Summer vacations offer an opportunity to refuel and relax. For some here at CambridgeSeven it also is a valuable way for us to recharge creatively. It stretches our perspectives and refreshes our outlook and we return reinvigorated with new ideas that we’re eager to apply. From local jaunts to exotic excursions (and of course, architectural tours) we’ve rounded up some notable travels by our staff this season that have fueled their design-fire and instilled inspiration.

Douglas Flandro – Spatial Illusions

In Lille, France I was able to see some installations by one of my favorite artists at the Palais Beaux-Arts. Swiss-born Felice Varini’s uses a projector to and stencils to create a geometric image in a space. From the projection, he uses paint or colored tape to cover all the complex surfaces with a bright color. When you are standing in the same spot where the projector was, you see the image as a magical floating 2-dimensional object. When you move from that spot and look at it from another perspective, you see that the image is much more complicated. I see beauty in the complicated fragments of color throughout the space, especially because they are parts of a beautiful whole.

Amy Hasting – College Tours

Along our thousand-mile ACC/SEC (Atlantic Coast Conference/Southeastern Conference) college tour, we found some urban planning and historic building gems. Our favorite spot was in Chattanooga where we had ice cream along the river at sunset with a beautiful view of the Tennessee River anchored by the Tennessee Aquarium.

Adam Mitchell – A Visit to the Pavillon Le Cobusier

A high point of my summer was an afternoon spent at the Heidi Weber Museum in Zurich. The building is both iconic and idiosyn­cratic. Designed without an explicit building program, this lake­side folly encapsulates all that beguiles and frustrates Le Corbus­ier admirers .

I have considered this building from afar for decades and the chance to visit in person was an exciting moment. The double roof, the sublime adherence to the ‘Five Points’, the exquisite steel construction, and the latent ocean-liner motifs did not dis­appoint.

That Sunday was glorious with sun and heat. We were joined by fellow pilgrims who had come to admire as well as wonder at this artifact, transported from the mid-century, fully formed from the Ma`ster’s head. I was reminded that self-parody is often the unin­tended consequence of extreme rigor and that Corbu has likely had the last laugh.

Mary Kraensel – Animal Encounters

I really love Berlin, Germany and have visited a few times in the last twelve months. One of my favorite places is the Berliner Tierpark.

It’s similar to a zoo, but there are more opportunities to get close to some of the animals. As part of this interactive quality, they have a giraffe exhibit, which I love. On my first visit to the Tierpark last year, I noticed some people feeding the giraffes and I really wanted to do it too (it truly was the height of jealousy)!!  For my birthday, my boyfriend surprised me with a giraffe-feeding session. It truly is one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. I can not begin to underscore how large their heads are!!

Kevin Mowatt – Sustainable Waterfronts

Every July my family obsesses over our next perfect Block Island vacation; actually, the obsession starts immediately following the previous year’s return. While the point of the beach vacation is to enjoy the endless regenerative rays of sun, another renewable resource just off the coast makes me feel good that this is the place to be. The Town of New Shoreham, RI (the official incorporated town on Block Island) has worked to harness their strong coastal winds. Within sight from Mohegan Bluffs are 5 enormous wind turbines that churn out 100% of the island’s electrical needs, to the point where much of the excess power generated is sent back to the mainland. Due to advancing technology of HVAC equipment that reduces electrical draw, we have noticed an increase in air conditioning via ductless min-split units, which have improved our experience in otherwise humid rental houses; for owners, the units decrease maintenance costs of their island oases. The community’s push for sustainable energy, partly driven by necessity, is inspiring as a first step toward complete self-sufficient living. Next, I am looking toward a future of Block Island vacations where even the one solitary gas station in the town has disappeared. Taking the time stare out at the vast horizon inspires thoughts of how we can keep trying to do better for the planet.

Mario Ghosn – Ancient Wonders and Waterfalls

During my week-long visit to Marrakech, Morocco, I had the chance to explore the breathtaking landscapes beyond the city. One of the highlights was visiting the ancient ksar of Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage ksar built from rammed earth and clay bricks, showcases the ingenious ksar design, a fortified village dwellings clustered together to withstand both the desert climate and tribal conflicts of the past. Wandering through its narrow alleyways and towering walls felt like stepping into a living museum.

I also went hiking in the stunning Ourika Valley, surrounded by lush greenery and traditional Berber villages, with the sound of cascading waterfalls echoing through the mountains. The stone-built Berber homes cling to the slopes of the High Atlas Mountains. The blend of natural beauty and vernacular architecture offered me a deeper appreciation of how communities here have harmonized with their environment for centuries.

Sumi Fasolo – Open Air Music

Every summer we enjoy outdoor music, and this year was no exception. In my hometown, I revisited the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in Katonah, NY, where I was on the summer staff as a teenager. The Rosen House, an Italianate-style villa with a courtyard performance space, transports you to another time and place, an intimate experience for musicians and audiences. In Boston, the Longwood Symphony Orchestra performed at the iconic Hatch Shell located on the Esplanade along the Charles River. It was one of the hottest days of the summer, but the beautiful music, scenery and sunset made for a refreshing evening.

Next, we will be taking a day trip to Tanglewood in The Berkshires to hear the Boston Symphony Orchestra with cellist Yo-yo Ma!

Kwesi Budu-Arthur – Modernism in Mexico

Casa Luis Barragan, located in Mexico City, is not only a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but also a pillar of the modernist movement in architecture.

In broadest terms, the simple unassuming structure is a blank architectural canvas upon which is laid not only the cultural and spiritual elements of the Mexican people, but also inspired by artists of global influence who were contemporaries of Barragan.

Indeed, to enter Casa Barragan is in many ways to step into Joseph Albers’s “Homage to the Square” from a series of paintings which were a direct result of his and Anni Albers’s many trips to Mexico.

Paul Herbert – Man-made & Natural Art

We were searching for some inspiration because our two boys are both interested in art, so we made a day trip to Mass MOCA.  The Sol Lewitt gallery remains one of my favorites and it made an impression on our budding artists. They even have an interactive Children’s area where my son added to some wall art!

Our other trip was to Howe Caverns in upstate NY. We took a guided tour that went 15 stories underneath the surface, into a magical place.  Over the last 100 years they have turned it into a tourist attraction by adding strategic lighting to emphasize the natural formations and making an accessible pathway. The most breathtaking parts were formed many hundreds of thousands of years ago.  The tour ended with a boat ride across a small lake, The Lake of Venus, about 17 stories below the surface.