-- Posted from my iPhone
Applepalooza at IDEO
Tomorrow we're celebrating New England apple picking and creativity in the studio. Here's my lovely Ramona's contribution, before and after.
-- Posted from my iPhone
-- Posted from my iPhone
Auf Wiedersehen
Berlin mourns during the day and celebrates at night. Much of the city was destroyed during the war and what's standing reminds us of our potential for atrocity. Some is new like the Holocaust sculpture at Alexanderplatz or the Jewish Museum. Some is old like the Wall. Some has survived through the ages like the Brandenburg Gate.
It's impossible to walk through the city without thinking of ghosts. Then night arrives and shrouds them. Neon lights illuminate corners and windows. The street corners come alive and the pulse of the city begins at 120 BPM. It's an amazing transformation from solemnity to revelry and a welcome change after carrying the weight of years all day.
Each city I've visited on this trip has its flavor of this scenario but Leipzig and Berlin have the unique distinction of highlighting the past to prevent any repetition in the future. It's not just German culture, it's law.
Tonight is my last night in Berlin and the last night of the Fellowship. It's been one of the richest experiences of my life. I'm in the city where East reunited with West and as I think back over the challenges I've become exposed to over the last three and a half weeks it's the most appropriate place to end. Division still exists, it's just moved further East. The Balkan states and Turkey are still struggling for acceptance in the rest of Europe. Extreme right-wing politicos crying out for nationalism are beginning to gain followers. Relationships between the U.S. and European countries are strained but not sour.
What is there to say that much more experienced people have not? I'm a designer, not a politician or even a fan of them. I've met passionate people in beautiful cities. They all want a good life like we do in America. But they are different. They have cultural scars from centuries of ethnic fighting, foreign occupation, and mass extermination. I can't understand this but I can accept it. I know why Europeans are against military action in Afghanistan and Iraq. I know why they believe the State needs to care for its people. I know why people commit themselves so fully to their passions. And I know why they like to dance.
I'm going to keep posting more photos and stories over the next months. Check back every couple of weeks to see what's new. Maybe you can help me figure out how to use all this great experience for good.
It's impossible to walk through the city without thinking of ghosts. Then night arrives and shrouds them. Neon lights illuminate corners and windows. The street corners come alive and the pulse of the city begins at 120 BPM. It's an amazing transformation from solemnity to revelry and a welcome change after carrying the weight of years all day.
Each city I've visited on this trip has its flavor of this scenario but Leipzig and Berlin have the unique distinction of highlighting the past to prevent any repetition in the future. It's not just German culture, it's law.
Tonight is my last night in Berlin and the last night of the Fellowship. It's been one of the richest experiences of my life. I'm in the city where East reunited with West and as I think back over the challenges I've become exposed to over the last three and a half weeks it's the most appropriate place to end. Division still exists, it's just moved further East. The Balkan states and Turkey are still struggling for acceptance in the rest of Europe. Extreme right-wing politicos crying out for nationalism are beginning to gain followers. Relationships between the U.S. and European countries are strained but not sour.
What is there to say that much more experienced people have not? I'm a designer, not a politician or even a fan of them. I've met passionate people in beautiful cities. They all want a good life like we do in America. But they are different. They have cultural scars from centuries of ethnic fighting, foreign occupation, and mass extermination. I can't understand this but I can accept it. I know why Europeans are against military action in Afghanistan and Iraq. I know why they believe the State needs to care for its people. I know why people commit themselves so fully to their passions. And I know why they like to dance.
I'm going to keep posting more photos and stories over the next months. Check back every couple of weeks to see what's new. Maybe you can help me figure out how to use all this great experience for good.
Der Stasi
A few shots from the East German secret police
headquarters, now a museum. The Stasi were "the sword and the shield of the party."
Surveillance camera
Document falsification office
Disguises for spying on the citizens
Espionage files
The official seal
- Posted from my iPhone
headquarters, now a museum. The Stasi were "the sword and the shield of the party."
