Thursday, February 25, 2016

1958 - April 27




Aschaffenburg
27/4/58

Yesterday in the rain I wandered through the mideavil (sic) section of Aschaffenburg. The streets were narrow completely haphazard & very charming. One of the most interesting experiences was the sudden appearance of a small – well scaled Parvue (?) in the area of the Cathedral. The only effect that discontinued the complete scale was an immense new building – modern but traditional in attitude – something very much like Walter Gropius. 

The old castle was dull but the ancient houses on the hill overhanging the winding streets were a wealth of brick & stone, wattle & stucco. The textures of roofs, stones, etc make a world of abstraction punctured by windows. There remains a great deal of bomb damage which allows one to see all these old relics in full cross section. The basements perhaps are the major curiosity spots. There are relic air raid shelters here & there also. 

All of the advertising, window display furniture and appliances are decidedly modern & plain. There is little of the eclectic modern of the new world. The large share of goods seem to be only first rate. The general level of artistic requirements in commercial ventures

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