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Traveling from Dubai to Munich/Vienna/Bratislava/Prague-ish area . . . suggestions?

Hey guys,

I just finished my first year teaching architecture at American University of Sharjah (near Dubai). After 7 years in private practice, I'm enjoying my first extended vacation since . . . well, ever.

Right after classes finished in June, I traveled to Yemen with some colleagues (links to photos below if you are interested).

Now I'm planning on heading to Europe--mostly to get the hell out of the obscene heat. I'm flying into Munich, and I'm planning on renting a car and checking out Prague, Vienna, Bratislava and maybe Ljubljana, Slovenia (a friend lives there).

Any suggestions for some great modern buildings in the area to check out? The last time I was anywhere close, I saw the Zumthor spa in Vals and the Kunsthaus in Bregenz . . . so it'll be hard to live up to that experience.

Cheers . . . and thanks for any input!


http://ausharjah.facebook.com/album.php?aid=5667&l=eb86a&id=596225777
http://ausharjah.facebook.com/album.php?aid=5562&l=3c417&id=596225777
http://ausharjah.facebook.com/album.php?aid=5568&l=b34cb&id=596225777
http://ausharjah.facebook.com/album.php?aid=5572&l=6000f&id=596225777
http://ausharjah.facebook.com/album.php?aid=5578&l=1b8a0&id=596225777

 
Jul 3, 07 8:13 am
KEG

Hi ByJoveByJingle, welcome to archinect...

I see by your profile that you worked for both Hagy and Pugh+Scarpa. Jigsaw Studios is one of my favorite projects and I've just finished working on Hagy's house. I'm envious of your experience with them...

anyway, I just wondered how you got the opportunity to work for the American University of Sharjah? Did you just randomly apply...or have an "in" somehow? At some point, I'd love the opportunity to work in that region as I have family in Abu Dhabi and I think it would be an unbelievable experience!

Btw, your pics are awesome! As far as your question...
Oh how I dream of going to Vienna...on my list: Zaha's studio ;), her Donaukanal Housing (is there a formal name?), I also want to see the Hundertwasser House, anything by Loos or Wagner (did you mean modern as in "Modern"?), Karl Marx Hof. Get out to Graz to see the Kunsthaus...

Jul 3, 07 1:16 pm  · 
 · 
el jeffe

there's a 'third man' tour in vienna - i wanted to do it but never was able to make it. i found it on the interwebs around mid 2000.
as i recall it took place in the evening and took you through some tunnels, etc. sounded very cool.




i still dream of a lazy fall afternoon in a huerige.....

Jul 3, 07 1:41 pm  · 
 · 
ByJoveByJingle

Hey,

I worked for Hagy in my first job out of school--I was project manager on the Nick+Stef's in Madison Square Garden. Left after a year to go work for Pugh+Scarpa. I was project manager on the XAP and CoOP projects at P+S, and helped on some of the early conceptual design of Jigsaw.

What kind of work are you doing on Hagy's house? He had just wrapped up a house when I left, but I know he was working on another one the last few years.

I did have an "in" at AUS, but we do hire every year (I think) . . . and not everybody that we hire has an "in." My thesis advisor taught with a guy at LSU who has been at AUS for about 4 years. I also knew a guy who just started at AUS 2 years ago who was also a New Mexico (and Columbia) grad.

They usually post the job openings in whatever that national journal is that has all the professor positions listed (Chronicle of Higher Education maybe? I don't know . . . ). You can also check out this link: http://www.aus.edu/employment/faculty_arcdes.php

It has been an incredible experience--and I've saved more money in the last 8 months than I did in the last 8 years.

I know . . . modern is a loaded term. I just meant not baroque, gothic or whatever else I'm going to see tons of whether I want to or not. Thanks for the suggestions. I have a friend who works for Coop Himmelb(l)au . . . if I can make contact with her. I'm sure she'll have some good suggestions, too.

Jul 3, 07 1:51 pm  · 
 · 
KEG

Hagy just put the house on the market. It's incredible... these pictures don't do it justice. The floating concrete stair detail is my favorite. I thought he was suppose to live in it, but it turned up on the market (I didn't wonder why after I looked at the listing price- haha) I work for the glazing sub.



