Coronacation in the Perfect City

Even with all of the stress of getting to London and being able to come back to the country amidst a pandemic, the trip could not have been better. Yes, there were some unexpected bumps in the road, but we made the most of it and had a fantastic group experience. Looking back on the trip, I can’t help but smile at all the fun times shared with everyone in the group. I would not have imagined myself becoming so close and having so many memories with people I barely knew all semester. I’m so grateful that everyone was able to bond so amazingly and created a fantastic experience while in London.

I am especially grateful to anyone and everyone that helped me when I got a little sick, because it honestly sucked. But everyone’s positivity and support made me feel so much better:). Even though I had to miss out on a few things, I am so thankful that I got to experience as much of the trip as I did.

London is a city that holds a new special place in my heart. While the sites we saw were beautiful and the places we went were unforgettable, the thing that makes London so special the people that were there. We had a crazy trip with a lot of unknowns, but we got through them together and I could not have asked for a better experience. I can’t wait to eventually go back to that special city.

Sketch of St. Paul’s

Ballie Ballerson

MAMA MIA

British Museum Sketch

a Blake photobomb

Camden Market

Casey looking very normal

A Mind-opening Experience

      Although not even two weeks have gone by, my time in London seems a lifetime away. Sometimes it doesn’t quite feel real, that just 11 days ago I was in a different country, separated by thousands of miles and the Atlantic Ocean.

       I had not had many preconceptions about what London would be like, even so, I was still surprised. I was surprised by not the differences but rather the similarities between London and many large cities in the U.S., more specifically, how many things we had in common. Thinking about it now, it makes sense. Cities, generally, all work the same way, so it would be logical that the big/basic stuff is the same. They have roads, we have roads. They have parks, we have parks. They have T.K. Maxx’s, we have T.J. Maxx’s.

       Yet there were differences. One of the most intriguing differences for me was where they put their street signs. Instead of on a post like we do, they slap them on the side of a corner building. I wouldn’t say there is anything particularly magical about this, but I realized, upon seeing their method of sign placement, that I had never thought about how there may be a different way to do such a thing. Perhaps that is what a study abroad allows you to see; it forces your mind to open up to new ideas, methods, and ways of life that you had never conceived of before.

Me at Stourhead

Looking out at the City from St. Paul’s

Group selfie on a double-decker bus

Me and Tyler at Salisbury

Me and Casey at the Queen’s House

Corona can’t kill fun!

When I reflect on our trip to London, I am reminded of all the fun memories that I made with people who were strangers to me just a couple of weeks ago. The end of our trip seemed to be consumed by the chaos and worries of what was happening back home and how it would affect us. However, I am happy that despite the events that were unfolding, our fun did not stop. To me, the problems back home seemed surreal to me because London was not having the magnitude of issues, so it was not hard for me to put the Corona Virus out of mind and focus on the present. Even though our plans got scrambled and jumbled around, we saw and did almost everything that we had planned. I will never forget this experience. Not because of all the amazing places we went to like Stonehenge, St. Pauls, and Westminster, but because of the people. I never expected to make so many friends on this trip. I was excited to spend 10 days with one of my best friends, Elizabeth, but I am so glad that I ended up getting to know everyone in the class. Experiencing London would have been an unforgettable experience regardless of who I was with, but now I know that every experience is better when surrounded by unforgettable people. The memories that will stay with me forever are not being amazed by the dome of St. Pauls or the beautiful art in the British Museum, but they are being amazed how badly Catherines legs were shaking after climbing to the top of St. Pauls and me photobombing every picture that Blake tried to take in the British Museum. I want to thank everybody in the class for helping me have a great spring break and I hope everyone had as much fun as I did.

Group pic at Stonehenge

Ballie Ballerson!

Group selfie at the Princess Diana Memorial

Photobombing Blake at the British Museum

Ride the Slide at the Twizzler!

A Week Well Spent

Being able to spend this spring break studying abroad in London was an amazing experience that I will never forget. I made new friends and memories during our time spent in London. It was a great group of people and RD’s! Some of my favorite highlights of the trip were St Paul’s Cathedral, Greenwich, Stonehenge, and Salisbury Cathedral just to name a few. I also enjoyed the free time during the trip that we were given, so that way we could also see the city in our on way. The trip and class noticeably improved my sketching sills from the start of the class, up to the end of the trip. Having a sketch book throughout the trip is also a good way to look back and remember all the sites we saw throughout the trip. My favorite site that we saw on the trip was Westminster Abbey. Even though pictures could not be taken inside, it was nice to experience and take in Westminster without the distraction of your phone. Noticing the numerous graves of all the famous and well know people buried inside made me realize how import Westminster is to the history of the United Kingdom. What stood out to me the most was the westworks façade, with all its beautiful detail throughout the whole façade. What I enjoyed the most about the whole trip was that each day was a new experience. Each day of the trip we explored different parts of London and seeing different sites across the city. This made me realize how sprawling the city is, and that there is so many amazing things to do and see. Spending spring break abroad in London gave me a good sense on what daily life is like in the city, along with the United Kingdom compared to America. London is my favorite city, and I plan on visiting the city again very soon!  The week we spent in the city just scratched the surface, I am looking forward to coming back and exploring more parts of London. 

 

Adventures Across the Pond

Buckingham Palace

Looking back at our trip to London, all I can think about is the fun I had even with all of the unexpected hiccups along the way, the weather, threats of the trip being cut short from the coronavirus outbreak; its amazing how we managed to get everything done and more. There was so much to see there. I loved the constant juxtaposition of the old and contemporary around every corner. The city felt like a big mix of different people and places all in one place. With our hotel being as close as it was to major city centers, having the ability to travel by public transit everywhere was fun. I even enjoyed walking at least 5 extra miles every evening with Eric to see more parts of the city than the group had scheduled. I think the coolest activity was our day trip out to the countryside and Salisbury. Seeing the cathedral there was breathtaking. Gothic works are so detailed and intricate, and it is amazing to be there and think about what it would have been like to build it. Overall, I enjoyed making new friends and experiencing a new culture, food, and place. Even though England is an English speaking place, i enjoyed how when you get comfortable for a second, you find something that is different and reminds you that you’re in a new place. I really enjoyed the opportunity to go, I would definitely come back in the future!

Westminster Abbey at Night

Salisbury Cathedral

Contemporary Buildings and the Shard

Sunset at Kew Gardens

Pause and Reflect

Pause and Reflect leaf at Stourhead

“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.”     ~ Mark Twain

This quote may have many meanings, but to me it means not to be a blind follower, and to do what makes you happy and fulfilled. Looking back at our trip to London, I spent a lot of time following this quote and just pausing and reflecting on the amazing experiences that I was having. I spent a lot of time following the group as we traversed our way through London, but I always had my own perspective on what we were looking at. Some perspectives I captured with my camera, but most of them I captured in the form of a memory. I felt that pausing and reflecting at each place we went to helped me capture the moments that I will never forget. We had the opportunity to see a lot of different buildings and landscapes while we were in London, but these are some of the moments that stood out as I took the time to pause and reflect; Sketching at Stonehenge, sitting in the grotto at Stourhead and looking out at the beautiful landscape, looking over the city on top of St. Paul’s Cathedral, looking up from the ground to see all the skyscrapers surrounding me, watching the water flow at the Princess Diana memorial, looking out over the city at night from the Shard, and having a bird land on the table as I was sketching the Princess of Wales conservatory.

After the study tour hours we were able to go out and explore the city by ourselves, and this is when some of the best parts of the trip happened. From having a pint at the oldest pub in London to going and seeing The Book of Mormon at The Prince of Wales Theatre in Piccadilly, the nights I had in London really made the trip more special. I also want to thank our amazing RD’s for making the trip as smooth as possible, even when we hit bumps in the road due to the current COVID-19 situation we are dealing with in the US. I am happy that we were able to finish the whole trip without it getting cut short. The projects we got to see on the trip were awesome, but it was the people I was with that will make this trip unforgettable. I was able to make new friends that constantly made me laugh and made this trip way better than if I were to have traveled alone. When leaving for this study abroad trip I did not know that this was going to be the last experience I ever had at OSU, but if I had to choose, I would choose this ending over and over again. I want to thank everyone that I traveled with for making this trip truly amazing. London was just one page in my book, and I can’t wait to see what is on the next.

These are some of the pictures of the moments on the trip that I will never forget.

Sketching at Stonehenge

Stourhead through the Grotto

Ant eye view of the skyscrapers

Water at The Princess Diana Memorial

Night time view from the Shard

Sketching buddy at The Princess of Wales Conservatory

A Look Back at London

While London seems like a city that you could spend a lifetime exploring and still not see and fully understand everything about it, our weeklong trip was a great glimpse into all of the culture and landscape that London has to offer. I think that it is a very rare experience to be able to learn about landmarks and buildings that hold a global significance, then get to go see them in the real world. I really appreciated this aspect of our trip because there were certain things that I was surprised that I enjoyed so much when we saw them in person. Something as simple as taking a nap in Hyde Park, after several days of long walking tours, was one of my favorite memories from the trip.

As I expected it would be, the day trip to Stonehenge, Stourhead, and Salisbury was my favorite day of the trip. The medieval town of Salisbury felt like something out of a movie set. I really enjoyed seeing the massive spire from the cathedral always peeking out above the buildings, and when we walked on the cathedral lawn I was amazed at how tall the structure actually was. Stourhead was a great break from all of the urban areas that we visited, and as cheesy as the signs reminding you to “take a breath” seemed, I actually did what each one said and it made me much more mindful of the whole landscape. I have always been intrigued by Stonehenge, so I was very excited to see it in person. A few years ago in Alabama I visited “Bamahenge”, and I remembered how amazed I was when I first saw the fiberglass recreation of Stonehenge. Visiting Stonehenge I actually felt like the wind and rain added to the experience, and made the whole scene that much more mysterious – so I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

Finally going to the top of the Shard and looking out over the city at night was the perfect way to end the trip. It seemed like the lights stretched out forever and gave me some perspective on the expanse of London. I had a hard time leaving the top of the Shard and everyone I was with kept gravitating back toward the windows because there was always something else to look at. When we finally went back toward the hotel, a few of us stopped at The Flying Horse, a 200 year old pub, and talked about some of our favorite stories from the trip, capping off an unforgettable trip.

Sketch of Westminster Abbey facade

View through an alley framing the Shard

View of Stonehenge

View of Tower Bridge from the top of the Shard, looking east

Back to the Future: Part IV

Ahhh, London…

The land of contemporary and historical treasures that seamlessly transition back and forth. It has almost been two weeks back in the U.S. and I still keep thinking about the robot lawn mower we saw working in the mote, which had just been patched with sod. How crazy to think that what used to be a mote and operated by people hundreds of years ago was now a field of sod being mowed by a ROBOT. Thats crazy! There was a post Catherine made during the trip about London’s historical landmarks, specifically Westminster, and their willingness to change. Much like Westminster, Tower of London was appearing to do the same thing. Only, it stuck out more like a sore thumb as opposed to that “seamless transition”, all because of a robot. I actually found it quite interesting, weird that of all things this is something that grabbed my attention, considering everything we experienced. But, it got me to ask myself questions that I otherwise would have looked over. What would this place look like in 10 years? 30 years? Will there be an army of robot lawn mowers, mowing other historical sites? Will they have robots that are constantly cleaning the exterior of the buildings? How will these advances in technology change the way we perceive these places? As technology advances, one would have to assume it will be more and more challenging for technology and historical architecture to maintain one collective image. But, that may very well be the point of having this “willingness to change” is that it is not to uphold a certain image, but have one that is constantly mimicking current times and technologies. None the less, this has been a very strong thought of mine since returning home of what these places will look like further into the future and how that experience will differ from what we experienced.

