Standing in front of the Colosseum, an ancient Roman amphitheater that has become the icon of the city

Author: Genevieve Brainard | Major: Interior Architecture and Design | Semester: Summer 2025
This summer, I was able to study abroad along with my classmates in Rome at the University of Arkansas Rome Center for five weeks for an interior architecture and design program. During the five weeks, I learned the history of Italian design while immersed in the city’s rich and diverse architecture. Months of preparation and meetings had all been leading up to the moment that I would leave the United States for Italy, and yet nothing could have prepared me for seeing everything in real life. After a long day of plane flights, navigating our way from Fiumicino to Rome, and settling in at our apartments, it was finally time for our program to head to the Arkansas Rome Center for the first time. Professors from the Rome Center gathered us at our apartments, and we began our first
walk through the city to Palazzo Taverna, the University of Arkansas’ home base in Rome.
Walking in the heart of the Eternal City, we passed one famous landmark after another. From St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican to Hadrian’s Mausoleum in Castel Sant’Angelo, and even the display of Baroque statues sculpted by Bernini lining a pedestrian bridge, it was clear that
Rome’s historic architectural preservation was unmatched.
But it didn’t stop there. Part of my time studying abroad included taking a course called Design
Tours. Led by a practicing architect in Rome named Silvia, our group of twelve traveled around
the city, learning to navigate the metro and buses, and discovered museums that we would have
otherwise missed as tourists. I specifically remember going to the Ara Pacis Museum, a
contemporary space designed by an American architect dedicated solely to the Altar of Peace.
During our visit, Silvia taught us the history of the altar’s origins under Emperor Augustus to its
importance and influence during fascist Italy, and even its modern-day controversies.
Each week, we sketched perspectives of the museums we visited, accompanied by our notes and
experiences of the space to understand the design choices. At the Ara Pacis Museum, I found a
bench, opened my sketchbook, and started drawing. While I was observing and sketching the
building, the context began to reveal itself. The incessant use of travertine is a reference to the
history of the Ara Pacis under ancient Rome, but the modern design reflected the fascist
architecture of minimalism and functionality. However, the most significant part of the museum
was that it was completely new. Rome prides itself on adaptive reuse, the keeping of an existing
building and repurposing it to preserve the historic or architectural features. The building stood
out visually as new construction, but the design revealed the cultural discrepancies, as the
architect was American rather than Italian.
Moments like these defined my study abroad experience: learning architecture through
immersion. While sketching can be done anywhere, doing it on-site throughout different
museums in Rome allowed me to get a more hands-on and meaningful experience. In each class,
we had the chance to understand the city’s heritage, the layers of Italian design, and the historical
context that gave each building a different meaning. Studying abroad didn’t just teach me about
Italian architecture, but it also reshaped my perspective on the impact of design.
A part of me is sad to have returned to the United States after experiencing the beauty and
craftsmanship in architecture in Rome, Orvieto, Florence, and Milan. I’ll miss my walks to
Palazzo Taverna in the sweltering summer heat, trying dozens of gelato flavors, and taking study
breaks beside famous monuments. To anyone about to study abroad, my advice would be to go in
with an open mind and to take it all in. Experiencing a new culture, language, and country for the
first time was one of the scariest yet most exciting things I’ve ever done. Those five weeks were
the fastest five weeks of my entire life, and I am grateful for every moment.
No matter how much you prepare, surprises from cultural differences are bound to appear. I
never thought I would come back to the United States with a newfound appreciation for air
conditioning, bathtubs, and Dr. Pepper, and yet I will miss the hot evenings, small showers, and
the Lemon Sodas. I am so thankful to my classmates, my roommate, our amazing guide Silvia,
and all of those at the Rome Center who made this trip unforgettable. I can’t wait to return
someday, eating gelato and carbonara while I continue to explore Italy’s heritage and architecture
with a more informed perspective.