I saw jigsaw mentioned in Metropolis or Dwell or something years ago and it has been one of my favorite projects ever since. I'm obsessed! The details are so sick!

Thanks for the AUS link, I'll keep note of it. I'm going to grad school in the Fall- so it will still be quite a few years before I can apply.

A contact at Coop is your best bet...maybe they wouldn't mind being your tour guide...oh, I'm so jealous! You're gonna have a great time!!!!


Thanks again for the info...

Jul 3, 07 2:38 pm  · 
 · 
ByJoveByJingle

Very nice! Much better than his first house, so it would seem. A mere $6.4 million, eh? Probably worth it, if you've got the cash.

Things are coming together nicely--booked a cool hotel room (shower is frameless glass next to bed) for 3 nights in Munich. Then I'm driving to Slovenia (Ljubljana) to meet up with a friend and see the country, which I hear is beautiful. Then I'll probably head north to Vienna and Bratislava. Should be a great time.

Thanks for the input and good luck with school!

Jul 3, 07 4:41 pm  · 
 · 
KEG

haha...he must of lowered it...I could have sworn the Listing flyer said $6.9...ahh.....whats $500k anyway- no biggie.... ;)

Thanks and have fun!! Be sure to report back...

Jul 3, 07 5:12 pm  · 
 · 
eblack

jingle, as someone who's spent some time on the ground in the UAE, what is the best way to go about getting a job in an architecture, or construction firm?

Jul 5, 07 6:03 pm  · 
 · 
archetype

here are some photos, sorted by district, and with arch. info....

MUNICH
http://www.pbase.com/archetype/munich

PRAGUE
http://www.pbase.com/archetype/prague

Jul 9, 07 5:22 pm  · 
 · 
KEG

ooh...how could i forget Fred and Ginger? Awesome pics archetype!

Jul 9, 07 5:27 pm  · 
 · 
ByJoveByJingle

Nice!

Thanks, archetype. That's useful.

Man, I have a lot to do before I fly out on Thursday: I just bought a car after being here for a year and need to get it serviced and have a GPS navigation unit installed (nobody here can understand how I survived without a car--it's like LA, only without the public transportation); I have to figure out how to get a travel visa to Syria (a student invited me to her brother's wedding at "the family compound"--heheh); and I have to try to plan my trip.

I tell ya . . . no rest for the weary (or wicked?) in a professor's life. {looks around for the lightning strike}

BTW: Love my freakin' car!!! I just bought a Chrysler Crossfire. It's basically a Mercedes Benz SLK with American-styled sheetmetal wrapping it--for about 1/2 the price. I wonder if I'll survive in Dubai traffic? :)

Jul 9, 07 5:50 pm  · 
 · 
ByJoveByJingle

BTW, I responded to eblack via e-mail. If anybody else is interested in working in Dubai, let me know and I'll fill in with what little knowledge I have.

Jul 9, 07 5:52 pm  · 
 · 
user09

*sigh*

Jul 19, 07 5:08 pm  · 
 · 
KEG

yes?

Jul 19, 07 5:10 pm  · 
 · 
ByJoveByJingle

Got back a week ago from Europe. I had a great time! Got to see some great stuff, including the Kunsthaus in Graz, as well as the Island on the river also in Graz, the Gas-o-meter and some great models in the MAK in Vienna.

I ended up visiting Munich, Slovenia and Croatia, Graz, Vienna and Bratislava.

Here are some public links to my Facebook galleries if you are interested. Ignore the "teeny bopper" pictures, as my former thesis advisor calls them. My Slovenian friend who showed me around took lots of pictures with me in them. I edited most of them out. Really.


If you have a facebook account, you can access my page and the photos/comments here: http://ausharjah.facebook.com/profile.php?id=596225777


If you don't have an account, here are the direct links to the photos w/o comments:


http://ausharjah.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9001&l=fabb6&id=596225777

http://ausharjah.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9306&l=0a475&id=596225777

http://ausharjah.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9408&l=187e1&id=596225777

http://ausharjah.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9491&l=a3284&id=596225777

http://ausharjah.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9648&l=49f02&id=596225777

http://ausharjah.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9894&l=d7718&id=596225777

http://ausharjah.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9974&l=c3016&id=596225777

Aug 7, 07 5:49 pm  · 
 · 

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