The Secret, ressurected!

Here's a little something from the archives, c. April '07.

Blur Pavillion

The "Blur Pavillion" as its known, was the centerpiece attraction for the 2002 Swiss National Expo by architects Diller & Scofidio. From a practical perspective, the structure which seems to float above the surface of a lake, uses over 30,000 spray nozzles to atomize lake water around the framework, effiectively creating a man-made cloud. From a conceptual standpoint, however, the cloud acts as the structure's only skin, a constantly changing, ever-moving, almost "living" facade. As the name suggests, the concept blurs the line between interior and exterior, static and dynamic, inannimate and alive.

The sensation of walking around its maze-like spaces is surely surreal. Add to that uncertainty the incorporation of intelligent raincoats that wirelessly communicate visitors' basic personality profiles and glow in a corresponding color code, and you have the makings for a truely unique experience.

Check out the full article here.

Congratulations America

And Congratulations to Barack Obama.

The Other Side of INSEAD

I've been at INSEAD in Fontainbleau for more than two weeks now, and have thus begun to form various opinions about the school, its students, and the overall culture. I arrived wide-eyed and ready to dive in head first, something I think is safe to say about the vast majority of the MBAs here. After all, INSEAD has a reputation for being one of Europe's finest business schools, and as such has a long-standing association in the minds of those familiar with the institution as being a formidable undertaking. Considered for many years to be a popular "finishing school" for many of Europe's elite, there are certain elements of the culture at INSEAD that go hand in hand with this environment. Students typically wear business suits, dialog is focused intently on furthering status and career, and the whole institution feels more like the atmosphere of a corporate headquarters than a school. Club membership is another element with a strong presence. As you might expect, there are clubs tailored to a wide array of interests and career directions. There are sports clubs, hobby clubs, and professional clubs. And then there are the private clubs.

Membership in any club has its perks. Membership in one of the private clubs is by no means an exception. There are three private clubs (I've since learned) within the INSEAD community, at least that I am yet aware of. Tradition is an integral part of any culture and the preservation of that culture is important, bearing its own intrinsic value. Having said that, I will choose my following words very carefully.

As I mentioned, there are three private clubs that find their roots at INSEAD: Renaissance, VIP, and The Valmont Club. They are not secret clubs, per se, (or you wouldn't be reading this) but they are, however, very private. During the first week, I was approached by a very well-connected student I'd met in one of the classes. I'd explained earlier the details of the exchange program and my interests in being here, both professionally and personally. This student inquired as to whether I would be interested in attending a private party later in the week. They explained that this would be a private event, by personal invitation from a club member only, and that it was exclusively for "friends of friends." I was told to meet at a building on campus the evening of the event and the rest of the details would be revealed once there.

When I arrived (the building was deserted and dark) there was a small but growing number of other people looking as clueless as I. Just as I headed for the door, the student who had extended the invitation showed up and asked everyone to follow him. We descended to the basement where we were greeted by a number of the club's existing members, bottles of champagne, and other treats. After some mingling, the organizer began:

"Welcome to The Valmont Club. This is a private club, for friends of friends only. The Valmont Club is a tradition at INSEAD for deserving students. It has its benefits as you'll see, and once you're a member, you remain a member. Tonight, the party is at the club's château; there will be a tour bus departing in 15 minutes to take you there and returning later. Enjoy the champagne, there is a lot more at the château. Oh, and no cameras are allowed."

A half hour ride through the French countryside later we arrived at the Valmont Château. Club members guided us to the party, descending into a courtyard lined with glowing candles. The scene was straight out of a secret society movie. I remember thinking at the time, as cool as it was, I knew nothing about what was going on. However, soon it didn't matter. We climbed a small stone stairway, passed through a giant wooded door, and entered the party.

This is the part where I have to leave you, the reader, hanging to some extent. You have no choice but to trust me, I have no choice either. The details of the party will now and forever remain within the club. I can say I saw things there I cannot disclose, here or anywhere else. In short, the party was amazing, sometimes strange and even surprising, but always exciting. I'm now proud to say I am a member of The Valmont Club and I look forward to what other surprises await. It isn't a secret. But I wouldn't say it above a whisper.

Home Sweet Fontainebleau

Downtown Fontainebleau: on a par with the Sunset Strip.
Château Fontainebleau

After the madness of being on holiday in London and celebrating New Years in Paris, life has taken a distinct turn back toward the slow life. I cannot say it's returned to normal, in fact it's anything but, however, life is back to a more standard pace. That being, one dominated by a single activity: school. The new term started on January 5th. So far I've started 2 of my 4 courses, already enjoying the change in learning style and subject matter. It's the business channel all day every day here, a dramatic turn from the focus on design process, creative problem solving, and sketching. In fact, so far there has been nothing save a single project proposal layout that remotely resembles the coursework at Art Center. There HAS been a great deal of reading case studies though. Hardly a complaint, i'm finding i really enjoy the business side of things, even if it is dry in comparison to design. And i really enjoy reading, something i don't do much of during term.

