wood) this project does Magic.

Check http://www.oma.nl/ for more of there work.


Grave Architecture

This is the Netherlands' Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport at the Hague.

This huge complex of buildings has been designed by famous New York based Architect Michael Graves.

Read more about this project on his website @ http://www.michaelgraves.com/project_type.asp?tID=44&id=62


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