I am currently in Berlin for the annual GRAPHISOFT International Partners Conference but have managed to find a couple of days to explore Berlin – a city with an incredibly rich history that I could never do justice to explaining.

Instead I decided it is easiest to simply provide a selection of photos showing the old and the new architecture along with many of the ‘monuments’ that illustrate the history.

If you browsed through my photos from yesterday you may have seen an interesting ‘lotus shaped’ building.

The ArtScience Museum building was designed by renowned architect Moshe Safdie and certainly has some interesting features, including:

• The roof of ArtScience Museum allows rainwater to be harvested and channeled down a 35-meter water drop through the center of the structure to the reflecting pond at the lowest level of the building. Rainwater is recycled and redirected through the water feature to create a continuous cylindrical waterfall. The rainwater is also recycled for use in the museum’s bathrooms as part of Singapore’s Green Mark program.
• Surrounded by a 40,000-square foot lily pond reflecting pool, ArtScience Museum floats over a dynamic new urban terrace with commanding views of Singapore and Marina Bay Sands.
• A total of 10 “fingers” that make up the building form plus two bay windows with special views of Singapore and Marina Bay Sands. The tallest “finger” stands 60 meters above ground.
• The interiors of the “fingers” are unique gallery spaces with natural lighting from the fingertips illuminating the sculptural interior wall forms.

While I didn’t have time to venture inside below are a few more photos:

I am currently in Singapore for a few days en-route to Berlin for the annual GRAPHISOFT International Partners Conference.

While I have passed through Singapore many times I have never had the chance to walk and explore the city and it’s history.

I am staying right beside the Singapore river so today talk a walk down stream.

Sir Thomas Raffles landed in Singapore in 1819 and signed a treaty on behalf of the British East India Company to develop Singapore as a British trading post and as inscribed on the plaque below his statue this was to change Singapore forever.

The contrast of the old fishing village and the modern metropolis is clearly evident today:

Further downstream I arrived at Marina Bay home to the Marina Bay Sands Casino ands it’s 150m long roof top infinity pool:

The double helix bridge:

And the Art and Science Museum:

Along the way I discovered many architectural gems from today and yesteryear: