We went out for a bit and found the 5th bar over on rue de Mouffetard at the suggestion of a friend (Bill if you are reading this) and gave the bartender a white sox baseball hat. He gave us free shots and a beer. Then we got panini's from a little shop and made our way back home. I have some pictures of the surrounding area of our apartment.
Those of you that have emailed me to wish me a safe journey...THANK YOU! If any of you wish to send care packages, mixed-tape C.D.'s or just a note saying 'Hi!' let me know and I will get you the proper mailing address where such things will reach me.
Tomorrow is the first day of studio, and I am almost certain we will be doing something along the lines of city research, planning and design.
THURSDAY:
First day of class. woke up at 7am and went for walk around. Saw Pompidou, Notre Dame, and had Croq Msr. for lunch at one of thousands of brasserie. We kept seeing people walking around with cut wood in various dimensions. Dont knoow if it was "National Walk With Wood Day" or that's just what people do. I am going to start documenting all of the dog shit I see. Maybe the Parisiens will be embarresed and start picking it up. Some lady was on the metro train playing the accodian, it was a cool ambiance, but I didnt give her any change when she walked around with her cup.
SATURDAY:
Well it's Saturday morning. Slept in a bit today, got up at 7am instead of 6. Starting to get a feel for things finally. Gotten over my fear of trying to converse with all 7 of the French words I can use skillfully. Three new things: 1. If you've never heard the sound of pigeons walking on a tin roof...you should, it's kind of funny. 2. Last night I went back to studioto print out some book pages scan relevent to our weekend charrette (More on that latter), as I was returning I hear some yelling "QUATRE!" and hear a tink-tink-tink, looking up just in time to see a golf ball go bouncing past me. Three guys with pitching wedges and each with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot. Apparently they were practicing their chip shots on their blocked-off street which was being repaired and nothing but sand. 3. I love the street sweepers brooms. They are made of green platci bristles that are molded to look like hay.
So, yesterday we went down to the Les Halles area and went to the old market site, which is now an underground mall and above ground park for tourists and the homeless. Apparently last year four firms presented designs for possible redevelopment and Rem Koolhaas was the winner and some say it was strictly political. Prof Roesch dislikes, and we all agree I think, the proposal, and thinks something better can be done. So over the weekend he wants us to spend time in the neighborhood, critic the four proposals and each of us come up with a new design for better use of the site. AND WE'RE OFF!
View from Kitchen
5 Comments
its the anniversery of the liberation of paree!
ahhh, paris - love it!!!
but one question. i thought David Mangin (french firm) won the Les halles comp not OMA, and with a pretty boring scheme?
OMA's quirky pyramids would have been very cool.
You might be right...all of in studio were wrong about Rem inning because our Prof.said he did. I will have to report back on who the winner was tomorrow after going to studio.
yeh i remember there was some small stink over it cuz they were playing politics when chosing seura/mangin. can still see it in the news all over the internet, including here for example.
paris is sounding like a fun trip. lucky man.
Chemetov (the architect who designed the existent les halles and jury member) said that all other competition schemes (oma, mvrdv and nouvel) are some sor of distructionist proposals, the only one that did not were the french team who won...
Conclusions to be drawn...
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