New Frankfurt – Cornucopia City

The new ruins crush the soul of the possibilities of earlier revolutions

There is a great market in Offenbach-am-Main three times a week, including Saturday morning. It’s a good place to practice speaking English. The repetition of buying fruit and vegetables and bread and cheese and fish and meat helps to remember the words. One of the stalls sells nothing but potatoes. I explained to the womanContinue reading “The new ruins crush the soul of the possibilities of earlier revolutions”

Coming into Frankfurt-am-Main

There’s a mirage effect in the Channel. A ship appears to be hovering above the sea. It would make a good photograph. But I must hurry as I have a train to catch, and then a plane. I glance at the ship one more time and hasten to the railway station. The mean spirited andContinue reading “Coming into Frankfurt-am-Main”

Ships

Neues Frankfurt

The chronological sequence of German history from 1870 can be described as the rule of Bismark, unification of Germany, development of mass production and consumerism, (first large wave of housing building), autocratic rule of Kaiser Wilhelm II, imperialism, the development of the Social Democratic Party as a mass socialist organisation. That sequence stops with theContinue reading “Neues Frankfurt”

The Art of Logistics

The Art of Logistics has many possibilities. An image-object like this can become a clue. But that must wait, it is included here for chronological reasons, rather than by concept. Sometimes that’s how it works and I am trying to catch up with time, fully aware of how it slips in the opposite direction toContinue reading “The Art of Logistics”

You’ll always find me in the Party at Kitchens

We all know that sinking feeling. Trapped by someone at a social occasion who has one topic of conversation; their new fitted kitchen. One must not act out individual rebellion nor be rude, but turn the conversation to the Frankfurt Kitchen and the necessity of good quality housing for all. Social conditions have changed. WhileContinue reading “You’ll always find me in the Party at Kitchens”

Heimat Siedlung

Kubler suggests that architecture is like an envelope. This is a useful, if partial, analogy. But let us take this idea of ‘envelope’ for a moment. An envelope suggests something that is wrapped around and contained, secure, private and that it prevents the contents being revealed. This is not actually what Kubler means, he isContinue reading “Heimat Siedlung”