France and Italy: Paris + Florence Study Abroad Program

ktalbott@uwm.edu

This study abroad program is based in Paris, France and Florence, Italy during the Fall 2008 semester.  The program examines the evolving values of western civilization across much of its history, and the impact of these values on the art, architecture and urbanism of France and Italy.

The second part of the program is based in Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance, located in the Tuscany region of central Italy.  Florentine thinkers planted the seeds of a humanistic worldview that would later overtake Europe.  Starting in the 14^th century the best minds of the age gravitated to Florence, creating a rare concentration of scientific and artistic talent in one modestly sized city, and leaving a rich legacy of art and architecture.  Based in central Italy, we gain access to masterworks from a diverse range of early western history through the work of many of its greatest minds, including two pinnacle western cultures – the Florentine and the Roman.  We will see the heart of the Roman Empire, the monasteries and churches of the early Christian Romanesque, the re-emergence of urban life in the medieval hill towns, the rise of science and mathematics in the Renaissance, and the tension and exuberance of Mannerist and Baroque counter-movements.

As Renaissance humanism spread, the center of western civilization gradually shifted northward to France and England.  The Renaissance spirit flourished in the great cities of the Enlightenment.  Paramount among these is Paris.  The first part of the program is based in Paris, where we gain access to the city itself, one of the greatest urban achievements, as well as masterworks of Gothic, Enlightenment and early Modern architecture.  Additionally, we will study examples of Parisian Post-Modernism and British Contemporary architecture in London.

Students will leave the program with an integrated view of architectural history and a keen sense of its relevance to contemporary architectural thought.  Through submersion in the historical and contemporary artifacts and ideas of western philosophy, art and architecture, students will gain the crucial intellectual context needed to understand and respond to the issues and problems facing them in their coming career.  Students are encouraged to reflect on their own architectural convictions, and to clarify their values related to design and professional practice.

Courses

Three courses will be offered, including 6 credit hours of design studio, 3 credit hours of history/theory elective, and 3 credit hours of independent study.  This allows students to maintain a full-time course load and remain on-track in their degree programs.  The coursework is intended for undergraduate seniors and graduate students in the School of Architecture.

Arch 692: Foreign Studies Studio

Coursework for design studio includes a series of design charettes (short duration creative sketch problems) operating at tectonic, building and urban scales, and one longer-duration project.  Problems will focus on issues important to designing in a historical context, such as the tension between continuity and differentiation, temporality and permanence, coherence of styles, and cultural identity.  Design work will rely extensively on freehand drawing as the medium of exploration and visual communication.  While the use of digital media is acceptable, it is not required.

Arch 534: Field Study in Architecture History and Theory

Coursework for the history/theory elective shall include weekly preparatory seminars, lectures given on-site during field trips, field sketching, site analysis, building analysis, and diagramming.  Special emphasis will be given to field sketching techniques and understanding the connection between architectural features in observed buildings and the wider cultural values these features embody.

Arch 392/792: Independent Study

Students are encouraged to define an independent study project that fits their individual interests.  The product of the study can take diverse forms such as drawing, painting, photography, film, writing, or additional design work.  Alternatively, a student may choose from a list of pre-defined independent study projects, which have been defined by the instructor.

Much of the coursework involves freehand drawing.  The study abroad experience is an important opportunity to expand and hone one’s drawing skills.  Although the use of a laptop computer might enhance the investigation of design problems, the organization of digital photos, and the production of measured drawings, the use of a laptop is not required.

Travel Itinerary

France:

Paris 30 Days

Lyon 1 day

Ronchamp 1 day

La Tourette 1 day

Versailles 1 day

Poissy (Villa Savoye) 1 day

Chartes 1 day

United Kingdom:

London 6 days

Italy:

Florence 45 days

Rome 6 days

Venice 6 days

Tivoli 1 day

Vicenza 1 day

Assisi 1 day

Pisa 1 day

Siena 1 day