Quantum Diaries

On Monday, I packed all my belongings living in my office desk and bookshelf into boxes, only to unpack them again one hour later. Why would I do such a thing? Because on Monday, finally, everyone could move into the new IPMU building! It’s all brand new, and right now, there’s still a lot of unpacking and putting up of furniture going on.

Until now, IPMU was a bunch of people dispersed over two prefabs and different floors of the General Research Building of Tokyo University on Kashiwa campus. The cohesion of our institute was only guaranteed by meeting up at tea break every day, and by the enthusiasm to be part of a new endeavor of everyone involved. Now, IPMU has become a place as well. Apart from the offices, a lecture hall, several seminar and conference rooms and a library which promises to come out very nice, the new building features a big interaction area in the center reaching up three stories, a terrace with chairs and tables, and an amphitheater-like structure on the roof. At night, the angled metal structure on the roof is lit up to give off a dark blue, eerie glow.

This is easily the nicest building I’ve ever worked in so far. The office situation during the 15 months I spent in the prefab was less than ideal, but that’s a thing of the past now, and I guess it’s part of the price one has to pay for being a pioneer. Now, postdocs share in two the shiny new offices of the new building. Everyone is very excited to finally be in the new building, and to finally be all together. We can’t wait to see the finished interior and to take possession of everything. This move is a big step forward for IPMU.

Tags: IPMU