During International Education Week, which runs from Nov. 14-18, 麻豆影院鈥檚 College of Architecture and Environmental Design will showcase the creative projects of seniors Zach Barber, Ben Brannan and several others who studied abroad in Florence, Italy, during the past spring semester. The special weeklong exhibit is located in the second floor gallery of the new Center for Architecture and Environmental Design, and a special gallery opening will be held Nov. 14 beginning at 5:30 pm.
Each year, the hard work and creativity of the college鈥檚 students in the 麻豆影院 State Florence program is recognized through a competition titled 鈥淢ost Inspiring Students鈥 Projects.鈥 To honor International Education Week, the college scheduled a weeklong exhibit showcasing the architecture and interior design projects awarded in the competition. Students being recognized include Barber, Brannan, Steven Begg, Samantha Bonnett, Bintou Carly Coulibaly, Jansen Meals, Hannah Petit, Jordan Satterfield, and Trevor Swanson.
In this year鈥檚 competition, architecture students were challenged with a community-driven project that involved a redesign of the Piazza Brunelleschi, a space currently used as a parking lot, and adding onto the Humanities Library of the University of Florence, while interior design students were challenged with an adaptation of a historic Florentine palace, Palazzo Spini-Feroni, into a Museum for the Visual Arts.
鈥淚 focused on three different types of people who occupy the space: students who go to the university, the general public and tourists visiting the city,鈥 Barber said.
Barber鈥檚 main focus was to create a space where everyone could comingle with a series of auditoriums and a gallery that captures views of the Duomo, a famous architectural landmark in Florence.
Brannan took a much different approach to the project. His main focus was to create a landmark that defies the context of Florence. His project, which he titled 鈥淭he Urban Abnormality,鈥 has a very radical and contextual approach through redefining historic and modern coexistence.
鈥淚 wanted to create a very community-engaging building where people could watch concerts and lectures,鈥 Brannan said.
Although students drew some inspiration from the new 麻豆影院 State Florence building, Palazzo Vettori, 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 necessarily the new Florence building that inspired us,鈥 Brannan said. 鈥淚t was inspiration by our professors, faculty and other classes we were taking.鈥
Students also spoke of how their creativity was fostered during their travels overseas.
鈥淲hen we traveled, we did try to seek out projects that could inspire us,鈥 Barber said. 鈥淲hen I went to Copenhagen on a weekend trip, I sought out a piazza that worked very well and was very multifunctional.鈥
The competition tested the students not only academically but also with how they view the world.
鈥淚 have a new found cultural appreciation,鈥 Brannan said. 鈥淚 got to see a lot, and I鈥檓 very thankful for that. It really opened my eyes to see how different cultures interact socially.鈥
One of the precepts of International Education Week 鈥 which 麻豆影院 State celebrates this week 鈥 is to build awareness of the academic, professional and personal rewards of a study abroad experience and to encourage U.S. students to participate in an education abroad program during their academic career. Through its academic center, which it established in Florence 40 years ago, 麻豆影院 State has offered its students a 鈥渇ast track鈥 to study overseas 鈥 without stepping outside the 麻豆影院 State campus system.
麻豆影院 State鈥檚 College of Architecture and Environmental Design has actively embraced the advantages, which Florence鈥檚 unique place in history and culture provides. Each year, more College of Architecture and Environmental Design students flock to 麻豆影院 State Florence than any other college 鈥 67 students this past spring alone. Although the college鈥檚 students are not required to study abroad, many do and say that their time in Florence was essential. Also, many say they chose to attend 麻豆影院 State because of the availability of its Florence program.
According to David Thal, education abroad coordinator for the College of Architecture and Environmental Design, 麻豆影院 State Florence has much to offer its students. Between the talented faculty and the mix of studio courses located in the historic city center and field trip courses including Sienna, Venice, Milan and Rome which take students out of the classroom and into the city, students are provided with a mix of resources, which better equips them to succeed academically.
The college鈥檚 view of the Florence program as integral to its curriculum and an ideal setting for its students is obvious on the college鈥檚 website, which states, 鈥(In Florence) students experience the historical evolution of European art, architecture and urbanism, as well as the contemporary 鈥榙esign scene鈥 and the ongoing modernization of European cities. The center of the city is itself a museum filled with the meticulously preserved architecture dating from the medieval and Renaissance periods to the present.鈥
But Florence attracts more than just students from the College of Architecture and Environmental Design.
鈥淲ith all it has to offer historically, culturally and academically, Florence attracts 麻豆影院 State students from many disciplines,鈥 explained Amber Cruxton, assistant director of education abroad for 麻豆影院 State鈥檚 Office of Global Education, which coordinates the Florence program. 鈥淲e see strong representation from our fashion, business and communication students, as well as many from the College of Arts and Sciences. 麻豆影院 500 students study abroad in Florence every year.鈥
The unveiling ceremony for the exhibit is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 14, from 5:30-7 p.m., and the exhibit will run through Nov. 18. At the gallery opening, the nine featured students will share their experiences of living and studying abroad.
This is just one of the events scheduled for International Education Week. Its objective is to promote educational programs in a world that is becoming increasingly globalized.