A Morning Twilight - House 161

Even before the crack of dawn, Amlis and Anne-Sophie from lbgo Architekten greeted me at 5.30 am in central Munich. Fresh snow had fallen overnight, and with only two weeks into the new year, the sky was still pitch black. Our gloomy morning moods soon improved as the caffeine kicked in, and the heating system slowly warmed the car. As nighttime ended and nautical twilight began, the horizon before us became gradually lighter as we progressed eastwards.

I have shot plenty of evening twilights in the past. However, the difference this time around was that we had planned a morning twilight shoot. The light changes from dark to bright rather than the other way round. It presented challenges: firstly, I needed to visualise the composition and set up my gear in darkness; and secondly, I had to take exposures for the sky, building and foreground in reverse order as the ambient light increased. My two companions darted around the snowy scene in the dark, repositioning or hiding garden paraphernalia, while I was desperately trying to keep my fingers warm to ensure I could release the shutter on both cameras at critical intervals. Our efforts resulted in a triumph.

The existing Bundwerkstadel in itself is a beautiful traditional building with intricate details throughout its facade. The re-modelling of the interior has a contemporary feel yet respectful and sensitive to the former architectural style. The layout is a labyrinth of connecting spaces, steps and bridges, a fun-house of sorts.