Post-Trip Reflection: Kerri LaBerge, Interior Design

Soaking up the sun after lunch at the CIEE Study Center in Prague

QUESTION:

Given the opportunity to study resiliency of historic structures in Prague and Berlin, where would you go? What would you see? Who would you meet? What would you eat?

Answer: The most beautiful places, the most interesting things, the most knowledgeable people, and THE MOST DELICIOUS PASTRIES. EVER. (If you were on our trip, at least.)

Bullet holes in a Berlin building

The decadent beauty of the buildings in Prague and the tumultuous history of Berlin certainly struck me- but I think what affected me even more was the resiliency of the people, their society, and their culture. The architecture was one piece of that larger puzzle. Prague "survived the war", but still carries remnants of Communist occupation. Our group definitely stuck out as American because of our boisterous nature- very unlike the Czechs. Berlin's structures did not fare as well as Prague's: they quite literally bear scars of the war, and the people carry the weight of their history. They go to long lengths to remember their dark past so as never to repeat it.
But there is a cheerfulness and camaraderie to Berlin also. We didn't get to spend much time there, but we learned as much as we could in three days!

Berlin's Potsdamer Platz rainwater collection system

Berlin is also very progressive. Because they essentially had a blank slate after much of the city was destroyed in WWII, they have taken the opportunity to rebuild using the most brilliant minds and cutting-edge technology. One such site is Potsdamer Platz, which we were able to visit on a guided tour. The plaza is unique in that it has an incredible water system designed by award-winning Italian architect Renzo Piano. This was very pertinent to my research topic, which focuses on how we can think resiliently about our water supply. In addition to providing green-blue space in an urban area, the rainwater collection system provides grey water and cooling to the surrounding buildings. By using rainwater in toilets, over 5 million gallons of drinking water are saved per year. By using the water system for cooling, electricity costs are cut by 50% each year. By seeing what Berlin had done on a city-wide level to conserve water, I began to wonder what I could do on an individual level and how I could communicate that to fellow students. I created an info-graphic as part of the service-learning component of the course:

A beautiful Art Nouveau pendant fixture
at the Municipal House exhibit

Our experiences in Berlin were invaluable, but in terms of personal academic enhancement, Prague was incredibly inspiring for me. My favorite two site visits were there: at the National Technical Library and an impromptu trip to the Municipal House where we saw an Art Nouveau exhibition. My final studio project last semester was to research a time period in art and design a hotel room in that style. I chose European Art Nouveau! Seeing these art pieces in real life was incredible. As a student, I enjoy studying art and design, but it is when design comes to life that I am most inspired and motivated. At the National Technical Library, we were met by one of the architects of the building and guided through every detail. Having him walk us through his concept for the building and showing us how each detail fit into that concept was exciting for me. It was a real-life application of everything I've studied in class!

Enjoying a delicious větrníky in Prague!

Overall, the experiences I had in Europe enriched my studies and life in a deeper way than I ever expected or thought possible. The faculty on the trip (Interior Design, History, and Psychology) and the other students on the trip (Business, Fashion Merchandising, Graphic Design) added even more to my experience. Having other perspectives and ideas made for a much more interesting and diverse adventure. Discussions were sparked that wouldn't have been had we only been traveling with designers. Real-life encounters have the ability to elicit emotions and inspirations that a textbook never could. I learned so much and I returned bursting with excitement for design, for travel, and for life.