6-9-2010

We attended the Inter-Solar trade fair in the new mixed use development in Rheim. This was the largest Solar Trade fair in the world and contained every and any solar product you could think of such as PV Panels,Solar thermal collectors, etc. And there where six more convention halls just like this one packed with vendors and businesses. It was information overload.




This is the entry hall where visitors would register and pick up tickets.


This was the clock tower adjacent to a very modern catholic church


This is a modern interpretation of a stained glass inside of the catholic church. It was impressive.


This image is looking back at the shopping center and church clock tower in Rheim. Rheim used to be the site of an old airport and has been redeveloped into a mixed use community with a large shopping area, convention center, and lots of multifamily house units.


This is one of the many housing projects.


An elementary school in Rheim. It redefines how elementary schools are designed and perceived.


Later that day we went to a organic food dispensary where they fulfill orders from customers and deliver fresh organic produce to their door step. Organic farming is subsidized by the city government to provide high quality produce to its citizens.


Fresh Organic produce. In Munich they call 'organic' food as 'biological' food. I like the terminology.


Spargel, also known as asparagus in english. And the spargel in Munich tastes amazing.


Mooooooooooooo. Where's the beef?


After a long day, I decided to relax in the English Garden.


This fountain is located on Ludwigstrasse, near a university complex.

Tuesday 6-8-2010

This is the U-Bahn station at the Technical University of Munich northern satellite campus in Garching. We visited the Center for Applied Research where they develop and experiment with different types of building systems such as hot water storage systems, solar thermal vacuum tubes, and geothermal heating systems.


This is the back side of the U-Bahn station and it transitions into an urban landscape where people can inhabit this green space.


This is inside the Center for Applied Research. I completely geeked out on the lecture and tour that was provided to our group. They are researching some awesome sustainable technologies that are renewable and safe for the environment.


This building known as the 'Mensa' is similar to a student union building because it contains the student cafeteria and public space for students but it also has classroom space.


The facade of the Mensa building has a really awesome glass louver system that diffuses direct sunlight to reduce glare which mitigates solar heat gain.


Interior of the Mensa


This building was awesome because it has a four story slide built within the central atrium.


Here is the four story slide.


Here's me exiting the four story slide, it was badass!!!!


This building is the computer science building and holds the largest computer within the EU which contains 100,000 processors. We were not allowed to take pictures inside the room, which was more like a warehouse, where the computer was located.


This 2 foot thick concrete wall protects the computer mainframe and the metal grid is used as lighting protection.


Our next stop was the Swiss RE. Can you spot it in the distant. The Swiss RE is one of the largest insurance corporations in the world that reinsures other insurance companies that insure high risks investments such as buildings and large developments. Swiss RE also is the world leader in researching global climate change because the companies they insure tend to be affected by natural disasters, and they set their insurance premiums by forecasting global climate change and weather patterns and areas that are at risk for natural disasters. So if insurance premiums change around the world it is because of Swiss RE and the type of research they are doing, which is directly related to global warming. The definition of their business can get confusing. Here is the link to their site if you want to know more. http://www.swissre.com


The exterior of the Swiss RE building.


The Swiss RE building has an elevated green screen which enclosed the whole complex in a shroud of wisteria





The Swiss Re is such a lucrative company that they have a collection of Andy Warhol's original artwork.


Staring into the courtyard. This building was awesome!!

Saturday 6-5-2010

Never shake hands with a giant lobster


The Farmers Market in the city center. There is a plethora of amazing fruits vegetables, cheese, wine, and of course beer.


Cheeeeeeeeeeessssssssssse



This is part of the water treatment plant of the SWM which is the City Works of Munich. These towers hold all the sludge of the waster water and use the sludge as bio fuel to produce energy. And the emission of the sludge produces exteremly low levels of Co2 and is safer for the atmosphere than coal burning power plants.


This is a large windmill near Allianz Arena. SWM is committed to producing renewable energy and has a goal to produce all the city's energy from renewable energy sources such as solar power, wind power, and biofuel by 2020. The U.S. has a lot to learn from the city of Munich on producing and implementing renewable energy.


ALLIANZ!!!!!! After riding about 10 miles for more than an hour I arrived at Allianz Arena my favorite Soccer Stadium. The exterior is made of large ETFE cushions that are constantly inflated with a warm stream of air. This material is the same as what was used on the Water Cube for the Beijing Olympics.


Close up of the exterior skin.


I thought this pic was pretty awesome with the reflections in the skin and the windmill in the background.


This was as close as I could get to the pitch. We could walk around the concourse but the entrances to the stadium seats were fenced off.


After a long day of bike riding we stopped at the Chinese beer garden and had a liter of Weissbier also known as Hefeweizen outside of Bavaria.


The Chinese Tower in the English Garden.

Wilson, Cameron, and I decided to go purchase bicycles so we could peruse the city in a more mobile fashion. It was the best decision because we are not constrained to the bus or subway schedule. We can explore the city on our own terms and the 90 euro I spent on my bike has already paid itself off.


Wilson and Cameron after we purchased our bikes. ( I took the photo)


A typical Street corner in Munich. I took this pic while on our first bike trek through Munich.


The Maximilianeum is a palatial building which houses the gifted students of the Universities of Munich and also houses the state parliament of Bavaria.


The Isar River which runs through the middle of Munich. It was extremely full after a whole week of rain. Its a milky brown color from all the sediment that has been displaced from the Alps.


This is the last thing you expect to see in Munich, but their is a canal that runs through the English Garden that creates a white water rip curl. Surfers come to practice their skills and entertain the people of Munich.


I took this picture while walking through the Hofgarten near Odeonplatz close to the city center. I cant remember which building is in the background but its pretty sweet


This is a temporary Opera Pavilion design by Coop Himmelblau




I rarely take the cliche tourist photo but it proves to you all that I am actually in Munich. This photo was taken near the Funf Hofe(Five Courtyard) with the Theatinerkirche Church in the Background

Sorry about not updating my blog last week. Werner Really had us on the go nonstop from 9:00 unit about 8:00pm almost everyday. But it was worth it cause he saw some really awesome stuff and attended some amazing lectures. It rained all last week in Munich which made it tough to completely enjoy the walking tours but non the less it was still fantastic. I'm glad Josue convinced me to bring my rain jacket, it was totally worth it. Thanks bro, you're always looking out. Last Monday we had our first walking tour of Munich which involved exploring the city center and having dinner at the famous Hofbrauhaus.




The Theatinerkirche Catholic Church of St. Kajetan



The Theatinerkirche Catholic Church of St. Kajetan


The Funf Hofe (Five Courtyards) Herzog and De Meuron
This Shopping plaza is inserted into the urban fabric of the city center very discreetly. You can walk by it and completely miss it.


Funf Hofe


Odeonplatz subway station

An aerial view of the urban fabric of Munich



One of the Spires at St. Paul's Cathedral.


The Nave inside St. Paul's



Marienplatz: The City Center


Group Photo at the TUM (Technical University Of Munich)