October 30_ Kleihues + Kleihues Architects and Sankt-Canisius Church

Kleihues + Kliehues Architects

The students had the opportunity to meet and have a Q&A session and a tour of the firm from the one of the Principal Architect Josef P. Kleihues himself.

Catholic Church, Sankt Canisius Kirche

Designed by Heike Buttner, Claus Neumann and George Braun.

Minister Pater Joachin Gimbler SJ gave the students an enthusiastic lecture on the architecture's physical form and the philosophical connections.  Although the building is a simple cube, its design is nonetheless based on complex geometrical proportions, and the dimensions of its concrete frame would befit a municipal building. The design includes not only the church itself but also a garden outside in the style of a medieval paradise (narthex). A slim bell-tower sets a vertical accent against the solid cube, possibly influenced by Le Corbusier’s. The interior is calm and collected, and the magic of the light shining in and playing on the concrete surfaces brings the building to life.

Finally, we had to say goodbye to Berlin. The city, architecture and people have been good to us.

October 29_ Potsdamer Streets and Sanssoucci Palace

Einstein Tower, Einsteinturm

Designed by Erich Mendelsohn

The Einstein Tower was constructed between 1919-1921 in Potsdam, Germany. What's makes this building especially interesting is that sketches of its initial design date as far back as 1912.  It has been said that the Einstein Tower exists "without precedence" possessing a design that draws almost no external influence from any pre-existing structure. The building seemed like it was decades ahead of its time.  Mendelsohn said that he had designed it out of some unknown urge, letting it emerge out of "the mystique around Einstein's universe."

Potsdam Dutch Quarter, Hollandisches viertel

A landmark of Potsdam is the two-street Dutch Quarter, an ensemble of buildings that is unique in Europe, with about 150 houses built of red bricks in the Dutch style. It was built between 1734 and 1742 under the direction of Jan Bouman to be used by Dutch craftsmen who had been invited to settle here by King Frederick Wilhelm I. Today this area is one of Potsdam's most visited neighborhoods.

Sanssouci Palace, Scholoss Sanssoucci

Designed by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff

Sanssouci is the name of the former summer palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, in Potsdam, near Berlin. It is often counted among the German rivals of Versailles. While Sanssouci is in the more intimate Rococo style and is far smaller than its French Baroque counterpart, it too is notable for the numerous temples and follies in the park. The palace was designed between 1745 and 1747 to fulfill King Frederick's need for a private residence where he could relax away from the pomp and ceremony of the Berlin court. The palace's name emphasises this; it French phrase (sans souci), which translates as "without concerns", meaning "without worries" or "carefree", symbolising that the palace was a place for relaxation rather than a seat of power.