A Trip to Berlin!

I went to Berlin on the class trip and did many things that has inspired the way I think about design on this post I will talk about all that I did.

Bauhaus Archive

 I visited the Bauhaus Archive to see all of the art and design featured.  The thing I liked most about going there was the architecture and the overall vibe of being in the place.

Holocaust and Library Memorial

I have always been interested in WW2 when it comes to reading and museums so being able to go to Berlin and see these memorials was amazing. Seeing the holocaust memorial was a surreal experience as only when you see it in person and walk between the sculptures you can really feel what the tone is suppose to be and it does an amazing job at representing the nameless people who were lost.



 The library memorial was interesting to see as unless you are educated on what the meaning is you could be confused by it. It is also hidden in the ground and hard to find. But I like the the empty shelves are white and look clean. Also it is good how far they go down and being a lover of books I was touched that a memorial was made due to the loss of books.

Ampelmann 

 Walking around Berlin I kept seeing the green crossing man in places other than street safety lights. We came across a shop were I found that the this sign was the Ampelmann. He is a really popular symbol in Germany and is now branded on everything. In the shop was all imaginable things with the red and green Ampelmann on them. I was confused at why it was such a famous figure and found a book explaining about the history of the design and why it is so relevant.

The Ampelmann was a symbol created in 1961 by Karl Pehlau. He wanted to create a Perky and Cheerful man inspired by a summer photo of Erich Honecker in a straw hat. The man was featured in Cartoons, it was made to make people feel safe but now is a national icon and it featured on 600 products that is still expanding.

I find it really interesting that a practical symbol has become so popular and fashionable and is getting stronger as time goes on.

see more -  http://ampelmannshop.com/History

Hamburger Bahnhof

We visited the Hamburger Bahnhof were we spent a few hours looking at the art. I pieces that stood out to me was the Andy Warhol and his use of colour and contrast. Another thing that I loved about visiting the gallery was the more interactive parts. The architecture was amazing and I loved looking at there range of art and design books.

Pentagram

We were able to go to see the Pentagram Berlin studio and listen to a talk by Justus Oehler. He was very inspiring and passionate about design. He talked about how it is important that we play a positive contribution into design as there is design out there and we need to think about our morals and what we think is right to design. Something that stood out to me within his presentation was the quote he listed by David M. Ogilvy. He talked about how every design you do should have a story and you should make people love your design by the story of how you made it. Overall it was very interesting hearing from Justus and being able to talk and ask him questions about Pentagram and overall design.

Chloë Galea

A fellow graduate from our course Chloe was able to come to talk to us about her experiences. It was helpful as she talked about leaving the UK and moving to work in a new place. Although everyones experiences are different it is still interesting to here how she is able to work with people who speak in a different language and work in a different way. Overall hearing her point of view was interesting.

Ace & Tate + Anthony Burrill

 There was a small exhibition by Anthony Burrill showing his type designs. It was strange to see his type in a glasses shop but I do like the boldness of it and the atmosphere of the exhibition. His posters were all for sale and were made using letterpress with wood and metal. I really like his letterpress fonts and the colours he chooses to put together.

The Hostel and out and about

 When arriving at the hostel I loved the area of Mitte and the designs I found in the hostel. Next to the hostel is the well known mural on the side of Tacheles building. The building used to be the Central office of the SS during the World War 2, but after the Berlin Wall fell, the building was taken over by Artists and became a well known place to host exhibitions and performances. When socialising on a nighttime I really liked the design of the hosel. The design of the Kupfer Bar was interesting with its use of two typefaces and it is on paint that looks put on by a roller and very handmade. This made the bar feel quirky, young and stylish. One night we came across a zine shop that had many design magazines I thought the signage was clever because it was the question Do you read me?