Quite literally looking into the future from Tower Hill

Robot lawn mower sitting at docking station. Waiting for its 9-5 shift.

Go Robo

 

On a more general note, I am glad we still had the opportunity of finishing strong on this trip and I appreciate all the hard work that I am sure went into trying to stay on track as much as possible. We got to see a wide range of projects, stare at the most crazy detailed ceilings I have ever seen in my life, stand at the top of the highest views all around London, wander through breathtaking landscapes, try some amazing food, and of course build bonds with new friends. I know I speak for everyone when I say this is a trip we will all remember for the rest of our lives and I couldn’t have asked for a better group to travel with. There was no other way I would have wanted to end my time here at OSU than with this study abroad and for that, I owe you all the BIGGEST THANKS!

Sincerely,

The man who led 9 students down the wrong tube stop.

Looking On The Brightside

Having experienced so much in London, I have learned that 10 days is the perfect amount of time to really immerse yourself in the culture and visit all of the extraordinary places a city can offer. Although we all came back to what was completely unexpected before the trip, I find that I have been given time to really think about my experience in London instead going straight back into the college stress. In London, we were doing so much that one thing led to the next and then we were already boarding our flight back to the US. Using my extra week of spring break isolating, I did a lot of thinking about how fun London was and how much more I want to travel the world. I feel lucky we were able to visit England and I’m happy everyone stayed safe. No one really knows when people will revert back to their normal lives and can travel again, but for now I hope everyone is also reflecting on their time in London.

My favorite moment in London was when I was able to go to Hyde Park after visiting the Natural History Museum. My group and I just sat in the park and enjoyed the sunny day. I was able to finish up some sketches by relaxing under a tree and watching people go about their day (sometimes with dogs!). That is definitely a moment I will remember about London forever.

Here are some of my favorite pictures I took while abroad as well:

Salisbury Cathedral

Stourhead

Stonehenge

View from The Shard

Palm House At Kew Gardens

Trees near Buckingham Palace

 

 

COVID-19 Trip

Visiting London was a dream come true to me. It’s definitely one of my favorite places that I have ever been to. Seeing all the architecture that we learned about and experiencing all the landscapes we learned over the past 3 years was definitely amazing. It definitely felt so different and even more prettier in real life. I felt like pictures cannot show the beauty of the architecture. I loved everything about London (Except the part when my phone got stolen). My favorite part is that I got a chance to travel with my best friend and also studio partner and go to our favorite buildings together. I got so many ideas from all the towers and building we saw, I wished that studio stayed the same way to actually reflect all the ideas I saw. Even with all the things that was going on, we kept on going and experiencing all the places we planned on going to. I really appreciate all the offered Aimee and Troy put to make it possible to all of us to keep the trip as planned. I also hoped that I still have my phone to post some of the pictures I took. I cannot wait to go back to London and experience it in a different way.

Not the end we were expecting, but a fitting one no less.

At the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year I could not have believed the situation we would all find ourselves in at the moment, let alone returning to London for spring break. Although London remained one of my favorite places on earth and I would always jump at any chance to return, I simply did not have the funds to go again with graduate school on the horizon. However, by sheer luck and thanks to the gracious generosity of others, I found it possible to return. Upon arrival, in general, this time there was confidence in myself not as a tourist, but being a traveller. In being a traveller, I felt more assimilated to the cosmopolitan environment that surrounded me, where I was immersed in the way of life, rather than only paying my respects to basic sites. Yet, even the cultural sites that were revisited offered a new pleasurable opportunity to explore them further. Seeing them in an all new light and the new profound sense on me they had to offer, now that I had matured in being and knowledge in the past 2 years since I had visited.

Although this semester I was looking forward for all of the “last” memories to be made with old friends here at Ohio State, the new friendships I was able to discover on this trip before our time was cut short will hold a very special place in my heart, just as the city of London itself does. I am so thankful to have been able to return to London, and explore it one more time before who knows when any of us will be afforded the opportunity to return. Due to the generosity of others, I was given an unparalleled transformative experience as the capstone of my senior year, and although it was not expected as my senior year send-off, it certainly proved to be a memorable one.

Senior Portrait

Fun Times with New Friends 🙂

“Junkyard of Stuff We Don’t Know Where to Put”

London was incredible. Despite a lot of uncertainty with the COVID-19 pandemic, the trip was a major success, eye-opening, and very engaging. As a major city within Europe, it is definitely a capital of the world, not just of England. It was a trip filled with new experiences. I was able to do things I never thought I would. We were able to pack so much into one week, but it still wasn’t enough time to see it all. Some of my favorite experiences include the view from the Shard, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Kew Gardens, Stonehenge, Transport Museum, and seeing Mamma Mia at a local theatre. This list doesn’t even scratch the surface of all the things we got to see and do. Even though there are similarities between the United Kingdom and the United States, there is so much history and culture that we got to immerse in that was different. One of the most mind-blowing things was seeing the tomb of Elizabeth and Mary. So much history surrounds Londoners on a daily basis, it almost doesn’t seem real. For example, seeing the Roman wall was insane and it didn’t seem fathomable that something so old still existed. I was extremely impressed with how history is so fluidly involved in everyday life there. Another thing that amazed me was the Underground system. Public transportation is generally underdeveloped within the United States, especially when compared to other countries in the world. Although it was dirty, to be able to traverse anywhere in the city with the tap of a card was freeing, and I could not help but wish we had such a system here. The United States may have developed much differently than London, but it is my hope that an efficient and effective public transportation system can be instituted. It was interesting to see how London sprawls and maintains its level of density within the context of historical landmarks and other major nodes. Lastly, I would be remiss not to mention that the people really made the trip special. Whether it was Casey making a guard laugh on duty, Jeff explaining why Disney is not nearly as good as Universal, or Blake’s general pursuit of ice cream, getting to know everyone on the trip and exploring the city together was special. Traveling to London has been one of the best experiences of my life, and I cannot wait to make my way back to the city someday—ideally not during a global pandemic.

Also, one of my favorite quotes: (in reference to Westminster Abbey) “A junkyard of stuff we don’t know where to put” -Blue Badge Guide

 

Palm House at Kew Gardens

Some of the disused stations along Tube lines

View from the Shard

Can We Just Go Back?

This London trip was a trip I’ll never forget and now that I am home I just cannot wait to go back. One thing I noticed since being back was how much more calm the UK was about the virus and now being home I see just how crazy it is here. Anyways, my favorite moments from the trip were St. Paul’s, Greenwich, Westminster, and the shard. St. Paul’s and Westminster were stunning with there amazing amounts of history and detail that were just mind-blowing. Greenwich was amazing with its combination of stunning architecture and amazing greenery. The views from the observatory were well worth the steep hike up to the top even though it meant giving up some time in the Queen’s House. Finally, I felt that the shard was an amazing way to end the trip as we got to look back over everything we had seen throughout our trip and really made me reflect and appreciate our time in London. The entire trip in general made me love city of London and I hope to one day go back and who knows, I would now after this trip consider even living and working there as well which would create even more amazing memories in that city.

St. Paul’s Choir

View from the observatory at Greenwich

View from the shard

London Highlights

This trip was an amazing experience, I am so happy we had such a great group of people and amazing RD’s! One important goal that I accomplished during this trip was learning how to navigate the city by walking and public transportation, mostly due to the help of Google maps. Although the buses remain somewhat of a challenge to me, I can confidently say that I know my way around the tube, and can figure out how to get around London. Also, this trip was full of unique experiences that I would not have if I didn’t go with this group, such as an exclusive walk around the skyscraper district, a visit to Kew Gardens, and going down the Twizzler. I also really valued all of our free time, it allowed us to have a lot of freedom and helped me learn how to get around quicker. My favorite day on the trip was probably the day we went to the British Museum, London Eye, Trafalgar Square, and had tea at the National Portrait Gallery. We packed so much culture and context into that day, which I really appreciated. Also, Kamilla and I ate some truly delicious burgers by Trafalgar.

Reflections of Thames

I cannot believe how much fun I had on the trip with everything going on. The trip really masked what was happening in the rest of the world and when I arrived back home, I was astonished at how serious the problem was and how we had just been going on in London not really knowing the vast majority of the isolating from other people. The trip was an incredible experience that I thoroughly enjoyed throughout the entire thing. I enjoyed seeing all the places that we talked about in class and really experiences the spaces in person. One of the places that I enjoyed more than I thought I would was Queens House. The area was very picturesque and the house was extremely gorgeous. I also enjoyed all of the museums more than I would and thought everything was at a bigger scale than what I imagined it to be. I was very sad to go home and I wanted to stay for longer. When I am older, I am hoping to live and work in London and get to experience the place as a hometown. The city is incredible and the views and people there are even better. I do not regret anything about the trip (maybe my phone being stolen) and I cannot wait to return!

 

Lili, Tyler, and I in the London Eye!

Summer solstice arrow at Stonehenge

Glass Staircase at Victoria and Albert Museum

Visiting Tate and Shopping

On the free day in London, Tyler, Lili, and I took the town alone and navigated ourselves throughout the city through the tube and with maps. We went to Tate Modern on our first stop because we did not have much time there in the first place. I could spend hours upon hours at the museums. I love looking at each and every piece when I visit. We got to explore a lot of art that we did not get to see in the first place including art and society. This area was all artists who had more radical ideas about art and used art to depict provoking thoughts. We also got to see a Mara Naar part of the exhibit that was free. I really enjoyed her work because of the simplicity of it and I also recently got a tattoo that looks similar to the one of her drawings. We also went through the Soho area to look into the street wear shops. I found each of the stores really intriguing because of the way they were all designed and set up. I also found them really interesting because something that they do not do in America is blast music in their stores and it creates a really interesting vibe that I appreciated. I also appreciated the fashion in London and how nice everyone looked. 

 

 

Me at Tate Modern on Fountain

One of the Streetwear displays

Another display of the streetwear

“People think we know what we’re doing. Really, we’re just making it up as we go along.”

Guardian of Temple

I will remember London as a wonderfully bizarre collection of juxtapositions. Contiguities of new and old, a dynamism of physical and cultural points of view down every street, a surprise around every corner.

Our tremendous guide of Westminster Abbey, Andy, offered this tidbit of British history. “People think we know what we’re doing. Really, we’re just making it up as we go along.”

Looking back through my photos and notes it couldn’t be more evident, and that’s perfectly okay. Were it any different, London would lack the incredible richness and complexity that makes it so full of character.

Construction (Crucifixion): Homage to Mondrian (Barbara Hepworth)

Edmund Bacon, the father of modern Philadelphia as well as actor Kevin Bacon, describes the responsibility of picking up where the previous generation left off as the “principle of the second man” in his Design of Cities. To some pieces of architecture we owe an incredible debt. Others not so much, however it’s not always clear. Sometimes we get it right, sometimes we get it wrong. The choices we make as designers today, will have indelible impacts on tomorrow and beyond. We must be cognizant of these responsibilities, but we should not be intimidated. What makes the number of the projects we encountered so great is their ambition; a willingness to be bold, unique, and iconic.

