The Architectural brilliance of Frank Gehry shines in Paris

I have long been a fan of the architectural brilliance of Frank Gehry, the shapes and forms of his buildings have a playfulness that makes my heart sing, so my recent visit to the new Louis Vuitton Foundation building in Le Jardin d'Acclimatation in the Bois de Boulogne Paris, was always going to be a homage. Gehry is the ultimate modern day architectural conjurer and this incredible building is proof beyond doubt. Visually it is absolutely stunning.

First opened by Napoléon III and Empress Eugénie in 1860, Jardin d'acclimatation, has delighted generations of children with attractions that include a zoo, water garden and puppet theatre so it is quite fitting that this exuberant building has been built in this exterior space that has entertained for well over a century.

Architecturally there is a similarity to other Gehry buildings, though I feel this is more in the overall mood of the building and manner in which one responds to it rather than the materials used or the architectural form. This time the hero material used is glass (as opposed to titanium in the Guggenheim Bilbao, or Brick in the new UTS building in Sydney) which creates a ‘lightness’ in the 12 sails as they soar towards the sky, yet simultaneously it feels grounded and solid. One can almost feel the sails billowing as if it is about to set sail. 

These sails of curved glass, steel and timber act as an exoskeleton, protecting the 11 white tile-clad galleries beneath and subsequently create a wonderful array of architectural juxtapositions of curves & angles. As an Australian one cannot help but be reminded of our own iconic architectural masterpiece, the Sydney Opera House - in all the reading I have done around this building I have not seen anyone (including Frank Gehry himself) refer to similarities but to me it seems obvious - could it be atavistic?

The interior spaces are large yet intimate, light filled and calm. They house the Louis Vuitton Foundation’s contemporary art collection as well as the delicious ‘Le Frank’ restaurant at which we were lucky enough to secure a table. The food was exceptionally good, made even better by being able to absorb the spectacular surroundings with a glass of wine.

While I admit limited time meant we didn’t view the art collection as my main focus was the architecture, this is not an issue as I will definitely return soon.

Overall the building has a modernity that is entirely appropriate for the contemporary collection it houses plus the precision and attention to detail for which its namesake is renown.  

Spectacular views from Vittorio Emmanuel Monument, Rome

Since my initial sighting on my first trip to Rome many years ago, I have always loved the Roman Vittorio Emmanuel monument, 'Il Vittoriano', in honour of the unification of Italy, even though I know many Italian citizens do not feel the same way. I adore the unapologetic massive size of the building, seemingly not just celebrating the Italy's birth as a nation, but shouting it at the top of their lungs! Italians often disparagingly refer to it as 'the typewriter' or 'the wedding cake' as its tiered structure and bright white marble lend itself to these comparisons, but I think they secretly love it, as it has become almost as much a symbol of Rome as the Colosseum is. Obviously it does not rival the incredible depth of ancient and historic monuments Rome possesses, but it commands such a presence in Rome that it is hard to ignore.

In all my previous visits to Rome I have only admired it from street level, however this time we went inside to capture the views this monumental building offers. On the first level, via a multitude of stairs, there is a bar serving light meals and drinks which is a very pleasant place to rest after the hours of walking one does around Rome and the views from this level are very good. However for a small cost, you can take a lift (added in 2007), to the top of the monument and the whole of Rome opens in front of you. 

The perspective you get of this sprawling city is truly spectacular, plus you get a understanding of how the ancient ruins and more recent monuments and buildings relate to each other. The layering and how each dovetails into the workings of a large modern city can truly be appreciated with this view. At this level, one can almost touch the two enormous and beautiful statues of the Roman victory goddess Victoria riding on the quadriga, which symbolise liberty and unity. In addition, it is the only way I have ever been able to catch a perspective of the roof of my favourite Roman building, the beautifully preserved Pantheon built by Emperor Hadrian in AD118-125.

The roof of the Pantheon is visible in the centre of this photo

Venetian Rowing & a wonderful visit to the 'Arzana'

Learning to row 'Venetian style', that is, standing, facing forward and with a single oar that one uses to pull rather than push, was a definite highlight of our recent Venetian conference. Always on the look out for activities that offer our conference delegates something out of the ordinary plus very indicative of the locality, this one definitely met these objectives!

In an original wooden boat known as a Batela, our lesson began with a some instructions in a small narrow canal before heading out into the lagoon that surrounds Venice. We were assured that the flat bottom design of these boats makes it almost impossible to capsize, so proceeded with abandon to look like original Venetians in our endeavour (complete with the stripped shirt of the gondoliers - though I don't think I fooled anybody!) Like many things, it definitely looks easier than it is in reality but the experience was something we will remember for a lifetime.

Our wonderfully enthusiastic instructor Nan, an American who has lived in Venice for some years was really the rudder that kept the whole boat on course, but we eventually made progress and spent several delightful hours moving around the Venetian lagoon, albeit sometimes in circles, I have to admit! If ever given the opportunity to live in Venice for a length of time, this is definitely something I would love to master as it is hard to beat exercise that comes in the form of so much fun, laughter and when we were quiet, serenity.

