its been a while since we have all posted. a lot has changed, occurred, and stayed the same here in bcn. we are all desperately working towards some sort of presentable final studio project. the other classes are weighting our efforts down as usual, but this is nothing new to the student of architecture. all of the spring breaks were a success as far as i can tell. i could spend days talking about my experience in london, edinburgh, and dublin, but i believe i'll speak about my hands.

my hands are too clean. they have seen no work for some time and its beginning to bother me. my hands are missing the woods. my hands are missing the joy of physical labor and the satisfaction gained from it. my hands have not felt dirt for too long. they are longing for a few cuts, a few bruises, and a few more scars. they miss being alone without seeing a single person. they miss home is what they miss.

i have been in barcelona for three months. at first, it was a great experience and all of the sites filled my soul. the people did not. it has been a rather pleasant stay in the big city, but a man begins to learn what it is he wants in life and where he belongs. as much as i like barcelona, i could not reside in such a busy place. i mean, damn, i cannot do anything without seeing a person. i cannot walk in the woods (untouched forest, not parc guell). i cannot have my woodshop here. i cannot sit outdoors without the site of a woman urinating or a million pigeons pooping everywhere.

i have been listening to some eddie vedder (thanks clay) and his lyrics are pretty close to how i feel. in his soundtrack to the movie "into the wild", there are many powerful songs. i knew the rules but the rules did not know me. society, you're a crazy breed. i hope you're not lonely without me. you think you have to want more than you need, until you have it all you won't be free. when you think more than you need, your thoughts begin to bleed. i think i need a bigger place.

don't get me wrong, i respect the city for all it encompasses. it is a phenomena of collaborative efforts between huge amounts of people, planners, landscape architects, engineers, and architects. it works without too many flaws, it gives the people what they need, it brings life to a place. however, it is not home to the simple man who needs the natural world to survive.

a man goes through life searching for the right answers. he wonders many place, meets many people, and risks it all for just one piece of the puzzle. one day, he will stumble upon the key to the door. the door of pure nirvana and happiness. the door will lead him to a place of complete harmony between man and surroundings. this place is his refuge, his birthplace, his home, his life.

my hands are too clean. i don't want to live where i don't belong.

This blog should have been written from Granada

I don't usually use this space to complain but i just want to say that clickair sucks and their customer service hung up on me. Also, they nearly crash with every takeoff.

Anyway, there is too much from independent travel to even think about. I went to Basel, Berlin, and Prague and they were all excellent. I suppose I could point out one of my favorite buildings. It is definitely my favorite museum of the trip, the Beyeler Foundation right outside of Basel. It is such a simple building but it works, just four long rectangular bays with high ceilings. No need for crazy random shapes which become wastes of space such as in Gehry's vitra museum. The Beyeler museum is more about the detailing. I love the way that the interior floor is flush with the pond outside. You can stand at the window and look at all the connections....or turn around and look at the art but who would want to do that. There are a lot of neat sunscreens as well.

Thank you Renzo

DUBLIN

Irish people are some of the nicest people on God's green earth. It is one of the few places in Europe I've been (the only place) where they actually like americans....wierd. You might think Dublin is lacking in the realm of architecture but you would be wrong. The Guiness museum is an incredible building designed in the style of the Chicago School of Architecture, but that's not all...Dublin is also home to one of Calatrava's famous bridges.

BERLIN

Honestly...kinda dreary. it rained the whole time we were there. So i guess i'll talk about the buildings. Sony center was incredible! The Jewish Museum was also interesting but the exterior kinda fell flat for me. It looks much better in pictures than it does in person. Berlin is full of amazing history, architecture and bratwurst (or bockwurst).

MILAN

We only spent a day and a half in Milan. It was more than enough. The Duomo is amazing and so is the surrounding shopping area but honestly....that's all there is to see. Also...Diablo hotel, probably not the best idea i've ever had in my life. The New Trade Fair building is not only difficult to find but CLOSED. It is still under construction to we could only see it from outside the fence. We arrived only a week before it opened. shucks!

PARIS

That's right....four cities....boom....roasted. Needless to say, Paris is pretty cool. We spend 3 full days there and saw EVERYTHING! we didn't stop moving the entire time. I think Paris might be my favorite city so far. Le Corbusier's Apartment building (although not easy to find) is worth seeing if you are in Paris, he's kind of a big deal. There is also this think called the Eiffel Tower, highly recommend it. 

     So...to sum it all up, im exhausted!