London Wall Place Pedestrian Bridge: Make Architects

The greatest piece of advice I’ve been given in my architectural education has been to go look at stuff. Look for solutions to your own design problems. Chances are someone has already solved it, quite possibly hundreds of years ago. By studying abroad, I’ve been able to obtain a much wider scope, a number of new cards in my mental Rolodex, and an experience I will take forward into practice.

 

Bon Voyage London

The city of London now holds a special place in my heart in reality versus the fiction it merely was to me before. This trip was everything I could’ve ever dreamed of and more despite the world’s impending panic. Not only was I able to enjoy this experience with some of my closest friends, but I was able to make new ones and branch out with common interests and uncommon experiences. Being my first time out of the country, it was great having this group to be guided with and yet given independence. This gift of freedom allowed me to surprise myself in terms of navigation, and a new found love of London transit! I would have never guessed that taking the tube would be one of my favorite parts but it certainly was an experience I’ll never forget, along with almost getting lost when having to find my own way. Another of my favorite things that I could enjoy about London, especially when lost, was of course the architecture. Being able to figure out where I was based on the style of storefronts was actually quite helpful. We were given tours of some of the must see buildings, whether it was the brutalist maze of Barbican, which highlighted some beautiful features of concrete and made me more interested in brutalist projects and even the benefits of a community built around it, or when we craned our necks to see the top of skyscrapers only to find some of the most interesting parts at the mundanity of eye-level. One of my favorite parts about these towering buildings was learning the intricacy of manipulating past forms and ideas in ways to push structural limits whether it be suspending an entire building above train tracks or putting the industrial guts on the outside of a building to understand how these masterpieces tell us how they work. Overall, this trip opened my mind to a whole other world and I’ve been talking about it non-stop, and probably never will, but I wouldn’t have been able to wonder about brutalism, almost get lost on the tube, or eaten in a real London pub without Aimée for being our devotedly organized, even in chaos, trip advisor and dealing with the wrangling of kids that aren’t her own and to share with us her piece of London, Troy for always knowing the way, protecting people from playing in traffic (*cough* Tori *cough*) and recommending great food markets, Jeff for being able to set up an interactive iPad class literally anywhere so we can have a chance to participate while in the field, and all of my trip mates who made this experience that much more fun, so thank you all for this amazing opportunity!

World Wonder: Big Rocks

When visiting Stonehenge, I was in absolute awe. Seeing rolling hills of green on the way there couldn’t compare to the vast open air feeling that surrounds you as you make your way to the famous site. This landscape drew me in immediately and I wanted to be able to capture a calm feeling of nature despite the imposing trabeated stones. In this sketch I wanted the softly uneven earth to be shown as a separate entity yet still surrounding the stones as well as the sky. The sketch is simple even in color as I wanted to keep the serenity of the site included.

My colored sketch of the famous Stonehenge

Conflict in Architecture

For one of the last blog posts for this trip I thought it would be nice to reflect on the experience. Coming to London I was riding this high of leaving for spring break. I was in a state of excitement because I knew I was going to turn 20 in London whilst also just leaving mid review on high hopes. I was excited to see St. Paul’s, Tate modern and the general city context. For the most part I was very fulfilled by this trip. That being said, in the midst of the trip our academic semester was put to a halt due to the Coronavirus. So as the trip progressed the pandemic began to morph our classes to become online and to start us on a process to leave the university. For me, this conflict made me wonder and reflect on architecture that is created from conflict. An example being north Ireland within the years of 1960-90. During this time the country was under siege but the city Belfast was still developing and the city’s architecture reflects that. In the case of London you can see much of the architecture around St. Paul’s. During WW2, St Paul’s was protect by people constantly however the aerial surrounding it was completely destroyed. Due to this the architecture around the cathedral was birthed out of conflict.

 

IMG_0756

My favorite day in London

My favorite day on this trip has to be Thursday. We started the day with Hyde Park and it seemed like it would be a miserable rainy day, but that quickly changed. Once we got to the Princess Diana Memorial, the weather began to change and the sun came out. At first I wasn’t overly excited about the memorial because I was disappointed that we we’re visiting on a cold winter day instead of a warm summer day where we can put our feet in the water and hangout. However, when the sun began to come out, it seemed much warmer and was a great time for pictures. We then made our way to Kew gardens and saw some great landscapes. It became more cloudy and a bit colder which made the Palm house and the Temperate House even more exiting. The warmth of the greenhouses and the beautiful vegetation that you don’t normally find in Ohio made the cold walk around the gardens worth it. I ended the day by seeing Mamma Mia live with Elizabeth and Catherine. I have been obsessed with Mamma Mia since I was little and have always wanted to see the Broadway show. We were able to get cheap seats close to the stage, and seeing it in London made the experience very special. I got some great pictures and memories on Thursday and it will stand out as the best day on my first trip to London.

Mamma Mia selfie

Princess Diana Memorial

Kew Gardens Palm House

My Favourite Day.

Experiencing Westminster Abbey and having the freedom to pick my own museum and explore the city for the rest of the day was the best part of this trip for me. That day was also a big stepping stone for me because I switched from using pencil to pen and allowed any mistakes speak for themselves. From the beginning of this semester, I wanted to improve my drawing skills. I had never taken an art class (except for studio) before this one and I was excited to see myself learn and grow. I am normally very precise and careful with my drawings so when I was able to just go straight in with pen, I felt as if I accomplished something big for myself.

A quarter of Westminster Abbey!

Experiencing London

My Experiential Map!

By far my favorite sketch that we have done from this trip was the experiential map. I liked it because it helped me to reflect back on the day and remember exactly what we did. It also gave a new perspective to just how much are we covered, and helped me relate a map to the experience of walking through a space. I also enjoyed making quick little sketches of the places we visited, and accompanying them with longer descriptions of my experience in that space. I think this is the sketch I’m most proud of, and I am really happy I learned about this type of sketch in this class.

Discontinuity within Tate’s facade

For my free days I decided to go to back to Tate Modern and see more of it and also the addition by Herzog & de Meuron. For me, I really enjoyed seeing more of the of the exhibits and interestingly one of the exhibits in Tate was also presented at the Werner center on campus. The exhibits was provocative words places on colored tiles repeated. The art piece was by Jenny Holzer. I thought it was cool to see both having the exhibits because I hold Tate to such a higher standard compared to the Wexner. Now I don’t know if this is controversial or not, but the addition done I think is almost a missed opportunity. In my opinion, I’m not a fan of additions that try to replicate the materiality of the original building. This is due to the fact that materials weather and when you try matching it with another material it never looks continuous. If I were to bring a person there who doesn’t know the history of the buildings I think they could clearly see that back part as an addition. The action creates a clear separation from the original and new. I wish that they just used a new material to pronounce it more instead. I guess one could argue that the tiling of the brick on the new addition is trying to present the contrast further. However, in my opinion it still is just unsettling seeing the the building as whole.

 

A Take On Stonehenge

Our visit to Stonehenge was one thing that I looked forward to the most out of everything we had planned on this trip. When we arrived at the parking lot, the stones were nowhere in site, but a short bus trip down the road revealed the stones slowly as we went over the hill. It was a windy and rainy day, but that did not stop me from taking in the amazing view of the stones that stood in front of me. In my sketch I wanted to capture the massing of the stones and how they relate to each other in size and shape. I also wanted to capture the different shades of darkness, which included shadows and natural darkening of the stones. Luckily I had a lot of time on the site and I was able to capture most of the details with out having to use a picture. Finishing the sketch on site meant I had to sit in the rain to get it done, but it was worth it!

Moss Overload

I feel like visiting Stourhead is a right of passage for us landscape architects. It is a truly unique example of life imitating art and of course an overall breath taking view from all angles. Being me, I always tend to gravitate towards the smaller things that make up the larger whole and at Stourhead, there was no shortage of moss covering the different fabrics of the landscape. The bright green clumps, once food for dinosaurs, has now canvased these damp and shady environments on a massively intriguing scale.

Tree base at Stourhead covered in Stegosaurus food.

On almost every tree, you could see the army of bright green soldiers slowly leeching its way over the knees and up the base. Pushing your hands down onto it and feeling the soft complexion of what lies at the surface and below is like pushing on a pillow. The moss makes all the difference in that it is a high contrast addition to what inhabits its surroundings.

Oculus inside the grotto at Stourhead.

Small Moss Covered Grottos

Stairs leading through small moss covered grottos

Larger grotto covered in moss with a bench.

Rocks, they are already a cool rustic structural part of Stourhead. Used to form all of the grottos and cave like formations, which in return create these microclimates perfect for sustaining our little green friend. The moss all over these rocks are in combination with other creeping ground cover species that only add more detail to the contrast between the stone and the moss, now there are darker green plants to further establish the explicit call out of the moss.

One of many signs at Stourhead making sure we take care of ourselves.

Henry Moore’s Mother and Child in St. Paul’s Cathedral

One of the most interesting pieces I found in St. Paul’s Cathedral was Henry Moore’s Mother and Child: Hood. Moore’s semi-abstract sculptures helped create a very specific form of modernism in the United Kingdom.

Completed in 1983 out of travertine marble, Moore’s take on Michelangelo’s Pieta is able to convey the grieving Mary after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ using minimal detail. The characteristic disparity in size between the Madonna and Christ becomes further exaggerated through the abstraction of form. The way Moore nests the two figures strengthens the maternal relationship by creating an almost wombic cradle.

Seeing more contemporary works of art in such historical spaces highlights the interconnectedness of their simultaneous presence in the city.

Henry Moore’s Mother and Child

Where the Royals have Been

I’ve been obsessed with the Royals ever since I can remember. My love for Queen Elizabeth was obvious because we shared the same name, so much so that I wrote her a letter when I was little and was lucky enough to get one back from her “lady in waiting”. Being able to be inside of the place where she was coronated, being able to see the coronation chair, and walking that same ground was so amazing to me. Also being able to be in the same place where Kate and William recently got married was so amazing, from watching it on TV to actually being in that same room they were once in.

Even though we couldn’t take many pictures of Westminster, there were so many interesting things inside of it. I personally loved the way that it was a constantly changing church. The way our lovely tour guide described it as, things are constantly being added so we are not frozen in a gothic time, but rather be more dynamic. I really liked this concept because many times I am in a gothic church, it sometimes does feel a bit frozen in time. Not that some architecture shouldn’t be completely preserved in the completely original form, but I think it’s important to remember to stay dynamic and understanding as the ages pass.

Inside of the chapter house at Westminster

For our museum of choice, we went to Tower of London and saw the Crown Jewels, another very important part of the Royals that I was beyond excited to see.

White Tower at Tower of London

Frightening Traitor’s Gate at Tower of London

British Museum Sketch Analyisis: Blog 2

British Museum, Asian exhibit

This piece of art intrigued me because it was a piece of Asian artwork. I am normally drawn to Greek art because of its fluidity and it’s portrayal of the natural body. I would consider myself a feminist when it comes to body positivity and the idea that the human body should not be something to hide or be ashamed of. That is the main reason that I appreciate Greek sculptures, because they represent the natural human body and present woman as full bodied, with curves and fat. This opposes the current ideal woman which is typically seen as thin and skinny with little body fat. After venturing out of the Ancient Greek exhibit, I entered the Chinese/Japanese culture area. It is here that I found the sculpture that I decided to sketch. This sculpture was very curvy and appeared as an erratic woman. I have not studied much Asian art, but I was very interested in a sculpture that had so many familiar qualities of the Ancient Greek artwork, but was originated from a very different culture. This is why I chose to sketch the woman statue. I was able to contribute my interest in the art of the human body while viewing it from a different culture which offered slight differences in how human sexuality is view across cultures.