Following this we were privileged to have an incredibly interesting tour of the 'Arzana', a museum dedicated to the preservation of the Batela, the original boat that has served as the mode of transport in Venice for centuries (basically the Ford motor car of this region). This museum is totally operated by volunteers and houses an incredible array of boats, including some original covered gondolas, plus equipment used in the making of Venetian boats that once proliferated in the canals of Venice. The Arzana Association acquired the old 'squero' which is an original building that accommodated this Venetian boat building and today is truly a 'living' museum - the passion of the participants is palpable and it was such a pleasure to spend time listening to their stories. 

With the influx of modern motor boats, this age old Venetian craft of the manufacture of wooden Batela is in danger of being lost and in essence the lagoon craft are the most identifiable image of Venice, so loosing this would be almost unthinkable! The Arzana association survive on the small contributions groups like ours give through visits (in addition to time & money from local enthusiasts), so if you are interested in Venetian rowing lessons or a group visit to the Arzana, contact http://rowvenice.com/ - I am sure your visit will be very memorable!!

Yayoi Kusama's collaboration with Louis Vuitton

On an early morning walk in Venice recently I was stopped in my tracks by the wonderfully avant guard shop windows of Louis Vuitton. They are a collaboration of Louis Vuitton's creative director, Marc Jacobs with Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama and not just in the form of window dressings, but indeed a range of handbags, sunglasses, shoes and coats.

Yayoi Kusama, born in Nanago Japan in 1929, is known for her use of repetitive pattern, bright colours and playful forms. In particular she is known for her use of polka dots.

One could not help but be inspired, delighted and uplifted when viewing the windows, which involved seemingly sinuous tentacles brightly painted in red & white polka dots and in the midst, a single handbag. The 2nd window displayed no product at all, just oversized brightly painted polka dot flowers each with a central motive reminiscent of an eye with gorgeous lashes. The windows, thoroughly original and definitely eye catching, plus the resulting Louis Vuitton collection, are a very clever melding of consumerism and commercialisation with the sometimes lofty world of art. 

I still find myself smiling widely every time I look at these photos, and in the end if art is intended to produce an emotional reaction then this one has definitely achieved its result! Full credit to Marc Jacobs for his vision in keeping this brand fresh and young and to blurring the lines between art and commercialisation.

Our Home in CITTA DELLA PIEVE is completed & ready for rental!!

After 4 months, driving thousands of kilometres and searching in countless markets, shops and little known villages, we have finally arrived at the completion of renovating and furnishing our home on the Umbrian Tuscan border. We are thrilled with the outcome and have thoroughly enjoyed the process of transforming our dream to a reality. The exceptionally comfortable beds are made, the wine glasses ready and now we are keen to have our first holiday renters enjoy the delights of this house and the atmospheric village in which it is situated. There is much to do in and around Citta della Pieve - all the well known towns in Tuscany and Umbria are within easy reach - Orvietto, Siena, Cortona, Montepulciano to name just a few. Rome and Florence are within a 1.15hr fast train trip from Chiusi (which is 15mins drive down the hill from our village), and of course the sumptuous produce for which this area is renowned, is at the doorstep - so what are you waiting for??

The original palazzo this apartment is a part of, was built in about 1650, and divided into 6 apartments about 25years ago. It has many of the original architectural elements, very thick stone walls, ancient timber beams and cotto floors that over the years have become quite uneven. We bought the apartment from the gentlemen who had owned it since it was divided 25yrs ago, and as artists they had painted many of the walls and ceilings with great detail. We chose to retain a portion of this work, removing the brighter of the colours they had painted, but our biggest change to the interiors has been to make them feel more in context with the age of the building and its Italian heritage. We have also gone to a great deal of effort to source beautiful chandeliers for every room as when we bought it there was no overhead lighting at all, and the addition of these makes the places feel significantly more sumptuous. The remainder of the furniture is largely market finds, some antique, some more recent, but the mix is what makes it interesting and extremely comfortable and relaxing. There is also a beautiful loggia - an outdoor covered space which has lovely views to the valley below and a perfect place to enjoy a glass of local wine. 

Here are the first photos of our house - we are in the process of completing the website, but the house is ready for rent, so if you are contemplating a holiday in this part of the world, send us an email, we will delighted to hear from you! info@educationcpe.com 

View from the loggia to the valley below

Living room with view to Main Bedroom on right and Loggia on left

Living room with view to Entry room. The fireplace is in working order but with central heating it is only required for ambience, not warmth

All of the artworks, in their original frames were found in markets across France and Italy. This wallhanging on the right, was bought in Morocco and is an old wedding blanket handmade by a woman from the Berber tribe.

We bought this beautiful handmade Beni Ourain (a Berber tribe) rug, on our recent trip to Morocco and it is superbly soft underfoot and gives a lovely texture to our living space. 

Entry with view to 2nd bedroom

Gorgeous candelabra 

These beds were sent all the way from UK as we wanted beds that could be either 2 King singles or convert to a Queen bed by zipping the mattresses and locking the bases in place - so this can be another Queen bed if required

These furniture pieces were found in Antique markets across Italy and France

This large map of Europe enables you to plan the rest of your journey while enjoying a meal 

Kitchen with view to the loggia

The Main Bedroom has an exceptionally comfortable Queen size bed and french doors opening to the covered loggia 

There is plenty of space in the bedrooms for all your luggage 

View from living room to kitchen

The Loggia 

View from the loggia

Citta della Pieve