Surveillance camera
Document falsification office
Disguises for spying on the citizens
Espionage files
The official seal
- Posted from my iPhone
Leipzig 20 Years Later
I grew up during the Reagan era and the dying embers of the Cold War. I remember having bomb drills in elementary school and fearing Russian invasion or a mushroom cloud. I had Red Dawn-like dreams and played Missile Command. Then Glasnost arrived, the cold war ended, the Iron Curtain opened and the Wall fell. I remember how good this felt and only then became aware that it had an effect on me.
Today I'm in Leipzig, the birthplace of the East German peaceful revolution that led to the end of socialist rule and the collapse of the Berlin Wall only one month later. We met with Gisela Kallenbach, currently on the city council, but a former EU MP and an activist of '89. She gave us a personal account of her role that historic fall. Over the course of the past week I've had an amazing opportunity to meet more people like Gisela — 1989 revolutionaries in the Czech Republic and Germany. We've heard first hand accounts of what it was like to live under the heavy hand of communism, the unfortunate successor to devastating Nazi rule. We've heard stories of deception and personal betrayal, unjust detainment, secretive weekly meetings and bold protest. Amazingly the human spirit triumphed over the oppression.
This evening we shared stories about our childhoods in each country during this time, our different perceptions of what was right and wrong. We all feared Russia and though they are not the military threat they once were they still wield power here through control of energy resources. We also heard stories of grandparents that lived during the Nazi rule, or as they say here, The Bad Times and of the suffering they endured.
We were split in two dinner tables tonight and for better or worse I ended up at the table that wasn't celebrating the reunion of the Fellows and this amazing trip. Instead we talked about Auschwitz, the SS, September 11, WW2 and more. It's hard not to in this town. Earlier we had walked to Nikolaikirche and Thomaskirche. We stood in their shadows and learned about the resistance meetings that led to the revolution. They are such inspiring and sobering stories and God forbid we ever forget them.
Today I'm in Leipzig, the birthplace of the East German peaceful revolution that led to the end of socialist rule and the collapse of the Berlin Wall only one month later. We met with Gisela Kallenbach, currently on the city council, but a former EU MP and an activist of '89. She gave us a personal account of her role that historic fall. Over the course of the past week I've had an amazing opportunity to meet more people like Gisela — 1989 revolutionaries in the Czech Republic and Germany. We've heard first hand accounts of what it was like to live under the heavy hand of communism, the unfortunate successor to devastating Nazi rule. We've heard stories of deception and personal betrayal, unjust detainment, secretive weekly meetings and bold protest. Amazingly the human spirit triumphed over the oppression.
This evening we shared stories about our childhoods in each country during this time, our different perceptions of what was right and wrong. We all feared Russia and though they are not the military threat they once were they still wield power here through control of energy resources. We also heard stories of grandparents that lived during the Nazi rule, or as they say here, The Bad Times and of the suffering they endured.
We were split in two dinner tables tonight and for better or worse I ended up at the table that wasn't celebrating the reunion of the Fellows and this amazing trip. Instead we talked about Auschwitz, the SS, September 11, WW2 and more. It's hard not to in this town. Earlier we had walked to Nikolaikirche and Thomaskirche. We stood in their shadows and learned about the resistance meetings that led to the revolution. They are such inspiring and sobering stories and God forbid we ever forget them.
New Bohemians
The reality of three weeks of traveling, lectures, and site-seeing is taking its toll so this blog isn't comprehensive but covers the highlights.
We had Saturday free to roam the city, find the many landmarks and sample the fare. Since the fall of Communism in 1989 Prague has been on an upward trajectory and now it's an all out tourist destination with as many tourist traps as your typical beach town. The masses of people are staggering and I can only imagine what it would be like if we didn't have the near freezing temps and rain to thin the crowd.
I spent most of the day with my traveling Fellows Christine Staberg and Charlie Hicks. After viewing St. Vitus Cathedral and the Palace we went on a walking tour around the Old Town Square, past the Astronomical Clock and Powder Tower. One of the highlights was St. Giles Cathedral. Since the church was transformed to a Baroque design it's easy to overlook from the outside. But the interior is worth the stop. The ornamentation and craftsmanship is overwhelming and the church is still used by the Polish community for Sunday mass. 
