After coming back from Prague, I jumped right back into work… to realize that most of my team was on vacation. I still had some work to do, however, with the interiors team. The task for that Monday (July 13th, yeah I’m really behind) was to show how a sound absorbtive fabric performed to scale on the seat of the chairs in the House of Music. Behold:
A pillow for the gods.
Other then random tasks, and this pillow, I spent the week archiving all the old models and get them ready to take to storage in a warehouse outside of Vienna. Wooo.
Actually, what I really liked was that one day I had to move all the team computers because we were rearranging where everyone was sitting, so I was getting really dusty and sweaty (the temperature in the office was above 90F). I was done with the task early and the team leaders both agreed the rest of the day was mine to spend as I wished. Perfect because it was beautiful outside.
I spent part of the day shopping (hey, can you blame me? By the time I leave the office, all the store are closed) and then went to explore near the Donau. I got off at Kaisermüllen and went looking for the Donaucity Church, designed by Heinz Tesar which is right infront of the Vienna International Center.
The bells of the church, behind is part of VIC
The entire church is perforated with small circular windows… and clad with some glossy metal. You totally don’t expect the inside to be made of wood.
The interior is actually very well lit by daylight - and although I don't think I would have made the gash in the roof - I like the two square windows on the corners of the building.
To my surprise it was a Catholic Church… with masses in English. I was able to go to one after swimming in the Alte Donau – the first one in English since my arrival. I continued to look around before then though.
A view of the VIC. With a rock garden.
Swoop up-close
SEG Apartment tower by CHBL - designed with lateral wind forces in mind. I didn't get a chance to go closer, as it was getting hotter and I was getting ready to go swimming.
HAHAHAhahahaha What the... ? I saw this on the way to the public beach - in the Donauinsel park, I think. It reminded me of Asia for some reason.
On Friday, a day much looked forward to by everyone in the Zeger household, I met Ulli and Andi at the airport to pick up Richi (all their nicknames end in ‘i’). Hans Yeger (father) was celebrating his birthday and the present was a ‘surprise’ visit from their son (who forgot the ACTUAL day of the birthday, and booked his tickets back to Vienna a week later… therefore postponing a party that was actually supposed to be the weekend before. Sounds like something I would do.)
It was a great family weekend. We ate Indian food (fish and lamb/spinach curries) and I loved the mango dessert…
Family! A home away from home.
MMmmmmm Mango...
Later that evening, after playing many board games, we decided at the last minute to go see Harry Potter 6. And to my surprise, I found the little square I had been looking for but didn’t get around to finding.
HP6 was playing in English at Artis, your friendly neighborhood international film theater. Which, little did I know, was located just off of Judenplatz.
This Holocaust memorial was designed by Rachel Whiteread.
‘The blocky concrete structure resembles an inside-out library, with the imprint of rows of books, spines facing in, lining the outer walls. Inscribed around the base are the names of Nazi concentration camps. The work’s facade bears a dedication in German, Hebrew and English to the 65,000 Austrian Jews killed in the Holocaust.’ (Art in America, Jan2001., S. Cash)
Needless to say, I expected more from the movie, but it was a good experience nonetheless.
Sunday the entire family all went to Carnuntum again… but this time for the Gladiator fights. It was a great time yelling for Perniculus (Steve, to his friends), Pegasus and Sephadorus to beat the evil out of their opponents. And actually, although they were only fighting with wooden swords and shields, they definitely fought and received bruises.
Fight to the death!!
The amphitheater... the fights... the Carnuntum experience.
Do the wave!
That is all I can muster for an update right now.
Sooo, it did give me something to do during my work
. But you did so much more, hope to read it soon here, too. (you went sunbathing and swimming, to a movie, to a nice chapel and so on …).
Will miss chatting with you
(.