Why do these people seem to have so much influence?

Today we went to Westminster Abbey in London. One of the things that i could help but feel is why does the British people give these people (royals) so much credit. I get the idea of the theater of it all and just pure tradition however it just seems so bizarre to me. I will saw I probably have my own biases because I’m American, but to me these people seem like just bonfires celebrities. The idea that in some way people pay in taxes for these people in some way just sits weird with me. Also these idea they can cause and create so much attention is just very bizarre to me. Also today’s I visited the Victoria and Albert museum , to me this and the British museums are very similar in the exhibits shown however the Victoria ones were more interactive. What I found interesting today was this idea of these museums siting within everyday life. Like for example, we have Cosi in Columbus, a paid museum, in the city which is presented with a more hierarchical positioning in its site. With this museum, it blends into the site of the city generally and is free to all. I just thought it was something interesting to note about the our city and London’s .

Cultural Appreciating Vs Appropriation- British Museum

Visiting the British museum I was able to see actual see a museum. When I say that I mean in America we see a museum and we don’t nessasaly see a building of historic architecture coupled with original historic pieces. In London we see amazing works in classical architecture presenting original works of art and history. So, one thing I think is interesting about the museums is the topic of cultural appropriation. See, have the items in the British museum are not their original property and in many cases they continuously decline to return the pieces. They are just taking or matter of fact stealing other peoples history and showcasing it as a specifically in there own city. On one side this is negative operation stealing from other cultures. The other side would say that Britain is refurbishing send maintenaing the items and rather then appropriating they are appreciating. Both sides have valid points. However, it still is stolen items at the end of the day. I would like to do further research before I come up with my own conclusion. Like I want read up further on how they got these items and how they have managed discussions about these items with the countries and tribes.

 

 

 

Pre- Departure: let’s get onto St. Paul’s

I’m writing this on the end of my last flight today. See, the flights overall weren’t bad at all. The Chicago one was a tad bumpy but it is the Windy City. I’m excited to start the site seeing tomorrow specifically the British museum. The interior of the courtyard of the british museum is what I used for a precedent project for current studio project. I’m also looking forward to getting some sleep but all am happy and appreciative of the sleep I did get on the plane ride here. I’m nervous from the threat of the corona virus however, I don’t, want to let that stop me from my trip. Also the threat is not too high so I think overall the risk is low. I really want to see St Paul’s tomorrow because it’s a place I actually studied and wrote an essay on for a history class. So, it would be nice to see it in person and through practice actually study the buildings up close. Also, some of the details I read about St. Paul’s I couldn’t full find photos of so I’m excited to look for some of the specific things I have heard about from the building

London on our Own

Today was the first day that we had the most free time on our own and it was an adventure. We started the day at Westminster

In the Victoria and Albert Museum

Front facade of Westminster Abbey

A food market we found downtown

Abbey with a blue guide who knew a ton about the church and who was buried there. I personally did not know how many people were buried there and how cluttered it all was. I could not believe that we could just step on all the people including Isaac Newton. I also was shocked about how many small rooms were within the church because from famous pictures you never got to see the other parts of the church besides the main nave. We then went to Victoria and Albert Museum for our free choice of museum. I was shocked when I walked through those doors and discovered what was actually in there. I thought that the museum was tiny and only famous because of its origin and not the amount of artifacts and paintings that were actually there. I could spend hours looking at those sculptures. I appreciated the difference in scale between each sculpture, from large to small. We also saw the architecture exhibit and although hard to find, it was amazing and I would love to go back.

A Willingness to Change?

London continues to amaze. I have been afforded the opportunity to visit some culturally and historically rich sites of England. These sites included Stonehenge, Westminster Abbey, and Tower of London. After all sites had been visited, I think the idea that stuck out the most to me was the idea of change. The Blue Badge Tour Guide at Westminster Abbey indicated that the church was a combination of years of ideas with no original plan. He elaborated that even though Westminster may appear to be finished, they will continue to update the architecture to fit current needs. I found this idea that they would be so willing to change the building as seen fit instead of freezing it in its current time period very unique. The openness to change was quite different than what I experienced in Stonehenge and Tower of London. Stonehenge had had an unfortunate history of vandalism before it became a much more regulated area, but as a result, Stonehenge never seems likely to change. The historical preservationist organization that cares for the structure seem to have frozen it in place with only additions and changes to infrastructure around the site. This idea seemed more normal as that has been my general experience. When going to museums like the Tower of London, the pieces within seem to be static and unlikely to ever change. The whole idea of willingness to change was extremely surprising to me, but I am glad that the people of England and its visitors will have spaces that make sense for current uses instead of outdated purposes.

West works of Westminster Abbey. Latest additions include 10 small statues above doorway.

Stonehenge: A Complete Mystery of Use

White Tower within larger Tower of London fortress

Day out of the city.

On our visit outside the city yesterday, i was so exited to see Stourhead. It’s been the place that I want to visit ever since my freshman year. I was waiting for that day. I was hoping to spend more time on it and do a sketch there, but the weather didn’t go right. When we first entered, I saw the painting becoming real. That was very interesting, and so mush better than I imagined. My favorite part was the grotto, it was so much bigger than I thought. And the view from the opening was amazing. I loved every detail about it, and how beautiful this landscape is.

Going to the next stop, Salisbury Cathedral was the most beautiful place in the day trip yesterday. I loved the Cathedral and the town. It was also bigger than I thought, and it has so many details that made me just look at it nonstop. I loved the town as well, it felt like a place I want to live in, so relaxing and small and active. The smell of the bakeries and how old the buildings was, I think it was prefect for a day out of the big city. I wished we spent more time on it and walk more and experience everything about that place.

View from the nave of Salisbury Cathedral

Reflecting of the wall to the fountain in the middle

Details of Salisbury Cathedral.

View from grotto to the landscape

View of Stourhead

A Rocky Situation

Sketch of 3 sarsen stones.

On our visit outside of the city, Stonehenge popped up almost at random out of the rolling green hills as a ruin made of a pile of rocks. Before coming here it seemed so much a mystical site that tv and historians tell an impossible tale, however upon viewing It for myself, I realize that though the stones are huge, it seems possible with enough man power. The organization seems reasonable for a time when people wanted to congregate around something as powerful at the stars and the sun. Being able to understand formations like this as a man made form begins to dissolve the improbability of some of these structures we aren’t used to seeing outside of a history book. The complex is quite big, but at a small enough scale that it is plausible. Surely not as big as the pyramids, so I can more clearly confirm that aliens did not create Stonehenge.

Window into the old Monarchy: The Tower of London

Today I am thankful that our group was fortunate enough to have received a tour of Westminster Abbey. From seeing the tombs of Queens Mary I and Elizabeth I, it was only a natural segue that for the museum we were able to venture to on our own was the Tower of London. Upon entering the establishment one immediately spots “Traitor’s Gate”, which Queen Elizabeth I herself passed through while under arrest by her half-sister Mary I. This entry point from the river comes to meet the first set of the Tower’s defenses as its path joins that of the pedestrian to being to pass through the multiple layers of inner fortifications of the Tower. This dense layering most definitely serves its purpose of intimidation upon the pedestrian even today as it proved to be an impenetrable labyrinth of walls we most certainly needed to be guided through. Upon entry into the main center of the Tower, it was incredible to enter the White Tower itself; serving as a fortress, palace, armory, etc. it was well apparent its significance at the literal and contextual core of London’s history. Across from the White Tower the Crown Jewels are housed. To be allowed to view these left me speechless. The items all showcase the deep, rich history of the United Kingdom as one of the world’s foremost empires in history from the sheer grandeur and global utilization of materials for the jewels themselves. I am most thankful to have been able to see them. On a more solemn note however, from the entrance of the Crown Jewels display one is able to gaze upon Tower Green. It is here numerous history shaping, albeit gruesome events took place. For example, Lady Jane Grey, Queen of 9 days before Mary I usurped her on throne, was beheaded here at just age 16; as well as Queen Katherine Howard, Henry VIII’s fifth wife, just at age 19. Most infamously though, it is also the location of Queen Anne Boleyn’s execution; mother of Queen Elizabeth I and the catalyst for England’s split from the Pope. Anne is buried underneath the floor of the adjacent chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula, and to witness the seemingly nondescript tomb of one of the most controversial women in all of history, was well worth the overall ticket price and free choice to visit the Tower of London today in my opinion.

Anne Boleyn’s floor grave marker in chapel

The White Tower

Interior Chapel of St. John

Detail meets function

Sketch of a column detail in the Natural History Museum

Photo of a detail on a column in the Natural History Museum

When we visited the Natural History Museum I was immediately struck by the beauty of the building on the inside and outside. I was even more intrigued when I looked closer at the walls columns and ceiling and noticed the immense, and purposeful, amount of detail that was present. The stonework in particular contained lots of small surprises that could be easily overlooked, such as this monkey that was clinging to the column. I thought that these details were great because they correlated with the function of building, which was a natural history museum. Just as a religious building would have religious iconography engraved in the stone, this museum had its main characters carved into the building, acting as a constant reminder of the space that you are in.

Rescued or Taken Hostage?

I think that the question of whether Britain should return the Elgin marbles definitely can not be answered with a simple yes or no, otherwise I wouldn’t be writhing this blog. I feel that back when Britain “rescued” the marbles and put them on display in 1817, they were a much more civilized and developed country than Athens, Greece was. Therefore this raises the question of was Athen’s capable of properly housing, caring for, and protecting the Elgin Marbles. Who knows, if Britain never moved the marbles, they might not even exist today. However, since we cannot change the past, we must look at the fact that they do exist today, and are a focal point of Athenian and Greek culture. It would be similar to taking the Declaration of Independence from The United States. Therefore, I do feel that now Britain should return the stones or at least have some way of Athens buying or trading back for them.

View from the center of the exhibit

Statues from the frieze

War horse carved depiction

The Peculiar Mixing of the New and the Old

As the days have gone by I’ve come to enjoy London more and more. Many things are different here than in the U.S., but perhaps none as much as the mixing of past and present. In U.S., sites of deep historical significance are few and far between. The ones that do exist are set almost on a stage, in their own environment, removed from the modern world in a way. That is not the case here. There are so many historical sites, too many to see in just 10 days. All of these sites are part of the fabric of London; they sit on the street like every other building. I first noticed this when I saw parts of the old Roman walls. They were just in a little green space, in the shadow of several buildings. I thought it was incredible that these pieces of ancient architecture were just sitting here, free for anyone to climb on, paint on, or just ignore. Although other sites I visited were held in a higher sense of reverence, they were still just sitting there, right next to the sidewalk. As I headed to St. Paul’s Cathedral, I couldn’t help but feel that it was somewhat peculiar to have this grand cathedral on one side of the street and a McDonald’s on the other. Even Westminster Abbey, which is somewhat more isolated as it is next to Parliament, sat right next to the street, with people just driving and walking past trying to get to somewhere else. It just seems wild to me that these buildings and sites of huge cultural and historical significance are framed by, or in the shadow of, apartments, cafes, and commercial businesses. Even when I went to Stonehenge, I couldn’t help but notice that it was not surrounded by a park, but rather farmland, with sheep grazing just a plot of land away. Maybe because Britain, and London more specifically, has so many historic sites, that it would be impossible to give them all the “proper” setting, so instead they are just treated like every other building. Either way, at least I can observe St. Paul’s while eating a Big Mac.