St. Giles is one of many gorgeous churches here that have mostly become concert halls. The last census showed that nearly 50% of the population has declared themselves atheists reducing the churches to mere memorials. We closed out the evening by starting at one of the few remaining local pubs and finally arriving at the self-proclaimed "largest dance club in Central Europe".
Sunday we took a mini-bus to Pinkse to see the oldest bridge in Central Europe — not self-proclaimed. It's shockingly easy to become immune to the antiquity so I try to imagine living with these monuments when they were new. One interesting view from the bridge is the clear architectural divide between pre (left) and post (right) Communist rule. Clearly "ugly" was a communist mandate.
Afterwards we drove on to Ceske Budejovice for an exclusive tour of City Hall and a lunch discussion with professors Salim Murad and Alena Hospesova. The complications of immigration and racism, Lisbon Treaty, the remaining Communist party, generational amnesia and World War 2 drove the conversation. In the U.S. we've tabled WW2 at the VFWs. Here it's still a complicating reality affecting policy and cultural psyche and its worsened by 40 years of Communism and a new republic.
After a pig knuckle and some original Czech Budweiser Budwar we went to Hluboka Castle, a premium example of a Baroque-style castle from the 19th century. The interior is even more impressive with opulent tapestries, metals, woods, and leathers. Photos weren't allowed so I bought a book to share at home. Next we met with the mayor of Hluboka, Tomas Jirsa, who is also the Senator of South Bohemia. Over the course of another meaty dinner he tied the full day together by using the legal wranglings of the castle to illustrate all of the topics we touched on during lunch.
The Schwarzenberg family owned the castle for 300 years until the last owner fled to Canada when the Nazis invaded. In his absence the State confiscated the property by a specific Parliamentary order in 1947. Since that time there have been numerous law suits from certain family members to regain portions of the estate. However not much has changed because the Czech Republic has only allowed restitution for properties back to 1948 when the Communists took over. He went on to explain a soap opera worthy series of events that started to make the concerns over Lisbon and property rights more clear.
The Germans were exiled to Poland, Austria and Bavaria after the war. There is a fear that former residents of the country will demand return of properties once the Treaty is finally agreed to by Czech President Klaus. Poland was able to get an exemption to this because they have more clout at the EU. So Klaus is holding out trying to negotiate the same for CR. Borders and occupation have been so dynamic in the history of this part of the world that there is a concern that if any part of the Pandora's Box is opened then the floodgates will go back much further than the mid-century and lead to a barrage of lawsuits. That said, it is certain and resigned that Klaus will sign the Treaty in the next 4 months. The Parliament has approved it and it's his constitutional duty to execute their order. Needless to say there is a lot of frustration with Klaus here and a number of measures underway to force his hand.
On Monday we started with an agenda of politics, art and racism so I knew it would be a good one. Two major highlights plus one. First I met with Jana Zielinski designer and organizer of of Designblok, Prague's annual design festival. She's the first design professional I've met on the trip and she was a breath of fresh air after all the politicians and academics. It seems like the language of design is universal. We are optimistic for that the world can be better and that design and help us get there. The world of design is also small as it turns out we both know Susan Szenasy from Metropolis magazine. After the visit Jana sent me to DOX to view a Czech design exhibit, My Europe, and the hilarious and controversial Entropa sculpture by David Cerny. 
Much has been written about his piece and I hope you take some time to read about it. It's one of the funniest and outrageous public art installations I've ever encountered.
That afternoon we met with Ambassador Vaclav Bartuska , one of the 1989 revolutionaries and the wittiest person we've met on this trip. I fear Joe Biden's visit with him this week. It is an understatement that the Poles and Czech's are outraged with the White House's handling of communication about the European missile defense strategy. Everyone knew it was coming but not via a 12:30am phone call on the anniversary the Soviet Union occupation of Poland. It just showed insensitivity all around. Now we're sending Biden here to patch things up. Frustrating to say the least.
