first off, Barcelona, aside from the obvious Gaudi's, i came to visit Mies van Der Rohe's Barcelona Pavilion. It has that strong historical context, i really hoped to feel the space (and the materials) myself, but unfortunately when we were there, there was this architectural award ceremony so it was closed for public. although we could step close enough to the pool side, still it's not the same as being inside. and beside this in Barcelona, i passed through Norman Foster's Torre Agbar, and trust me it was like the most horrible thing extruded among the skyline.
Musee du Louvre. at first i didn't meant to put it on the list cause it's too cliché and touristy, but then it was here that i got to understand what those I. M. Pei's glass pyramids are doing there and how modern architecture intervenes successfully in the older historical context.
also in Paris i visited the Bibliothèque nationale de France (Bibliothèque François Mitterrand) by the famous French architect Dominique Perrault. well, a local told me that the pretty building facade doesn't work so well and does harm to books, but aside from this or other technical failure, i remember being like a happy kid when we arrived. architectural wise it was enjoyable, the way the space flows. being here kinda reminds me a bit of the times when i did my thesis in the Singapore National Library listening to Kings of Convenience. now if only i could have access to the book collections.
Berlin has too many interesting architectural sites but i only got to visit some. first was of course Daniel Libeskind's Jewish Museum. exterior wise, i have to say i hate it but being inside, for me it was one of the best example of how architecture can really evoke human emotions. it was created in such a way that it really guides you to certain feelings. photos can't do any justice, really.
then i got to visit another Mies van Der Rohe's, the iconic Neue Nationalgalerie. i spent quite some time here sitting and writing while amazed with the clear architectural form and the solid black steel. then i also went to the Bauhaus Archive. i got lost on my way here so it was somehow tiring and i wasn't so impressed with what's in there.
in Italy i visit Massimiliano Fuksas' FieraMilano in Rho, near Milan, for the Salone. the salone itself already had too many things to see and it's very crowded and frenetic there so i wasn't really paying attention to the pretty wide span structures. i planned to visit some of Renzo Piano's and Zaha Hadid's in Rome but some things came up so i failed my plan.