Parts of the Roman walls, just kind of sitting there, seemingly forgotten.

Stonehenge framing a highway

Westminster Abbey siting right behind a flow of traffic

Stonehenge Shenanigans

Quick sketch of Stonehenge

Our visit to Stonehenge at the end of a long day was unfortunately pretty rainy and windy. I was able to get a rough outline while on the site, and then I was able to add details and color later on from a photo. My goal with this sketch was to capture the texture and shadows of the stones, which I think I accomplished pretty well. I do wish I had more time on site to complete the drawing instead of referencing a photo. I’m glad I chose to use color for this sketch, I think it adds some more description and depth.

Museums, Greenwich and Cathedrals, Oh my!

On Saturday, the afternoon after we arrived in London, we went to St Paul’s cathedral. The inside was incredibly intricate and vast, the structure is monumental and absolutely gorgeous. We climbed up many compact, winding stairs (through the double dome structure) to get an amazing view of the city, which really helped me to orient myself, and gave a great preview to all the activities and places to look forward to in the coming days.

View out from top of St Pauls towards One New Change shopping mall.

Our second full day in London consisted of a 10 mile walking tour, starting with Monument, then heading down to Tower of London, across Tower Bridge to Tate Modern, a boat out to Greenwich, and finally ending at the Olympic Village. My favorite part of this whole day was visiting Greenwich, where we saw the Painted Hall, The Queens House, and the Prime Meridian. The whole complex was incredibly beautiful, I especially enjoyed the Thornhill paintings in the Painted Hall. We also hiked up the hill to the observatory, and got a great view out towards the Thames.

Ceiling by Thornhill in Greenwich Painted Hall

The next day, we visited the British Museum, where we drew the central plaza and reading room. This was a real challenge, because the ceiling is very complex. My favorite part of the museum was all the Greek statues.

View of Reading Room and ceiling at the British Museum

My First Days in London!

Having experienced so much within a few days, I can’t just pick one favorite place I’ve been to. Walking through Barbican and experiencing the brutalist architecture was very interesting to me. I always thought brutalist architecture was harsh and ugly (oops). However, walking through Barbican really made me appreciate the simplicity behind the structures. My favorite parts were definitely the green spaces and water features. I also really liked the lecture before hand. I thought it prepared me to admire the meaning of the structures before I walked through the scene again. Understanding why a designer used a different texture of cement helped me notice more details.

Barbican Apartments With Greens!

I also really enjoyed Saint Paul’s Cathedral. This cathedral, along with Salisbury cathedral, was on the top of my list and it definitely lived up to it’s expectations. Comparing the surrounding architecture to this cathedral is like trying to compare the size of the moon to the Earth. It was massive and impressive. I felt tiny walking inside and I felt like I was flying when I went to the top of the dome. The details inside of the building were amazing as well. My favorite part of the inside was the quire. I really like the contrast of the dark wood with the gold everywhere else.

Interior of Saint Paul’s Cathedral.

Another fun moment I experienced was sliding down the Twizzler at the Olympic Park. It was funny that we had to use the helmets and arm pads but I had a lot of fun going down the slide.

The Twizzler!

Kamilla Wieckowski

Sam’s Blog 1

Sketched view looking down the nave from the quire at St. Paul’s

I really enjoyed visiting St Paul’s on our first day, and I thought that one of the coolest views that I saw was this view from the quire area, looking down the nave. I thought it was important to add the scripture book in front, because from this view it felt like I was addressing the congregation. I also thought it was important to get the deep perspective in this view because the nave is so long, so I used converging lines that all meet at the end of the nave. This view was also full of detail, so I had to limit the amount of detail I included in my sketch, and instead just added a little more density to the lines in certain spots to give the illusion of more detail.

Sketch of part of A statue of King Ramses I

I thought that this huge statue of part of a statue of King Ramses II was one of the coolest artifacts in the museum. It was located right in the. Middle of three Egyptian artifacts, and towered over all of the other items, so it was the first thing that most people notice when they walk in. For my sketch I tried to use a wide range of shading so that the drawing wouldn’t appear flat, as it did originally with just the linework. It also seemed like Ramses II was gazing out over the crowd unbothered by the people below him in this statue, which is the feeling that I tried to capture in this sketch.

Blog 1

On Saturday, we were able to go to so many cool places such as Barbican, Museum of London, and St. Paul’s Cathedral. We took the tube for the first time from Tottenham Court Road to St. Paul’s on the Central Line! The tube was much cleaner than I could’ve imagine, especially compared to the subway in NYC. It felt very easy to navigate which was very reassuring for the rest of the trip.

Casey and I in the Tube for the first time.

Barbican was a very different building to be in, as I haven’t been in many brutalist buildings before. It was really interesting learning more about Brutalism from Troy’s lecture while we were in the building.

From Barbican we went to the Museum of London. There were a few really cool sections to see, but the most exciting one was definitely the London Wall. Even though it is just a small bit of the wall, it is so amazing to think of how long that has been standing and how much history is within that wall. We got to go all the way up to it, which I wasn’t expecting. The wall was amazing to see, and obviously Casey was very excited about it.

Casey being extremely excited about the London Wall.

After being at the museum we made our way to St. Paul’s Cathedral. This was by far my favorite part of the trip so far. I’ve been in many beautiful churches but this was one of the most amazing churches I’ve ever been in. The dome was unreal and even though the stairs all the way up to the top were extremely difficult, the view from the top was so worth it.

The inside of the dome at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Birds Eye View of London

London has been breathtaking so far. Everything we have visited so far has not been short of amazing. The three places that stood out to me on the first three days of the trip were St. Paul’s Cathedral on day one, The ArcelorMittal Orbit “Twizzler” on day two, and The London Eye on day three. These three sites particularly stand out to me due to their access to view the city from above. What makes it really amazing is that these are three very different structures in different locations around London. All three sites give you a completely different view of the city.

KEEP IT MOVING!!!!

On day one we went to the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral, and it was defiantly worth the 528 step climb to the Golden Gallery at the top. The 85m view of the city gave me a sense of how big London really is. I was amazed by the views looking out from St. Paul’s, but it was also really interesting seeing the openings left in the planning for to city to preserve the views of St. Paul’s. I was so amazed by the view, that I had to take one last photo and in the process of taking it we got yelled at by the worker in the picture to keep it moving.

Bottom of the twizzler looking up.

The 80m tall observation deck that looks over Olympic Park

On day two we went to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and went to the top of the “Twizzler” to go down the curly metal slide. I was not able to get a photo from the top because we couldn’t bring any personal items on the slide. Once we got up to the 80m tall observation deck I was able to get a birds eye view of the Olympic stadium, swimming pavilion and the city from far away.

View from the top of the London Eye.

On day three of the trip we rode The London Eye, the pod took us up 135m to give a nice view of the city and the River Thames. This 360 viewing pod gave me a perfect view of the city from every angle and helped me understand the scale of everything in the city a little bit more.

It’s the Little Things

The first couple of days in London have been some spectacular ones. Seeing St. Pauls Cathedral through photos certainly did not do it justice. It was really the first time I have experienced the sublime architecture feeling, and with such close attention to detail in every aspect of the design. There was so many things that attracted my attention, it was difficult to keep my head still. But, in the end there were those small instances where my eyes were drawn to these particular details within the large volume of space that seemed so small in comparison to the whole but just as beautiful.

Wooden spiral column hidden behind altar.

I will never forget having to practically sprint up the stairs to get to the top of St. Pauls or how sore I was the next day. But, I will also never forget the views and the small spaces you pass through to get there. It was truly a unique experience getting to walk between the domes and shooting through to these large open spaces with generous views of the city below.

Spiral staircase leading to the top of St. Pauls.

Small window letting some light through on the way back down from the top of St. Pauls.

I enjoy getting to see these small interworking’s and think about why they were put there, what purpose they served, or what was there before it, etc. Because these are the things we often over look but it is still a cog in the machine and should be getting the same recognition and admiration. I say this because it is surprising to think in general that a detail so small would matter to a structure that’s monumentally large.

Looking towards Wrens sneakily fake facade.

Latifa’s blog post 1

St. Paul’s was my favorite place to visit so far. I was so exited to visit it ever since I started architecture. It was very nice to visit St. Paul’s on the first day. I knew it was going to be a beautiful building, but when we walked out of the underground station and I saw it, it took my breath away. I was very impressed with the exterior, and the details. I stayed there looking at it for the longest time, just because I couldn’t get enough of how perfect it was. It looked way bigger than what I imagined it, I took me time to go around it.

When I went to the inside, it looked so much better. It was hard to go up the stairs, took me a while to get there. But after seeing the view it was definitely worth it. I loved how we could see all London with different types of architecture, which it also helped me get inspired with the next studio project we are working at. Even though we viewed London in so many different, St. Paul’s was my favorite view out of all of them. I think the way going up to it would be part of the reason why it looked that way. Going up in these small steps to a very pretty view at the end, it’s like reward at the end of the experience.

St. Paul’s dome from the inside.

View from top of St. Paul’s to Tate Modern

St. Paul’s from the top of the New Change Mall.

Piece By Piece

After our first couple of days in London, I was absolutely in awe of the eclectic styles and cultures seen blended into an everyday hustle. While visiting the British museum, I was able to enjoy beautiful art from these many different parts of the world that were acquired by the British, whether it’s fully intact paintings, replicated models, or bits and pieces of sculptures. This varied display shows the history of the world and Britain through their own eyes in a heroic way, but the pieces were often wrongfully taken from other societies that have been pieced into British culture. Although this appropriation has a horrific past and troubled presence today, the scavenged art, even if broken, is beautiful and a sight to see all in one place. I focused on one broken piece that provoked this idea of collaging cultures, with one bust of Apollo split asymmetrically and chipped all over. Despite the damaged material and brutal facial reconstruction, it is a glimpse into another time and allows a look at its past by its current state, all the while remaining a breathtaking view, just like London.

Sketch of Apollo

 

Montel’s Blog Post 1

We’ve made it to London! There is so much new to offer culturally and societally. Many of the museums offer a deeper look into history than some of the same in the states, even though we share some of the same history. Visiting the British Museum on day two was a strand and overwhelming experience. The building offers such a majestic canvas to house artifacts, however the content dissolves from British history drastically. Many objects and artifacts weren’t originally in British possession, a double edged sword; many unanswered questions about how they were obtained but the preservation is impeccable for how old they are.

Statue of King from a tomb in Egypt.

Some of the displays did bother me because they showed pictures of how the artifact would be originally displayed in its original location. As I walked around I wondered if that were from my culture how would I feel seeing bits and pieces in a glass box. Regardless, the collection was extensive, and I’d say one of the most complete I’ve seen from a museum about world history. I might check it back out later on the trip. It would be well worth the time to see some of the exhibits.

Caryatid from the Erechtheum.

