Day 19 - Arab Institute & Maison de Verre

I’ve really been enjoying the pace of the last few days-I feel like I’m finally having a bit of time to reflect and think about how this trip has started to shape me and the my art. Today, going to the Institut du Arab and seeing the AMAZING aperture glass windows that opened and closed just like a camera to let light in was a really great experience.

I saw how photography could be manifested within architecture, which I never thought I could be done.

I also really enjoyed going to the Maison de Verre, and seeing how light emanated throughout this house I normally am not attracted to the design of a house and the objects that occupy it, but the functionality as well as the story behind it all was what really intrigued me. The fact that it has undergone so many different stages is really amazing. Going from a gynecology office and home, to now a museum/home is so bizarre and beautiful.

My favorite part of the house was the fact that it included little moments where design encompassed common courtesy-the way that the doorknob was designed within the doctor’s office made it so that the doctor had to bend down and bow slightly to say goodbye to the woman who was leaving, to be respectful.  

One of my other favorite parts within the house was when we were inside the waiting room, and Andrew, the man who was showing us around the house, was describing why the windows were so much higher than expected. When you’re sitting down, you’re staring at the textured Nevada Glass tiles, but when you’re standing up you are able to see into the garden. He said that the doctor did this intentionally, due to the fact that the majority of his clients were dealing with infertility and didn’t want them to be seeing his children playing in the garden while they were waiting for their appointment. That attention to emotion within design is honestly something I never thought about until today and I think it made me aware of just how much it is capable of conveying and doing. Little things like that within the house is what really set it apart from a lot of what we’ve seen so far.

When we got back to the hostel later on, it started to downpour… just a few pictures. I don’t think I’ve seen it rain that hard in the longest time.