Zhaoxuan Wang

As a landscape architecture student, this Germany study abroad provides me many benefits and wonderful memories. Not only from the design concept, but also the idea of individual, for career, life, teamwork, cultural understanding…  Our whole team spent five weeks together, we have different cultural backgrounds, different professional understanding, but we have the same idea: learn from this trip to Germany to the knowledge we need.

I am very grateful to the Landscape Architecture department and SEBS for giving us this opportunity to broaden our horizons and understand the new world. Germany has a completely different design perspective from the United States, and there is a difference in the acceptance of landscape architecture by the public.Now the city is developing rapidly, and more natural sites are being swallowed up by the new city plan. But many people and planning people have neglected the disadvantages of losing green space. German designers and government departments use a new way to maintain nature, allowing nature to better integrate with modern urban protection rather than replace it.

Studying abroad in Germany is just a small start for me. It opened my new world. I encourage every student of landscape architecture not only to have a pair of insightful eyes, but also to go out of the house and feel the beauty that the world brings to you. There are too many designers in this world who have a smarter mind than us. Only by learning more and more individual can understand those essence inside designs. I have never regretted the choice of this trip, and I am greatly grateful for this opportunity. It added me another chapter on my life journey and encouraged me to continue my passionate on the future way of study.

During this trip we went to the city Dusseldorf. This a city that provided me a lot of good memories. And this a place that makes me feel like my hometown. Short introduction of Dusseldorf: “It is the capital and second largest city of the most populous German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia after Cologne(WIKI)”. Also this is a city with confluence of Rhine and its tributary Düssel.

This morning we went to the place call Hofgarten. And above is the picture of the site plan. As you can see, this is a large site. Water flows through the central part. Before visit this place, i checked some reviews online. Many people described this place is beautiful, peaceful and enjoyable. This is a place that you can sit for a whole afternoon and just watch passing by people.

As I arrived there, I can truly feel how visitors’ mood. I sit on the long bench and did my sketches, which it amazing and made me calm down. And I took many pictures of the site:

This is famous design of this park: LED bench. At night all benches will light up the main road and many people would like to take pictures at here.

The green balcony building

The beauty of geometric art

The wild flower on the road side

 

At Week 3 we went to Phoenixsee, which is locate at the city of Dortmund. This is a highly recommend place for every Landscape Architect to visit. This is one of the largest urban development projects in Germany. And this is a multi-functioned area. Surrounding by luxury apartments, modern hotels, riverside café and recreational parks.

This site used to an industrial historical site. The new development of Phoenixsee rise up the value of the city and bring effective environmental design for people.

The lake at the center is a fully human-made one. And one 3.2 km circulated pedestrian surround this lake. This lake provide a great space for relaxing and sporting. Also by looking at the riverfront planting design, all plants organized as same order as in USA.

By walking the long path we almost took 2 hours. On the way to the destination we climbed to the top hill of the site. The site view is perfectly unfold in front of my eyes.  Germany has many landscape projects that bought me fresh ideas, and I am glad share this beauty with everyone!!!

This is the half way of our trip, and it is the time of travel weekend. I feel grateful to have an opportunity study abroad to Germany and have my own time to travel another European country. After me and my friends had a long conversation, we decided the travel destination will be Copenhagen, Denmark.

Copenhagen has always been my dream traveling place. This time I made it! Copenhagen is the home of fairy tales and the home of Andersen. Copenhagen is also full of ancient architecture, but with the relaxed atmosphere unique to the Nordic countries, this small Copenhagen is full of modern atmosphere.

We only have three days of travel time and choose to arrive early in the morning to start our trip. When we got off the plane, we went straight to the very famous breakfast shop in Copenhagen to experience the specialties – open sandwiches and specialty coffee. I think that food is the most direct way to reflect the local culture and history, from its visual taste to feel the local lifestyle.

After eating, we started the plan: travel through Copenhagen city. We arrived at the famous tourist destination – Nyhavn. This is an artificial canal with many colorful houses on both sides of the river. (Great choice for my section drawing) Due to its colorful view, many tourists are taking photos here. As the opening of the canal promoted the economic development of the King’s New plaza. However many traditional site changed, for example, those old sailor’s bar was replaced by commercial restaurants. Also, in recording people said that Andersen was living here for a while.

I am a museum super fan. Every time when I get to a place, museum will be one of the important place to go.  Denmark has its own unique artistic style and design style, which everyone calls it — Danish Design. During this trip I chose to visit the Design Museum, and this visit brought me a lot of fresh understanding and ideas about Danish design. The special exhibition is: the historical evolution of more than one hundred chairs. The evolution of these chairs reflects the free pursuit of Danish art for modern art. Due to the influence of German Bauhaus concept to Danish Design, this museum also specially built the Bauhaus art activity area for letting people experience the concept of Bauhaus.

(Open sandwich and local Denmark oysters)

（Grundtvigskirche）

（Bauhaus activity inside Design Museum）

（Kastrup Søbad）

This is Week Two at Berlin, I went to many new places and ate a lot of Germany food (currywurst and fries!!). It was so good and highly recommended.

July 10th

This Monday I went to DIE BERLINER SIEGESSÄULE, in English we call it Berlin Victory Column. It is a monument in Berlin for commemorating the Prussian victory in the Danish-Prussian War. However, later they gave a new purpose to this statue in unification wars.

The Berlin Victory Column is a famous tourist place, our group climbed up to the top 360 degrees platform of the column. The view, wind, and site were so beautiful and pleasant to welcome us. If you are planning to visit Berlin, 5 stars!

At the afternoon:

We went to a fascinating Rose Garden that locating in großer Tiergarten. When I arrived there I was impressed by the site view, it is so picturesque. It reminds me of the sketchbook “Secret Garden,”   all those fancy flowers and all colors in front of me. Inside the garden, there is a bench with a green roof, and a senior couple sat there. We had a good conversation, they told me they will come here once weak. They feel relaxing and happiness here. I am glad that one site or one garden can bring people love and joy. This is the goal that I am chasing for.

July 11th

This is the bridge Glienicke Bridge, is the bridge that across the Havel river that connecting Potsdam and Berlin. Also, this bridge has the historical meaning, during the Cold war time, as the separation line to differ West Berlin and East Berlin.

This is the looking point that locating at Schloss Glienicke. I really like the design materials and function of this place. All the benches surround the edge work perfectly for human activity. I guess during those old days,  people who used to live here enjoyed their perfect time.