Sarcophagi from Egypt

A Dreary (At Times!) and Colorful City

Dear London,

The sun can stay, but please keep away the rain.

The past two days have been jam packed with all kinds of sights and experiences. From Greenwich to Tower Bridge, St. Paul’s to Tate Modern, the London Eye to the Tube, an outdoor market to tea at the National Gallery, the past two days have been nothing short of incredible. Coming into the trip, there was anticipation of less desirable weather with colder temperatures and rain, but nothing could have truly prepared me for the downpour during the walking tour. Watching the sun disappear behind a wall of clouds was certainly a bummer. But, despite small spurts of inclement weather, it has been a joy to get out and explore the city. On Saturday, our group took the time to visit Barbican. I was deeply intrigued by Barbican as it was a planned development. Although I may not love the style of architecture, I can definitely appreciate the intent and desire behind its beginnings. It was the most confusing place though, so I do not understand what the intention may have been by making it so convoluted. Further, as it is a brutalist style of architecture, there is lots of concrete involved in its construction. The concrete gives it a strength and formidability, but, it also results in a bland and dull place. Fortunately, many green spaces and water features were planned into the space which I found to be refreshing. Along all the balconies were planters filled with flowers and other greens that really helped breathe life into the space and added color in a relatively colorless space. In warmer weather, I could definitely see how those spaces would also serve as places for residents to gather as a third place away from home and work. Color has played a very interesting role in the city as it draws people’s attention and highlights London landmarks. Although the sky may have been more dreary and dark during our time spent near Tower Bridge, the brilliant blue combined with its incredible detail, size, and location make it stand out nonetheless. Similarly, the Twizzler in Olympic Park is impossible to miss with its bright red structure that towers above the ground. Lastly, even the use stations contain all kinds of color. The Tottenham Court Road station has beautiful mosaics in the wall made of all shades of tile. The color brings a point of joy and expression to an otherwise darker feeling space so far underground. As the week progresses, I look forward to other sites where I may see brilliant colors such as Kew Gardens.

Courtyard within the greater Barbican complex.

Tower Bridge on Sunday, March 9

The “Twizzler” at Olympic Park

A mosaic wall on the platform for the Tube at Tottenham Court Road station

Blog 1

  • I really enjoyed the British Museum. The Greek exhibit area was my favorite because I love the figural statues. I’ve always enjoyed sculptural art the most, specifically Greek sculptures. My favorite statue was the crouching Venus. I am grateful that I was able to see an exhibit of Greek art when visiting the British Museum. However, I do not agree with the mindset that the museum has that they are the rescuers of this art. This art, especially the pieces of the Parthenon, are apart of Greek culture and history and no foreign country should believe they have the right to steal that history. I interpret England’s refusal to return this art to its rightful home as a way of showing dominance over another country or culture which can loosely be interpreted as cultural suppression. England “rescued” something that not only did not need to be rescued, but they “rescued” something that they had no authority to. I found it strange that the British Museum consisted of history from many non British cultures. Greek art is not the only foreign art. There are many cultures represented in the British Museum. I believe that it is important for people to have the opportunity to learn about different cultures and I am glad there is a place like this museum for people to experience the art of different cultures. However, the question in then raised again if this artwork belongs in its own country or if the museum has the right to display this art for the public.

Crouching Venus

Caryatid in British Museum

British Museum Greek art

    Jeff and Troy admiring art together

A City Never Forgets

 

Wren’s Desire

London. Over 2000 years of urban history winding along the Thames. Everywhere one looks there is a constant reminder of the past among the present. Roman masonry across the street from Richard Rogers’ high-tech expressionism. World Heritage Sites among ostentatious skyscrapers. Royal palaces in the foreground of world financial centers. Olympic villages on top of reclaimed brown fields.

As London has evolved, it’s kept much of its previous DNA, even if as appendices in  many cases. As the city continues to change, what will we decide to save and discard? The things we produce and keep as a society reflect our needs and values. London is an incredible menagerie of what we hold dear, even if for the wrong reasons.

If New York was delirious then London is raw. Faced with confronting plague, the Great Fire, and the Blitz, it has kept its markers of preservation while carrying on with progress.

 

 

London Wall and 88 Wood Street

Tower of London and Beyond

Queen’s House and Canary Wharf

Blog 1

I was thinking about the question Aimee asked at the British museum and I was thinking about those kind of questions the entire time I was at the museum before, as well. I think it is not okay that they took the pieces from all of the places around the world. The museum was extremely beautiful and grand and I really appreciated the artifacts as they were but I could feel myself becoming more and more uncomfortable thinking about how they took the pieces. That being said, I think they did a great job at displaying everything that they stole from other people and providing a vast amount of information about every piece and making sure they are cared and treated for. Although, some of the artifacts captions had a fancy way of saying that they were stolen sprinkled into the paragraph. My friends and I are planning on going back to the museum when it is dark to look around more at places that we did not see and to look at everything in anew perspective. Although difficult, I enjoyed sketching the ceiling of the British Museum. You got to look at the detail of the ceiling and understand where the beams were and how the pattern of the structure comes together to form such an extraordinary clerestory.

Blog 1 (B)

For our first day it was great to kick it off with a visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral. While here, to witness the architecture of Christopher Wren was breathtaking above the ground, however during exploring the entire site I ventured down to the crypt and found some equally inspiring architectural moments I wished to sketch. In this sketch I wished to capture 2 key elements. First, the vaulting structure of the supporting ceiling captured my attention. The way in which the vault itself meets the elements of the column displays an interesting juxtaposition from a streamlined architectural support system into a detailed one. Second, the shadows created by the light in the crypt I personally found to be extremely beautiful. Practicing shadowing in sketches is a keen interest of mine and I hoped this sketch would provide the opportunity to further explore and perfect my technique.

Specifically the area sketched in question was the central space in front of the back chapel altar

Jack’s Day 1 Blog Post

Ever since I applied for this class and was accepted I couldn’t wait to see Saint Paul’s because of it being such an iconic landmark of London for its beautiful architecture and astronomical scale. Therefore, not having to wait the whole trip to see it was definitely a bonus as well. When we first arrived I was immediately blown away by the scale of things but also by just how ornate and detailed every inch of the cathedral was. There wasn’t a missing detail and nothing looked anything less than perfect. We ventured up to the golden gallery first which definitely wasn’t made with the thought of taller people. However by the time you got up there the views were breathtaking. It was also somewhat scary thinking you were that high up and just a railing was there to stop you if you tripped however I became more and more comfortable and got the take in the amazing panoramic views. Overall, Saint Paul’s was everything I thought it would be and more. Now I am excited to see Westminster Abbey and how it compares to Saint Paul’s. I am sure it will be equally fantastic and cannot wait to see Henry VII’s chapel with its one of a kind ceiling.

Northern End of the Transepts

St. Paul’s Dome

Gates leading into the choir

The British Museum, is it right?

Today we went to the British Museum. I had a great time as there was so much to see. One of the best things about the Museum was its vast collections of artifacts and art from all over the world. However, the location of those pieces here in London raises questions concerning Britain’s (and other nations) history of “relocating” or “saving” items of cultural significance from around the world. While admiring all of the artwork, I couldn’t help but ponder on whether the British Museum should be allowed to hold such important pieces of other societies. On one hand, I would argue that it is good that the British Museum has done this, as someone like me can visit one place and see art from all over the world, dating back thousands of years. London, being such an international city, provides easy access for all of the world to experience those works of art. Had those pieces stayed in their places of origin, I would not have been able to see Greek pottery, Roman sculptures, Egyptian mummies, Chinese jade jewelry, and so much more in just one day. Most likely, I, and many other people, would have never been able to experience any of those things. On the other hand, I would argue that there is something not quite right with someone growing up in Greece, living within eyesight of the Parthenon and never seeing the Parthenon Marbles while a kid living in England could see them whenever they choose. The more I think about it, the harder it is for me to say that it’s okay. Why does England (and several other countries) get to take the most incredible pieces of culture from all over the world and keep them for themselves? Imagine if the U.S. (or any other country) just took the Crown Jewels and held them in a museum. I think everyone would agree that that isn’t right, so what’s different about what England has done? Nevertheless, I am grateful that I was able to visit the British Museum and experience all of “its” wonders.

Me displaying Greek Statues

A bronze Chinese sculpture

Me wondering if the Parthenon marbles should be housed in England

Elizabeth’s Pre Departure Blog

Sitting in the airport waiting for our second flight is making me more excited to be in London than ever! Applying for this trip seems so long ago but suddenly we’re about to actually experience what we’ve been waiting so long for. All being together in the airport is getting me very excited to bond with everyone throughout the trip also. The class has gotten me so excited to experience London and all of the amazing things were about to see. In particular, I’m most excited to experience the architecture of London because seeing architecture while traveling is what initially sparked my interest in studying the subject. I am so excited to see the wide range of architecture that London has to offer, as there is old, historic architecture like Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral to look forward to, and also much more modern architecture like the Shard and the Gurken. I think the wide range of styles of architecture that London has will be create a really unique experience for all of us as students. Overall, I am so excited for this trip and have been so eager to start our adventure over to London as a class!

Blake Bordner Pre-Departure

Hello All,

 

First off, I want to start by saying I am very excited to get to experience this study abroad with all of you. It is quite literally icing on the cake for me as a graduating senior. I originally scheduled for this abroad trip because I have not taken an architecture class since I took 2300 with Aimee and I have always had interests on both sides of the fence with a little less of a technical background on the subject of architecture. So, my visit to London is more of an experience I am hoping will make me ask myself questions on how the merging of green spaces and architecture are successful in a heavily urbanized city. Everywhere we go, cities are growing and the demand for green space has taken flight. It is interesting to see the mechanics of how these spaces function in relation to its context and what makes them desirable to inhabit. One good example in London I am mostly excited to explore is Regents Street and the system of green spaces leading to and from the park. I have seen systems like this in New York and Philadelphia, but it will be even more exciting to see them across the pond and be able to compare different styles or methods that aim to accommodate the general public.

Jake’s Pre-departure

Today we finally leave to go to London! I can’t wait to get to the city and experience a new culture and see all the things that London has to offer. I have been to Europe once before when I traveled to Italy, but I can already tell London will be a very different experience than that was.

I am looking forward to seeing everything scheduled on our itinerary during the trip. I am really excited to see all the architecture there, but I am especially excited to see the landscapes in London. Stonehenge and Stourhead are what I am most excited to see, but I am also looking forward to seeing all the beautiful architecture in the city. I am interested to see how the old architecture mixes in the city with the new architecture.

Overall I am overwhelmed with excitement to be able to visit my dream travel destination, and be able to do so with a group of students that I will hopefully become good friends with by the end of the trip. I think the trip will be a very inspiring experience for me and will help me grow as a professional where I will be always looking for new inspirations for designs.

Liliana’s Pre-Departure

After experiencing my very first flight from Columbus to Chicago, the trip went from surreal to palpable in one turbulent ride to be followed by another. I am very excited for the first night of sleep in another country as well as our first trip to St.Paul’s and really being able to navigate the area around our hotel and to orient myself in London. Being able to explore the city in different ways is important to me for the independence of our visit and being able to fully immerse myself in a different city and culture. Among the days spent traversing the dense city, I am looking forward to the days planned to break away from the urban area and be able to experience a more serene atmosphere of nature landscapes such as Stonehenge and Stourhead which have always felt sublime and unreal to me. I am also looking for smaller opportunities in London like markets in Covent Garden or getting a discounted ticket to a show, or even seeing a play. Once I get a feel for the city I am really excited to know my way around with a new transit system and be able to find unique places to visit in my free time.

Tori’s Pre departure

I have been up since 9 am and I am still going strong. However, I am ready to go to sleep. I talked to a guy on the flight from the other group going to London and it seems like they have a similar size group. It was nice to see the cities at night and start seeing the sunrise in the air. The flight from Columbus to Chicago was extremely bumpy and I have not been on a flight that has had that much turbulence ever! I am excited to finally get to the hotel so I can go to sleep and start the experience as soon as possible. I am most excited to start going up into the city of London and seeing places from above. One of the experiences that stands out to me is going up in the London Eye. Hearing that it is timed so we can see the sunset is actually really cool. The other place that I am excited to see is the churches we are going to. Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Salisbury Cathedral should be really pretty and I have always had a love for churches so it will be nice to see three churches at that large of scale.

Carrick’s Pre-Departure

I couldn’t be more excited to finally be back in London. After spending the duration of the semester learning about the city and culture and sketching in class, it’s time for study abroad! We have all been taught well throughout the course of the semester and we should all know the map of London like the back of our hand and finally get to put our skills to the test. It is time to venture out into this global hub of culture ready to take the entire time in stride.

While I may be excited about having the opportunity to leave the country, I am also incredibly nervous to do so. Although I know in the back of my mind that everything is going to go smoothly on the trip, there is still the lingering threat of the corona virus. Thankfully OIA has prepared us well and I feel as though it will not hinder our London experience.

I am hoping that every student is as excited to experience something new as I did the first time in 2018. It is truly touching that I get to share my last college spring break with a group of all new friends with whom I can share and create lasting memories.

Kamilla Wieckowski’s Pre-departure Post

    I have made it to Chicago already and the thing I was really worried about has already happened. The turbulence on the ride from Columbus to Chicago was really bad but the next flight should be better since it will be a bigger plane. I have some time to calm down now and focus on the exciting part of this trip, which is making it to London. 

    I am ready to experience the lifestyle and culture in London and I am mostly excited about seeing St. Paul’s cathedral and St. Mary’s cathedral in Salisbury. I remember visiting Europe in the past and seeing the gothic cathedrals. It’s really cool to see the structures and level of detail put into everything and I think it will be mind blowing to see both of those amazing cathedrals. 

    I am also excited to try the new food and enjoy my free time wandering the city and meeting new people. Trafalgar Square is a place I can see myself going to after 5 PM. The tube system is another obstacle I’m worried about too but I think once I ride the tube a few times, it will get easier to navigate myself through the city.

Latifa’s Pre Departure

 

I am super exited to be in London in few hours! I cannot wait to arrive there. I have been waiting for this day for so long, and it’s finally here. I have so many place in mind to visit, there are places that I am most exited to visit then others.

The first place would be St. Paul’s Cathedral. I am super exited to walk in between the domes, hopefully it is not scary, but even if it is, I really want to experience the feeling. I also wants to see the inside of the cathedral and the beautiful details of the architecture.

The other place would be Kew Gardens, especially the palm house. I hope the weather would be good to walk around, but I am so excited to take pictures of everyone there, also walking on the glass bridge. It’s going to be a different experience.

Another would be Olympic village, the most exited thing about that is the slide. I have being watching YouTube videos about what is it like to go down that slide, and I cannot wait to try it myself.

I am so exited to visit food markets, I think it would be something very interesting, and exited to try different food.

Casey’s Pre Departure

I am very excited to get to London after waiting for this trip for so long. When I applied, it seemed so far away, but the time really flew by and now we are waiting in the airport to leave. I have never been out of the country, so this is a new experience for me. I’ve been to many different places but always in the country, so I have never been exposed to a culture that has many differences from mine. I am eager to learn about a different culture and it’s history. The most exciting part for me is to finally get there and start exploring a new city. I can’t wait to go to local stores and restaurants and see how they differ from the US. The site that is most intriguing to me is Stonehenge, I am very excited to get up close to really understand how large the scale of the site is. I am also eager for Stourhead and Kew gardens because I got a new camera for Christmas that I have excited to really test out. Every place on our itinerary is somewhere that I have only read about and seen pictures of and I can’t wait to experience them for myself.

Sam’s Pre Departure Blog

As I am currently sitting in the Chicago airport waiting for our flight to London I am getting very excited to arrive in country and experience all of the sites on our itinerary. I am most excited for our day trip to Stonehenge and Stourhead. I remember learning about Stonehenge for the first time a few years ago and being amazed by it. I also remember seeing Stourhead in photos and thinking that it looks just like an ideal landscape in a painting. I can’t wait to finally get to see both of these sites in person.

I am also very excited to visit Kew Gardens as it is one of the most notable landscapes we will get to see. I originally wasn’t extremely excited to visit Kew Gardens, but after we learned more about it in class recently, I am eager to see it in person. I especially can’t wait to walk on the sky bridge because I like heights and I think that it will be a very unique view and way to experience the landscape.

I was too excited to sleep the night before our flight, so I’m not sure if I will be able to sleep on the plane either. I can’t wait to get started on our trip and begin experiencing the culture and all of the sites that London has to offer.

Luke’s pre-departure thoughts

I’ll be arriving in London today and I can hardly wait. There are so many things that I have to look forward to that it’s hard to remember everything that we have planned. However, there are several experiences I am most looking forward to.

One such thing is visiting the British Museum. I am a big fan of museums and as such, being able to visit the British museum is an opportunity worth today’s 3 am alarm.

Another part of our trip that I am looking forward to is our day trip to see Stonehenge. Although I have seen pictures of it, I get a feeling that seeing it in person will be a completely different experience. The age of Stonehenge alone is enough to make me pause in awe, not to mention the fact that those super-heavy stones were transported miles and miles to end up where they are now.

Another aspect of our trip that I am looking forward to is Kew Gardens. Even though this winter hasn’t been particularly cold, I cannot wait to go inside the greenhouse and see some plants with actual leaves on them. The vast diversity of species at Kew Gardens is amazing; this trip, more than likely, will be my only opportunity to see many of these plants from all over the world in person. 

    Although those three things come first to mind when I consider what I am looking forward to most, they are by no means the only things I am looking forward to. I would be hard pressed to think of anything occurring on this trip that I am not excited for.

Montel’s Departure Thoughts

I am very excited to go to London! Today is the day of the flight out, it’s super early but necessary to make it out there by the end of the day. I can’t wait to get into the city and experience a new culture and be in a different country for the first time! I have flow many places domestically but the long flight out will be something new.

I’m looking forward to all of the buildings and sights were scheduled to see and even some of the free time to get a more organic feel for how the city operates. I want to explore how much style is different from the states with both places being tied in history, but England have a much deeper past than I am used to.

Overall, I think this will be a very constructive and inspiring trip educationally and personally. I Can’t wait!

Jack’s Pre-Departure Blog

I am excited for London first off because it is my first time in Europe. I have traveled out of the country before but never to a place like London. Therefore, I am excited to see a major European city as well as experience the culture as well. Furthermore, I am excited to visit sites such as Tower of London, Stourhead, and the British Museum. However, I am the most excited for Saint Paul’s Cathedral, due to the ornate details inside as well as the idea that it has stood the test of time and even survived the London bombings in World War 2. I am excited to take the stairs all the way to the top of the dome to get to see the amazing view out over London as well as seeing the infamous chapels located throughout the cathedral.  I would say out of the three other sites I listed above, I am most excited for Stourhead, since not only does it have amazing pieces of architecture, but the landscape seems amazing to immerse yourself into. Finally, I am excited to experience things such as riding the tube for the first time, riding a double-decker bus, and many other firsts that I will be able to experience for the first time.

Catherine’s Pre-Departure Thoughts

I am so excited to travel to London! Never having been overseas, this will be an entirely new experience for me. I am excited for literally everything. This even includes the things that may seem dull, like riding the Tube. I am so interested to see what their public transportation is like, especially since Columbus’ is still developing. I am most interested to see the Barbican housing development and St. Paul’s Cathedral. Barbican was a development born as a result of war; therefore, I am really interested to see how that affected its development. Further, in photos and videos, it seems like a fortress, so I think it will be interesting to experience it first-hand. St. Paul’s is a major landmark for London and likely affected a lot of development. It should not only be interesting to engage with St. Paul’s in terms of the architecture, design, and its treasures within, but I think seeing how the city has developed around it will be interesting as well. I am slightly nervous about the climb to the top of St. Paul’s, but I cannot wait to see the city from such a height. I have had the opportunity to get to one of the taller buildings in Columbus, and it was one of the most amazing experiences to see the city from a bird’s eye view. Overall though, whatever the trip brings, I am excited to see it all.

Eric’s Pre-Departure Thoughts

Being interested in urban design, I’m most excited to study the dynamic contextual relationships that trace the course of London’s history in real time. From Roman ruins to contemporary high rises, there is a readily observable dichotomy between the here and now, there and then, as well as everything in-between.

I’m also excited to visit post Brexit as shifting cultural and political sentiments challenge the field of architecture. I want to know how people feel about recent occurrences in the UK as well as the United States.

A major reason I wanted to study abroad was to gain a global experience. Being able to sketch, photograph, and fully sense such significant works and how they tie into the city, will undoubtedly broaden my scope and hopefully play a major role in my future work. While in London I plan on investigating brownfield development versus green belt reduction with regards to housing. Rapid urbanization is a global phenomenon and finding solutions that can translate around the world should be imperative to those responsible for the built environment.

Being a truly international city, I’m really looking forward to trying food from as many cultures as possible. Also as a huge football fan, I can’t wait to attend a match during our free day.

Sabrina Hooker Pre-departure Blog

The sites I am most excited to see are Kew Gardens, Stourhead, and Salisbury Cathedral. As a landscape architecture major, the incredible variety of plant species at Kew is incredibly interesting to me, and the different greenhouses look fabulous. I will definitely be visiting the Temperate Greenhouse, I love the combination of unique green plants against a stark white architectural background. Stourhead is, I think, very much one of a kind, I have never been to a landscape that takes a visitor through the story (except maybe Disney, although I would categorize that as something else entirely). In 2300, my favorite section of architecture that we learned about was Gothic churches. I love their haunting beauty, the way they look almost weightless, and the vast spaces inside. I am most looking forward to Salisbury in particular because the town has the medieval market, and I can’t wait to buy very unique items there, it will definitely be where I get most of my souvenirs. My main concern pre-departure is obviously the virus, I just hope that everything goes smoothly and that everybody stays healthy while we are there. I am also excited to spend some time getting to know London with my friends!

Shenyue’s Bio

Hi, I’m Shenyue Cao, but every time when I introduce myself, I’ll say “Just call me Amy if you want”, I don’t have a preference for Shenyue or Amy. I was born and raised in Taizhou, Jiangsu, China. That’s a small city, I would say, close to Shanghai. I’ve been living in China for 20 years and when I was in my second year in Industrial Design major in my previous college in Tianjin, I decided to transfer to OSU, for a better education.