Today we started at the United Nations Information Center with a discussion about the UN's future and the need for reform. Like NATO they are are struggling with consensus building because of the large number of constituents. The rest of the day we connected with academics on the current Czech political crisis and then closed out the day with Czech alum of the MMF program.
Of course there's beautiful Prague to talk about too and its another sad goodbye to such a resilient city. These splendid buildings as symbols of the people, surviving centuries of occupation and war and still standing proudly in the midst of uncertainty.
Tomorrow Leipzig.
We had Saturday free to roam the city, find the many landmarks and sample the fare. Since the fall of Communism in 1989 Prague has been on an upward trajectory and now it's an all out tourist destination with as many tourist traps as your typical beach town. The masses of people are staggering and I can only imagine what it would be like if we didn't have the near freezing temps and rain to thin the crowd.
I spent most of the day with my traveling Fellows Christine Staberg and Charlie Hicks. After viewing St. Vitus Cathedral and the Palace we went on a walking tour around the Old Town Square, past the Astronomical Clock and Powder Tower. One of the highlights was St. Giles Cathedral. Since the church was transformed to a Baroque design it's easy to overlook from the outside. But the interior is worth the stop. The ornamentation and craftsmanship is overwhelming and the church is still used by the Polish community for Sunday mass. 
St. Giles is one of many gorgeous churches here that have mostly become concert halls. The last census showed that nearly 50% of the population has declared themselves atheists reducing the churches to mere memorials. We closed out the evening by starting at one of the few remaining local pubs and finally arriving at the self-proclaimed "largest dance club in Central Europe".
Sunday we took a mini-bus to Pinkse to see the oldest bridge in Central Europe — not self-proclaimed. It's shockingly easy to become immune to the antiquity so I try to imagine living with these monuments when they were new. One interesting view from the bridge is the clear architectural divide between pre (left) and post (right) Communist rule. Clearly "ugly" was a communist mandate.Afterwards we drove on to Ceske Budejovice for an exclusive tour of City Hall and a lunch discussion with professors Salim Murad and Alena Hospesova. The complications of immigration and racism, Lisbon Treaty, the remaining Communist party, generational amnesia and World War 2 drove the conversation. In the U.S. we've tabled WW2 at the VFWs. Here it's still a complicating reality affecting policy and cultural psyche and its worsened by 40 years of Communism and a new republic.
After a pig knuckle and some original Czech Budweiser Budwar we went to Hluboka Castle, a premium example of a Baroque-style castle from the 19th century. The interior is even more impressive with opulent tapestries, metals, woods, and leathers. Photos weren't allowed so I bought a book to share at home. Next we met with the mayor of Hluboka, Tomas Jirsa, who is also the Senator of South Bohemia. Over the course of another meaty dinner he tied the full day together by using the legal wranglings of the castle to illustrate all of the topics we touched on during lunch.The Schwarzenberg family owned the castle for 300 years until the last owner fled to Canada when the Nazis invaded. In his absence the State confiscated the property by a specific Parliamentary order in 1947. Since that time there have been numerous law suits from certain family members to regain portions of the estate. However not much has changed because the Czech Republic has only allowed restitution for properties back to 1948 when the Communists took over. He went on to explain a soap opera worthy series of events that started to make the concerns over Lisbon and property rights more clear.
The Germans were exiled to Poland, Austria and Bavaria after the war. There is a fear that former residents of the country will demand return of properties once the Treaty is finally agreed to by Czech President Klaus. Poland was able to get an exemption to this because they have more clout at the EU. So Klaus is holding out trying to negotiate the same for CR. Borders and occupation have been so dynamic in the history of this part of the world that there is a concern that if any part of the Pandora's Box is opened then the floodgates will go back much further than the mid-century and lead to a barrage of lawsuits. That said, it is certain and resigned that Klaus will sign the Treaty in the next 4 months. The Parliament has approved it and it's his constitutional duty to execute their order. Needless to say there is a lot of frustration with Klaus here and a number of measures underway to force his hand.
On Monday we started with an agenda of politics, art and racism so I knew it would be a good one. Two major highlights plus one. First I met with Jana Zielinski designer and organizer of of Designblok, Prague's annual design festival. She's the first design professional I've met on the trip and she was a breath of fresh air after all the politicians and academics. It seems like the language of design is universal. We are optimistic for that the world can be better and that design and help us get there. The world of design is also small as it turns out we both know Susan Szenasy from Metropolis magazine. After the visit Jana sent me to DOX to view a Czech design exhibit, My Europe, and the hilarious and controversial Entropa sculpture by David Cerny. 
Much has been written about his piece and I hope you take some time to read about it. It's one of the funniest and outrageous public art installations I've ever encountered.That afternoon we met with Ambassador Vaclav Bartuska , one of the 1989 revolutionaries and the wittiest person we've met on this trip. I fear Joe Biden's visit with him this week. It is an understatement that the Poles and Czech's are outraged with the White House's handling of communication about the European missile defense strategy. Everyone knew it was coming but not via a 12:30am phone call on the anniversary the Soviet Union occupation of Poland. It just showed insensitivity all around. Now we're sending Biden here to patch things up. Frustrating to say the least.
Today we started at the United Nations Information Center with a discussion about the UN's future and the need for reform. Like NATO they are are struggling with consensus building because of the large number of constituents. The rest of the day we connected with academics on the current Czech political crisis and then closed out the day with Czech alum of the MMF program.
Of course there's beautiful Prague to talk about too and its another sad goodbye to such a resilient city. These splendid buildings as symbols of the people, surviving centuries of occupation and war and still standing proudly in the midst of uncertainty.Tomorrow Leipzig.
Meat
It's our last day in Prague and the agenda is packed full of issues from the UN to gender equality to Czeck foreign affairs. One other item sure to be on the docket is meat. Like Bavaria (because the Germans were expelled from here), Bohemians were chiefly animal farmers. Yesterday I managed to get veggies but this weekend was all meat, all the time: duck, pork knuckle, venison and beef.
-- Posted from my iPhone
-- Posted from my iPhone
Prague First Sites
It's the end of a long travel day from Thessaloniki via Munich... after a dinner with Dr. Michael Romancov, a leading Czech scholar, we walked down the hill to the Charles Bridge into the Old Town Square. Here are a few shots from the day.
3 Days in Thessaloniki
We spent Wednesday in the Greek countryside getting a flavor for rural village life as well as an insight into national pride and passion.
We awoke in Nymphaio and walked to the nearby Arcturous sanctuary, an NGO committed to balanced habitats of wildlife and people with special attention given to indigenous bears, wolves and shepherd dogs. They have a haven for 13 domesticated bears who were freed from performance (illegal in Greece) and track wild bears to learn of their migration patterns and their interactions with people.
There are 23 similar organizations in Europe who lobby the EU for various wildlife and habitat concerns to preserve balance in an increasingly populated Europe.Later we visited the vineyard of one of the founders of the organization who has also been
instrumental in the revitalization of Nymphaio, Yiannis Boutaris. The village population dropped from 3,500 in 1945 to only 60 people in the mid 80's. Today it is at about 480 and continues growing due to donations from former residents and grants from the EU. Nymphaio has historical significance as the first capital of Macedonia.The vineyards provided a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains from which we
descended earlier in the day. 
There are geographical similarities to California: sandy soil, tan brush dappled with green fruit trees, checkerboards of fields and vineyards and large mountains in a big sky. We toured the production line and tasted the Xinomavro, a complex red varietal with a strong olive overtone. The small tower in the photo is the former residence of the caretakers used today as the visiting residence of Mr. Boutaris. It serves as the logo for the label, Ktima Kyr-Yianni, translated as 'from berry to bottle'.Finally we visited the tomb of Phillip II in Vergina, a preserved site with amazing treasures. The artistry of the paintings and metalwork was exquisite and it was clear how influential it was on the Romans and the Greek Orthodox Church hundreds of years before the styles came into prominence, and even today on designers like Tord Boontje.
