This past summer of 2024, I took part in a two-week Intensive Course Abroad with Drexel University, centered on exploring Italy’s architectural history.
The course allowed each of us to focus on a building or topic of our interest, write a paper, and present our findings on-site. Led by three professors, we delved into the history, architectural styles shaped by politics, and the fundamentals of sketching.
During the first week in Venice, we visited landmarks like St. Mark’s Square, San Giorgio, Doge’s Palace, and Giardini della Biennale. We spent part of each day sketching the details and proportions of these historic sites, analyzing the buildings as we experienced them firsthand.
The second week took us to Vicenza to study Palladio’s works, followed by visits to San Vito to explore Scarpa’s designs, including my focus, the Tomba Brion. The Tomba Brion is a modern cemetery designed by Carlo Scarpa for the Brion family, who owned a successful electronics company in Italy. It’s a peaceful and beautiful site that combines architectural forms with nature, using water, concrete, and detailing to create a quiet space for reflection. The tomb was made for the family’s burial and has become one of Scarpa’s most well-known works. Experiencing the Tomba Brion in person was absolutely incredible, as its design perfectly balances architecture with the surrounding landscape in a way where I could spend hours sketching and absorbing it all in. We also visited Bassano del Grappa, Padua, Mantua, and Verona, where each city highlighted different aspects of Italy’s architectural landscape.
After returning, I shared my experiences and sketches with the team at Strada. Their support, including giving me the time to take on this learning opportunity, made the trip possible. Since my return, this study abroad trip has inspired me to get involved in exhibits, museums, and religious projects. Seeing so many churches and museums with incredible attention to detail, has me eagerly looking forward to applying what I learned with these types of programs. The idea of building a sacred space is especially meaningful to me, because they allow people to connect with their creator and practice their beliefs on a deeper, spiritual level, beyond our physical world.
