Gleisdreieck to Potsdamer / Leipziger Platz

Mindful Urban Hike

Gerald Blomeyer, www.blomeyer.berlin

Thursday 19.03.2015, 9 - 11 am

for University of Liechtenstein, Prof. Peter Droege

Walking down a busy street requires direct attention to where I'm going, making sure I don't collide with anything. At the same time I tend to suppress all the noises, smells, and visual elements that could distract me.
There's no rush today, so we can practice seeing and sensing mindfully. Notice the colours, textures, patterns, brightness, and darkness of things around you, and smells. Or even just focus on one object near you. Pay attention to it. Be fully present to it. When you notice that you're thinking about something else, return to seeing it, and continue to observe it mindfully.

We start at Gleisdreieck park, 9 am

Mindful Urban Hike

next to the multi storey parking

Put your phone into airplane mode.

Decide not to talk to the others.

1. Be aware of your breathing
Is it regular or irregular, deep or shallow?

2. Be aware of your body
Feel your connection to the ground. Close your eyes and bend your knees slightly. Let your arms hang loosely. Relax your shoulders, head and face. Release any tension in the body with your outbreaths.

3. Be aware of your mind

To quieten your mind, be aware of its activity. Listen to its ramblings. What are the contents of your thoughts? Are some feelings more prevalent than others?

Getting started means SLOWING DOWN

Walking meditation is practicing meditation while walking.  It can bring you joy and peace while you practice it.  Take short steps in complete relaxation; go slowly with a smile on your lips, with your heart open to an experience of peace.  You can feel truly at ease with yourself.  Your steps can be those of the healthiest, most secure person on earth.  All sorrows and worries can drop away while you are walking.  To have peace of mind, to attain self-liberation, learn to walk in this way.  It is not difficult.  You can do it.  Anyone can do it who has some degree of mindfulness and a true intention to be happy.

Thich Nhat Hanh

Route

Start 9 am, final review 10:30 am at Leipziger Platz

7 Leipziger Platz

6 Potsdamer Platz

5 Urban Park, Richard Rogers vs. Giorgio Grassi

4 IBA O.M.Ungers

3 Student hostel 1978

2 Landwehr canal

1 Gleisdreieck Park

Spend time with details, feel into spaces, sense the layers of the past

"Landed" by Auke de Vries, Atrium Tower
"Brandenburg Gate" by Kani Alavi, Koethener/Bernburger Strasse, 2013

Observe your thoughts, feelings, actions and what’s happening around you. Accept these experiences, whether good, bad or neutral.

Notice how your feelings and moods change in different situations:

park, water, street, different types of buildings and urban spaces.

Once you understand an impression, you can articulate it by taking a photo,  sketching or writing a note.

You can share an impression at the final review at 10.30 am on Leipziger Platz, if you like.

Friedrichstadt (1730) grid plan and three plazas as gates to the city

 Pariser Platz (square), Unter den Linden

Leipziger Platz (octogon), Leipziger Strasse

Mehringplatz (circle), Friedrichstrasse

Dog's head: S-Bahn ring linking the terminals

The former militarised border zone (red)

Leipziger Platz

Friedrichstadt

War damage 1956, death zone 1965

Text

Text

1  Park Gleisdreieck

atelier-loidl, landscape architects

2  Landwehr Canal

3  Student hostel Hafenplatz

Walk along Hafenplatz and turn left to Dessauerstr. 13 and cross the courtyard of IBA Block 6 diagonally

http://www.roofwaterfarm.com/en/block-6/

4  IBA O.M. Ungers

5.1  Richard Rogers
Linkstrasse seen from Tilla-Durieux-Park

DS Landschapsarchitecten, Amsterdam

© Tony the pixel

5.2  Giorgio Grassi
Park-Kolonnaden seen from Tilla-Durieux-Park

6  Renzo Piano, Hans Kollhoff, Helmut Jahn
Potsdamer Platz is the junction leading to Leipziger Platz

7  Leipziger Platz, Leipziger Strasse

(c) rbb

Further types of urban spaces

Arkaden: covered street

SONY: covered plaza

Marlene Dietrich Platz

Alte Potsdamer Strasse

Kultur-Forum