All posts by henritdehahn@yahoo.com

Some thoughts on cooking from an architect’s perspective

detail of Asian soup

Some thoughts on cooking from an architect’s perspective. Ever since I was a kid, I have loved hanging around the kitchen and watching dishes being prepared. Dabbling at first by helping my mom bake brownies and later a kid’s generic pasta dish with butter and parmesan—which I still love when in need of a quick carb rush—cooking evolved to become a lifelong hobby, and eventually a commitment that is practiced daily.

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David Chipperfield, Am Kupfergraben, Berlin

Detail of joint

David Chipperfield, Am Kupfergraben, Berlin. During a recent trip to Berlin, Germany, I made a point to revisit the Gallerie Am Kupfergraben (Berlin Mitte district), completed between 2003-2007 by British architect Sir David Chipperfield. This was not the first time that I had paid a visit to the building—both for the inside and outside architectural qualities. Disappointingly, the Gallery was closed the day of my visit this time.

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Murals at Hong Kong Central station

Detail of mural

Murals at Hong Kong Central station. One of my favorite pastimes in a city is losing myself by walking streets and alleys, gardens and parks, and through public spaces such as urban plazas. This is true for most cities I visit, but Hong Kong’s urban streetscape has always offered something even more tantalizing: from glimpses of contradictory views and lush green pockets with century old trees to fabulous bakeries and shops selling traditional medicinal products, not to mention the shopping mall meccas that bring shame to even the most luxurious American mall.

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Light tower, Verkehrskanzel, Berlin

Light tower, Verkehrskanzel, Berlin. When visiting European cities I am always much more aware of the urban realm than when I am at home. Perhaps this is because of my European upbringing, coupled with growing up in cities. This early initiation gave me a foundation to better understand the richness of cities and, in particular, the ceremonial spaces of the seat of the Habsburgs in Vienna, were I lived between the ages of five and twelve.

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Architectural sketching and how do I sketch

Study of Juan Gris painting

Architectural sketching and how do I sketch. This second blog of the series Architectural sketching is a compendium and illustration of conceptual thoughts offered in the previous blog of a similar title. The examples for this blog are taken from my own sketchbooks that span over several decades. Each example illustrates a particular architectural preoccupation through sketching.

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