I ended the day reflecting on Greek pride in the past, and survival in the present. When Greeks reference architectural history they reference themselves. When we Americans reference architectural history we reference the Greeks. But the legacy hasn't continued. Rapid urbanization WW2 and the civil war resulted in an oppressive architectural style and a haphazard urban plan in the major Grecian metros that was made only worse after the fall of the Berlin Wall due to a second influx of people. It's easy to confuse the city with Tel Aviv.
Yesterday Jamie DeRosa and I met with architect Aris Georgiou to learn about his role in revitalizing the cultural climate of Thessaloniki through industrial reclamation. His Milos project in 1991 is credited by many as the first wave of cultural rebirth here. The mill cum performance hall/cafe/gallery served as the impetus to gain the city the 1997 "Cultural Capital of Europe" title, leading to his appointment as the director of the Photography Museum. Today he is working on projects to bring beauty back to the block buildings of the modern age. He also said that Thessolaniki has declared buildings built prior to the 1930's as historic and now there's a movement to preserve the few that are left. It's a bitter pill that this decision has come so late in a city that has cherished Byzantian and Roman ruins but has neglected its present.I'd be remiss to paint a picture of bleakness though. Thessaloniki has a vibrant life filled with cafés, culture and politics. It's shifting from Balkan to European and wrestling with this changing identity. We started Wednesday by meeting with a newly formed policy lab, The Navarino Network, led by Dr. Demetris Keridis from the University of Macedonia. The group's mission is to connect the city to the region, connect science to policy and to educate the public in order to move past historical impediments to a stabilized and cooperative Balkan region. For example, there's a problem with the brand of the city. Neither the residents of the city, nor Europe, agree to what to call it. Thessaloniki, Salonika, Thessolanica, Solun, and more. The same kind of dissent continues when one talks of Macedonia — a major issue that has prevented the former Yugoslav Republic from joining the EU. But the primary concerns on the horizon are cross-border interactions, immigration and Turkey. Unlike Western Europe, the Greek administration wants Turkey in the EU to normalize them much like Germany was normalized.
I've asked all of my hosts, including Elizabeth Phocas, our coordinator about the current state of urban planning here. This is an issue that continues to pop up in each city. If the borders open, or if climate change forces mass movements, how will Thessoliniki or any other European city accommodate the influx of people? What are the infrastructure plans for housing, food and water? How will cultural integration be handled? No one has a good answer to these questions. Rapid urbanization is a growing reality that all of Europe will have to deal with as it comes hand in hand with immigration. In Munich we heard that this was one of the fundamental concerns and reasons for not wanting Turkey to join the EU.
Yesterday evening I trekked to the Upper City to see the ruins of the Roman wall that protected Thessaloniki almost 1700 years ago. it's amazing to see it standing lockstep with modern buildings, graffiti and passing cars. It has caused me to reflect on our own plan to build a fence across our border. We are wrestling with the same issues and perhaps approaching them the same way as the Europeans. Rather than proactively designing infrastructure to handle the inevitable I believe we are building barriers that will ultimately lie in ruins like these walls. History has revealed this time and time again and seeing it first hand drives it home.
Today is our last day in the city. We visited the Thessaloniki Science and Technology Museum and the Jewish Heritage Museum. There is a rich history of the Jews in this city which really gained momentum after Ferdinand and Isabella expelled them from Spain in 1492. The community was thriving until a fire destroyed the entire Jewish section of town in 1917. And they were all but gone after the Holocaust with 65,000 — 96% of the population — killed in 1943. Today there is another thriving community who with funds from the EU built the museum for the 1997 for the Cultural Capital event.
The highlight from the technology museum was the exhibit on ancient Greek technology, from the tools that built the Parthenon, to ships, to armament, to construction techniques.Tonight we have a Greek send off and will likely go bleary eyed to the airport early in the morning. Fahristó new friends!
The Rotunda
Here are a few more scenes from Thessaloniki. I'm having a problem connecting to the Internet right now so my bigger posts will have to wait until I solve it.
-- Posted from my iPhone
-- Posted from my iPhone
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