At the Colosseum

Author: Angela Brown | Major: Architecture

My name is Angela Brown, and my college is the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design. I am an architecture student pursuing a minor in interior design and a second minor in history of architecture and design. For ten weeks during the summer of 2021, I participated in the Architecture and Design study abroad program in Rome, Italy.

I chose this program because I wanted to immerse myself in a place rich with history and meaning, especially as it relates to architecture. I am interested in how architecture has evolved over time and has been influenced by what came before, and I have always been fascinated by Classical architecture and its impact. This study abroad program in Rome provided me with the opportunity to visit a city with ancient works of architecture that have been highly influential in history. Also, I learned some Italian and immersed myself in the culture of Rome and Italy. This exposure to the architecture, language, and culture of Italy has helped me to become well-rounded, which will improve my job marketability and positively impact my career in architecture. In addition, this enriching experience in Rome will also enhance my honors capstone project, slated for completion in spring 2022. The project will explore how architecture, specifically meditation spaces and other spaces of retreat, can moderate the effects of overstimulation and stress on its occupants. I will be conducting a case study analysis of existing architectural spaces designed to benefit the mental health of their users, and one of the places I will study is the Shrine of the Sacred Cave of St. Benedict in Subiaco, Italy, which I visited during my study abroad experience. The analysis of this medieval monastery will add a layer of depth to my capstone project.

During my study abroad experience in Rome, I took an architecture studio class, a history class called Architecture of the City, and an Italian Language and Culture class. The architecture studio was called The Future of Flight, and it tasked us with renovating the Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Fiumicino, Italy. I was one of the students who chose to redesign Pier B at the airport. I had never worked with airport design before, so I learned a lot from the experience. The class Architecture of the City focused on analyzing the architecture of Rome and Italy in the context of its history and urban sense of place. A large portion of the course focused on sketching the architecture of Rome and other regions of Italy: we took day trips to places like Orvieto, Tuscia, and Naples. The class Italian Language and Culture consisted of Italian language classes and class sessions during which guest speakers would lecture about different aspects of Italian culture, such as food or fashion. I am very glad to have taken the Italian Language and Culture class because I feel that it majorly enriched my experience and helped me immerse myself into the culture of Rome and Italy.

The most memorable experiences I have had in Rome outside class have been related to architecture, food, and field trips. Although I saw so much historic and incredible architecture like the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and many others, I would have to say that my favorite was St. Peter’s Basilica. Seeing this renowned work of architecture in person would be amazing for anyone, but it was especially awe-inspiring for me because I had taken an honors class a year ago called St. Peter’s and the Vatican. I had written a paper that studied the art in the nave. I argued that the content, location, and arrangement of this art produces a rich multisensory and intermedial experience and enhances the visitor’s impression of these monumental religious spaces. This summer, I got to have that experience in person. The mosaics and sculpture in the nave, the massive scale of the architecture, and the music of the Holy Mass service combined to create a truly breathtaking experience. Also, the food in Italy was wonderful. I especially liked the pasta, gelato, meat, and yogurt. I tried fresh pasta, which was really good, and my friends and I enjoyed going to different gelato places. I also enjoyed trying different kinds of meat, and I thought Italian yogurt was delicious. During my time in Rome, I went on two weekend trips led by faculty: one beach trip to the Maremma coast and one mountain trip to Abruzzo, Italy. During the Maremma trip, we went to the beach, went on a nature walk, and went to the Tarot Garden. During the Abruzzo trip, we saw some ancient ruins and went to an outdoor barbecue place where we grilled our own meat on skewers. I also went on a six-hour hike in the mountains led by Prof. Francesco Bedeschi, which was amazing.

I would definitely recommend the Architecture and Design program in Rome to other students, especially those studying in creative fields. It was an enriching and incredible experience that has made me more independent and well-rounded. I have very much enjoyed seeing a new city, experiencing its historic and beautiful architecture, and learning about the history and influence of Rome and Italy. My advice to other students is to immerse themselves as much as possible in the local culture, for example by going to local restaurants, learning a little of the language, and exploring the city. I would also tell other students to live in the moment, appreciate the opportunity to study abroad, and make the best of it.