25 years ago we were selected by I.M. Pei as associate architect on the design of the Museum of German History in Berlin. There was a double presentation to Bundeskanzler Kohl in then Bonn and not in Berlin (Another story is how I got there with the big wooden models, where Lufthansa failed and they put me on the Concorde). After some obvious inner-office jockeying for positions of who could be at the presentation from the administration, IM presented privately the design to Kohl. Kohl was very focused and was almost always a step ahead of IM. The repeat presentation was with the press present and Kohl was completely transformed. He was relaxed and took his time and smiled almost as much as IM to the press. After the presentation, the curtain closed and Kohl was back to business. He was doing five things at the same time while I was packing up. An extraordinary experience...

25 years ago we were selected by I.M. Pei as associate architect on the design of the Museum of German History in Berlin. It was also great to work with Leslie Robertson (structural engineer of the Twin Towers) on the stair atrium structure.

25 years ago we were selected by I.M. Pei as associate architect on the design of the Museum of German History in Berlin. Covering the Zeughaus inner courtyard with a glass dome I worked intensely with Professor Schlaich (Schlaich Bergerman). He was the first structural engineer that used the glass itself as structure. Glass can take the compression and the steel cables work the tension. Together they make a super lightweight glass dome that 25 years ago was very revolutionary.

25 years ago we were selected by I.M. Pei as associate architect on the design of the Museum of German History in Berlin. Margaret (and I briefly) had worked before as worker bees on the Louvre in Paris, but this was something different. I was allowed to be the only other person in the room where it happened. I don't think I ever said a word when I was next to IM.

Media office 13. Guest office

Media Office 12. Big Art. The custom carpet has the forest path colors and graphics. It was a pain to match the colors, but with the help of Martin Eisler the result is amazing...

It's very hard to hang a space suit like it's weightlessly floating in space... Media office 11

It's very hard to hang a space suit like it's weightlessly floating in space... Media office 10

Media office 9 (photo by Bellavia)

Mural media office 8 (photo by Bellavia)

Media office 7 (photo by Bellavia)

Media office 5 (photo by Bellavia)

Media office 4 (photo by Bellavia)

Media office 3 (photo by Bellavia)

First sketch I ever tried in the Joost Swarte/ Herge style. Tomorrow I start on the fourth drawing...