Design Post Update

Under heavy renovation and possibly finished by 2016, The Neues Palais (or new palace) in Potsdam is one of the more impressive structures in the area. Parts of Potsdam are basically a suburb of immense palaces, now nearly all museums.  There are many excellent books available on the many palaces and the area itself.
The Neues Palais wasn't meant as a home for the King when it was completed in 1769 but rather as official state apartments for entertaining other royals and ambassadors. Therefore it was built to impress and not necessarily be very homey for the monarch who retained a small apartment in the palace.
Opposite the palace (above) are the Communs (seen below), creating an entry courtyard. The Communs held the kitchens, service spaces, and offices for the palace - a sort of 'downstairs' if you will. The king had underground passages built connect the Palais to the Communs so servants could get between the buildings unseen but also undeterred by weather.
The ornate interiors are astounding. Designed in the Baroque style favored by the king they're beginning to show traces of upcoming Neoclassicism. Frederick the Great didn't like the strict lines of Neoclassicism so you have to look hard though!
The palace was originally designed by Johann Gottfried Buring.  Buring had completed other buildings in Potsdam for the king but was fired from the job after it was started after disagreements on the palace facade. Perhaps Buring wanted to bring in the 'new' Neoclassicm.
 I don't know, I think some of the rooms look pretty Neoclassical to me, wouldn't you agree? They could have been remodeled at a later date.
 The floors in the palace are stunning. The parquet floor above looks absolutely modern to my eyes.
 Carl von Gontard took over construction of the palace after Buring's dismissal.
 The salon above is really interesting -I love how the treatment continues to the ceiling.
Almost a sort of garden room. Also notice the modern light fixtures which are hung holding all of the modern necessities like security.
While these modern fixtures might seem strange to some, I like that they don't damage any of the delicate walls and finishes and stand separate and discreet as their own 'thing'. Europeans do this exceptionally well.
 More gorgeous parquet floors, almost like fine furniture.
 After awhile all of these grand rooms start to look the same; gold, gold, and more gold.
 I think we need to bring back the use of bed niches.
I imagine particularly in the 18th century Germany the alcoves felt really cozy and warm before central heating.
 More gorgeous painted paneling - chinoiserie here. No gold here!
The palace was later used by successive monarchs as a full time residence and it was therefore renovated with modern conveniences. I love the Victorian heat grate above.
But not all of the rooms are gold. A number of rooms are silver gilded like the bedroom below. I suppose the silver would reflect candlelight just as well if not better than the gold gilding.
As always thanks so much to my Australian penpal Neil for supplying us with these gorgeous images from his travels. If you find yourself in Berlin a visit out to Potsdam is really heavily encouraged: read more about visiting Potsdam palaces here.

It's been one of those weeks where you just need a little pretty.  Luckily I have my penpal to supply me with beautiful photographs from his travels. One gem that caught my eye is the Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janiero, Brazil (which I can never think of without humming a little Fred Astaire, I love that song of his about Rio!).
The Opera house, designed by French architect Albert Guilbert, was heavily based on the Palais Garnier or Paris Opera House (See my post on that storied building HERE) and completed in 1909. A later addition to the concert hall dates to 1934 with an adjunct being added just 20 years ago.
 The grand staircase could almost be seen as an exact copy!
 Is it any wonder that anyone would want to copy this great, impressive building?
 The ceiling features a beautiful stained glass skylight.
Just as in Paris the top of the stair holds various gathering spaces for intermissions. They are slightly less ornate but no less grand.
 The similarities are so stunning that one expects to stop onto the balcony to view Paris!
 The stained glass is very much of the time of this theater though, 1909.
 Why do modern theaters lack this attention to detail?
 But lets step into the auditorium and see the main attraction.
Does anyone ever use these grand boxes which flank theater stages? I frequently see them and they're always empty!
The large seating capacity dates to the 1934 addition -still very similar to the Paris example only missing the ceiling by Chagall (see that in this post HERE).
Elsewhere in the building is this intriguingly eclectic space which I can only say seems very Brazilian to me which seems to operate as a banquet hall.
 Notice the bulls as column capitals.

 Elsewhere in the room column bases are no less unusual.
 Notice the intriguing tiling and sconces which also feature more bulls.
 I think this dose of pretty much wraps up the week for me, don't you agree?

On a note different from what I normally feature on this blog, I thought I would share some images from the recent exhibition on Hubert Givenchy at one of my favorite museums, El Museo de arte Thyssen-Bornemisza, in Madrid which my penpal kindly sent me.
Givenchy will forever be known for his relationship with celebrities, primary amongst them Audrey Hepburn, but also Jackie Kennedy Onassis, the Duchess of Windsor, and the list goes on.
I think these clothes appeal to me not only for the obvious reason, their beauty, but their architectural qualities and attention to detailing are astounding.
 The use of vivid color and black together also is architecturally appealing.
 Recognize Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany's above?
 Or Wallis Simpson, aka the Duchess of Windsor, in mourning here.
Or the Duchess again here in a striped gown. These clothes are iconic and a part of our culture; instantly recognizable.
Seeing some of these famous gowns in color, such as Jackie Kennedy's gown from the Paris opera, is a delightful surprise; cream and soft colors.
 Bridal beyond boring white....
 The details of this non-white wedding dress (emphasis on NO BORING WHITE) are amazing.
 I don't even know how one makes something such as this!
 Clothes make the woman or so one would believe based on the models below in the room entitled elegance and simplicity.
 Who needs jewelry with clothes as beautiful as these?
While many of these gowns are surely dated would 'Fashion Police' mock them on the red carpet I wonder? Does style such as this date?  Maybe the jackets.....
 but what jackets they are!
Givenchy is a master of color - unusual colors - and pairings that give life to one another.
 I'm sure the yellow/orange dress is difficult to wear but on the right woman....amazing.





 And don't forget the hats!
Thanks to Neil for sharing his images with us all. See more on the exhibit at the museum website HERE, which includes the program and an interactive video walk-through of the exhibition.