It hasn't been all work and no play though. Since only half my classes have begun the coursework is still relatively light. Knowing this, if you follow this fact through to its logical end you find it no surprise the other ACCD exchange students and i have taken full advantage of both Fontainebleau's proximity to Paris and the beginning-of-term parties at châteaus in the surrounding countryside. More on that later ; )

From the the Land of Tea & Crumpets to that of Baguette & Brie

Pleasure: Ice drinks at the Absolute Ice Bar
Pain: Dragging our excessive luggage up one of the nearly infinite train station stairways

December 28th was D-Day for me. At 6pm local time I departed LAX for Europe, and a few days of adventure before undertaking what I previously described (see below) as "The Next Big Thing." That being, beginning a 4-month executive-level business course at INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France.

Those courses have subsequently already begun, however, that is subject matter for a future posting. For the time being, I humbly submit to you the following story purely for the sake of entertainment. Expect to find within nothing but the truth, albeit abridged for the purpose of brevity, depicting the events of the week between my departure and the commencement of my studies at INSEAD. I offer no promise of traditionally redeeming qualities other than a thorough appreciation of how to have a good time. Without further ado, let me begin...

Following an uneventful and relatively painless 10-hour flight courtesy of Virgin Atlantic, we landed at London Heathrow. As you may know, VA is a premium carrier and in true form they even gave us gift bags, to which I added my very own VA blanket via five-finger-discount. Sweet, swag! Through customs and on to brave the London Tube system with over 100lbs of luggage each (7 of us). We checked into what is likely the shadiest hostel I’ve ever stayed at but we more or less had our own room so that helped.

The next two days were spent exploring the city, checking out all the must-see attractions (Buckingham Palace, Parliment, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge, The Tower of London, The London Eye, Harrod's, Hyde Park, St. James Park, Covent Garden, Picadilly Circus, etc.) interspersed with a healthy dose of pubs, naturally. We also literally stumbled upon the Absolute Ice Bar, a small but quite posh club owned and operated by Absolute Vodka and in which everything is made of ice, straight down to the cups. Walls, furniture, décor, “glassware”, bar, everything. Its -5 Celsius and they gave us special thermal hoodies/overcoats and gloves. Pretty unique experience I must say.

On NYE day we chunneled it to France and by sheer serendipity met our French friend Jean-Hugues right as we exited the EuroStar train. He helped us get a taxi for all our stuff and while the others tested le Metro, I rode with the luggage and made friends with the cabbie who supposedly worked for the US state department doing semi-covert communist data collection in France and eastern Europe during the cold war before the iron curtain came down. Once settled at the nicest Holiday Inn I’ve ever seen (seriously) in northern Paris we headed out for what proved to be on an even par for the craziest NYE I’ve ever had, right up there with the NYE I spend in Berlin. After a quick dinner and several bottles of wine (we were 9 people now) we headed to meet another member of the INSEAD exchange group at his cousin’s (who knew we’d be there, and decided to rent an EXTRAORDINARY flat directly across Rue St. Severin from a cathedral directly south of Ile de la Cite in the Latin Quarter). There they had a smorgasbord of cheeses, meats, baguette and…here’s the kicker…a CASE of VERY nice champagne. We ate, drank, and stared at the gorgeous view and the cathedral’s gargoyles almost eye to eye for the next couple hours.

When it was time we grabbed the remaining 5 bottles and headed down to le Tour Eiffel where we met the rest of Paris, just as jubilant and intoxicated as we. We did the countdown, popped our bottles and cheers-in 2009 on a bridge near the foot of the tower. It was absolute madness all around. We walked back toward the centre of the city, witnesses a group of girls get mugged which was bizarre and reminded us of the other side of Paris, kept walking and got tired near the Louvre. There we found what must surely be Paris most expensive bar…where we of course had to stop for drinks. When our check came we were shocked to see the now 11 of us had run up the equivalent of a $650 bar tab! We’d only had two drinks each. Wait, I’ll do the math for you…that’s more than $27/drink (yeah, that’s how we do). Ah, c’est la Vie! Lots of debauchery, getting lost on the Paris Metro, and other mayhem later we stumbled in around 6am. We nursed ourselves back to health, which happened remarkably quickly (champagne of that quality doesn’t give hangovers apparently), and spend the next day or two wandering the city, seeing sights, and found some of the coolest restaurants I’ve ever eaten at. Lots of café au lait was also consumed.

On the 3rd (I think, its fuzzy at this point) we headed out to Fontainebleau, 45 min southeast of Paris. Our house is three stories plus the closest thing I’ve ever seen to a genuine dungeon. But it makes a perfect wine cellar! My room looks as if it may have once been a nursery, but it was quickly my favorite bedroom when walking around and I’m glad I got it. Its on the second floor, shares only one common wall, and is right across from a huge bathroom with open-format stone shower and Jacuzzi tub. Not too shabby! The last member of our group joined us the next day and we’ve settled in nicely.

Monday started class, have had a couple each day, and am enjoying the very different type of coursework than is the norm for design classes. The other students seem pretty nice so far, but I feel underdressed at all times in the presence of MBAs. The students very much live up to what one would expect given this college’s reputation. Luckily the cafeteria is cheap because the rest of France is NOT. Fontainebleau is a wealthy city by French standards and this fact is overtly reflected in the cost of living. It’s $5 for a cup of coffee. The resurgent Euro recently against the dollar is not helping either. But I’ve been frugal before, I will just have to be again. In any case, its clear to me this is just the start of what will be a phenomenal term abroad, and I leave it to you to check back for regualar updates on the goings on in Fontainebleau.

Cheers for now.