I’ve recently visited Berlin to look at a project and whilst I was there I had some time each day to visit the sites of this wonderful city with its blend of old and new. The wonderful hi-tech modern building contrasting with the more austere buildings in the old eastern sector. It seemed as though time had stood still with large areas of austere architecture but then another modern masterpiece would be round the next corner.

On this visit I made a point of visiting the East Side Gallery, the longest outdoor gallery in Europe. The gallery is a preserved section of the old wall that used to divide East and West Berlin with paintings by artists in a variety of styles and mediums all depicting the separation of the two halves of the city during the ‘cold war’. It is a constant reminder not to allow it to happen again.

I was also fortunate enough to be able to visit the Reichstag Building. I have heard so much about this building for so many years that I was expecting to be underwhelmed by the experience. This was not the case, it is a remarkable building with its glass dome and mirrored central column reflecting natural light down into the chamber below. It really was most impressive.

To me the most remarkable building I visited was the Jewish Museum housed in an extraordinary building by Daniel Libeskind. It is a building that is truly able to affect the emotions as one passes through it, nothing is quite as it seems and the building in conjunctions with the artworks within it effect every sense and emotion. I found the whole visit to this building quite wonderful if at times rather over whelming.

I look forward to getting to know the city rather better as we work on the current project there.