I’m currently a junior in Landscape Architecture, with a minor in Design Foundation, and I’m also thinking about getting another minor in Architecture. When I need to choose a major for myself, I know I want it to be design-related. Growing up, I’m always interested in painting and sketching. I also found myself have a passion for reading and traveling. They both help me knowing the world better. Every time when I traveled to another city or country, I was fascinated by how different cultures shaped their landscape, architecture and the way the locals live. That’s one of the reasons why I want to join this London trip so much. I’ve never been to England before, but I always want to be there so much.

But why London. I didn’t find anyone who has the same reason as this, but I want to be honest, I’m a big fan of Harry Potter since I was little. Don’t try to ask me any question about it when we were in London, I’m not good at remembering names and locations. So this book affected me a lot, causing me always want to see how Londoners live and how the architecture in London would look like in person. For a more professional reason, after taking some history and theory classes in landscape architecture, the Stone henge and English Museum attracts me most. The density of history stored in both of these two sites makes me so excited about our trip.

Me with my cat, Momo. Credit to Jwoi, my roommate

Me with my cat, Momo. Credit to Jwoi, my roommate

Latifa’s Bio

This picture of me taking by my fave person Nasra!!

This picture of me taking by my fave person Nasra!!

Hi my name is Latifa, I am a Junior, majoring in Architecture and Arabic, with a minor in City & Regional Planning. I like traveling and learning about different countries and cultures. I’m originally from Iraq, I have been living in Columbus for 11 years. I have traveled to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and recently to Amsterdam. Architecture has always been a dream to me, and I finally made it this far. I’m going for an internship to Dubai this summer, I am super exited to finally practice architecture in real life.

I am super exited to go to London and see everything we have been learning about. This trip would help me with viewing the world differently, and with learning more about architecture.

Jeff’s Bio

Me next London Phone Booth 2012 trip.

Hello fellow travelers!  I am originally from Lima, Ohio and have always been a Buckeye!  I am an alumnus of The Ohio State University and have been an employee the College of Engineering for the past 22 years.  I started in Information Technology in the Knowlton School of Architecture in the wonderful era of Brown Hall.  I was fortunate, under the direction of Robert Livesey (former KSA Director) to be heavily involved in the planning and implementation of IT during the building of Knowlton Hall.   In my time I have seen IT evolve from just a few computer labs in Brown Hall to a new massive studio floor of over 500 computers, large format plotters, laser cutters, and 3D printers in Knowlton Hall.   The College of Engineering has recently centralized and my role has recently changed to Manager of Instructional Technologies for the College of Engineering.   This brings me to why I am part of this wonderful trip.

In 2012 I was fortunate to informally shadow Aimee’s class trip to London.  at the time my wife Amy was working as the Undergraduate Advisor in KSA and was going as one of the Resident Advisors so I decided to tag along.  I always wanted to travel to London and the fact that we were going to Stonehenge was just another bonus (bucket list item for me)!  The trip was amazing and London is absolutely one of the best places I have ever been.  Aimee is a wealth of knowledge and phenomenal at setting up and leading these trips.  I was at awe the entire time at how much we were able to experience and see.  London is truly one of my favorite places in the world.  Next to Beijing China, it is one of the most eclectic cities that I have ever visited.

 

Stonehenge from Aimee’s 2012 London Trip. I am fascinated by this place!

Tower Bridge

A little about me.  I have been married to my amazing wife and high school sweetheart, Amy Shaw, for 21 years.  She is a Graduate Coordinator in Integrated Systems Engineering here at Ohio State.  We have two amazing children, Ty (16) and Ella (12).  Ella was adopted from China in 2011 as special needs child with a cleft lip.  She is an amazing and smart little girl and keeps us on our toes everyday!  Ty plays baseball and golf and I have been fortunate to coach him in baseball up until his Freshman year of high school.

My wonderful Family!

I have also been told that I have to many hobbies.  During the summer weekends you will find us on our boat on Indian Lake. In the winter you can find us on the slopes skiing.  My other hobbies and interests include: Jeeps, golfing, golf carts, jet skis, computers, AR/VR, 3D printing, drones and anything R/C, old school arcades and pins, traveling, Ohio State Football, San Francisco 49ers, and fixing just about anything on my own.

Looking forward to traveling with everyone and I am excited to see what we can do with the iPad integration!

~Jeff Shaw

About Troy

Hi Everyone,

Just a little background about me. I’m originally from Wisconsin but did my undergrad in architecture and urban planning at Arizona State University before coming to OSU for grad school. While I was here completing my MArch I was a TA for Aimee and did several study abroad  programs with both Aimee and Jackie Gargus. Since then I’ve had the opportunity to travel across Europe, China, as well as Rio de Janeiro and Santiago. Most recently my wife and I traveled around Iceland for a week exploring the unbelievable landscape it has to offer!

 

When I’m outside of Knowlton work for a firm in Cincinnati where I head up their digital fabrication and computational design efforts.  I also have a digital fabrication/parametric design/woodworking business I oversee where I often consult with local firms to develop parametric design solutions to various problems as well as produce architectural models and furniture pieces. I’m fascinated with small-scale design-build projects as well as incorporating CNC technology within the fabrication process. Integrating parametric design, digital fabrication, and design-build allows me to be invested in a project from start to finish.

Aimee’s Bio

Three words to describe myself: teacher, mother, traveler, not necessarily in that order…

I was born in Venezuela and moved to Ohio when I was 4 where my mom says I learned English from Sesame Street (and of course my bilingual mom). I have 2 younger sisters and love cats, especially black ones. I’m a double alumnae of OSU, with undergraduate and Masters degrees in architecture. I started teaching  at OSU when I graduated in 1999, started the first spring break study abroad (to London) and so fortunate to have traveled with many students to London (this is my 10th study abroad to London!), Barcelona, Netherlands, Rio, Italy and Santiagox2! I am very fortunate to work in a job that I love and have a passion to do. I also teach classes in sustainability ( Arch 2220), intro architecture/landscape architecture (Arch/LArch 2300) and Exploring Columbus  (Arch 4880).  My research includes ongoing projects South American designers (architects and landscape architects) and Columbus, OH architecture and integrating technology (iPads) into my pedagogy and teaching. I have a busy term lined up presenting in 2 conferences: first at the OSU Focusing on the First year where Troy and I will be presenting on our integration of iPads into teaching and the second on “Contemporary Latin American architecture scale, materiality and genius loci” at the Ohio Latin Americanist Conference in February. Last year I was awarded an OSU/Affordability Learning Grant to write a book for Arch/Larch 2300 which has been a new adventure!

My life outside of teaching is filled with family, especially Ben and Quinn which you will hear about from time to time. They are lovely, smart and beautiful little beings and amazing to have in our lives.

My favorites are: the sound of the ocean, my feet in the sand, El Arepatzo, Smashing Pumpkins, yoga, traveling, pink peonies, Audrey Hepburn, black cats, sketching, London and snuggling with my little ones.

I look forward to traveling with you all to London!

Aimee’s favorite tree in London

Aimee’s first snow in London (2018 trip)

Lili’s Bio

Hello All! My name is Liliana, or Lili for short, I’m from a super small town called Bellaire, Ohio, near Wheeling, West Virginia. I am a second-year Architecture student pursuing a minor in Consumer Sciences and Fashion Retail Studies. I have been really looking forward to this study abroad program, London has always been a dream destination of mine due to the very historic features that are very familiar in our own popular culture. Outside of the historical or other tourist attractions I am exited to try as many different restaurants, bakeries, markets, and coffee shops. I also want to “live like a local” in different ways, whether that is mastering finding a cool hangout spot or figuring out transportation and directions. (Which I am normally really bad at!) On my free day I am also wanting to see a musical in West End, as well as various plays and entertainment in places like Piccadilly’s Circus or elsewhere. Overall, I’m super thrilled for a chance to make some new friends on this trip while being able to create new memories and having cool first experiences, such as flying on a plane for the first time and leaving the country for the first time!

Photo shot with friends while in the Short North.

Jwoi’s Biography

My name is Zhuoyi Yin but I prefer to be called as Jwoi. I am in my junior year and majoring in Art BA program. Before I came to Columbus, I lived my whole life in Beijing, China. I love my hometown and my city, however, I am fond of traveling to different places as well.

My mom took me to many provinces in China when I was a kid. The first time I traveled abroad was visiting the United Kingdom when I was in grade four of the primary school. I had a beautiful memory of the trip. The style and views of London impressed me the most. I did not recognize the role of local architectures plays in my impression of London until these years. I realized how the architectures and landscapes of a place can provide strong culture of that place.

This time, I want to experience the culture of the same city I have visited when I was young once again. I believe there will be a lot of differences. If I have enough time, I would like to walking through the streets of London for hours. This is my favorite way to feel the culture of different places.

Tyler’s Bio/About Me

Hi, My name is Tyler S. Johnson and currently, I am a rising sophomore at The Ohio State University. My major is the amazing and artistic field of Architecture. My minor is in entrepreneurship. My hometown is Dallas, Texas. Continuing, I am also in The Architecture, Landscaping, and City Planning Scholars program also am a member of the fraternity Phi Gamma Delta. My main goal in life is to become a successful entrepreneur. Additionally, My current aspirational career plan reads like the following, I would work as an architect until I’m able to start my own practice. Then, branch out into becoming a full-fledged multitasking entrepreneur—working on multiple successful companies at once. The pinnacle of my career and my current career model would be becoming a venture capitalist. Three words that best describe me are creative, openminded, and being a leader. One of my other goals in life is directly tied to what drives my work and passions. I want to have a lasting legacy. For me, the thought of one day having a legacy that impacts my grandchildren and even my great-grandchildren drives me. So, “why London?”, for me I’m excited to see the old architecture in London for the purpose of gaining knowledge in architecture. See, many of the buildings I will be visiting I have heard about, but seeing them in person will allow a different experience to take place.

Victoria’s Bio

This is at a coffee festival !

Hello, my name is Victoria Miller! I am studying Architecture in my second year at Knowlton. I come from a small town near Toledo and Cedar Point called Fremont. There is not much to do in Fremont hence why I chose a large university to attend. Coming from a small town, I have not been able to travel the world as I want so I am most excited to get out of the United States and explore another culture. Another adventure I am most excited for this class is learning how to draw. I have sketched from being in the Architect program but I think my skills will really excel after taking this class and practicing sketching. Once I am in London, I am most excited to see the skyscraper, St. Marys Axe. This is a skyscraper I learned about in the sustainability class and I fell in love with. I love learning about sustainability and the design of this skyscraper was all about sustainability and how the architect really maximized the use of an environmentally friendly skyscraper. Another aspect of the trip I am most excited for is exploring museums. My family has always traveled places to go to museums and it will be a nice experience to see several new museums, especially the Tate Modern.

Catherine Rolnicki Bio

Hello, my name is Catherine Rolnicki. I am a third year City and Regional Planning student with a minor in Engineering Sciences. I am from Brunswick, Ohio which is a suburb of Cleveland. I have two siblings, and I currently have three nephews and one niece. One of my favorite things that I got to do over break was to have a dance party with my niece. She was gifted a dinosaur toy that sings and dances, so needless to say, it is completely awesome! One of my other favorite things to do is read. This new year, I really hope to travel more. I love seeing the national parks and other interesting natural features. This London study abroad trip is definitely helping me fulfill my goals of travel. I have been out of the country to Canada, but not overseas. Therefore, I am super excited to see it all. I’m interested by the public transportation that we will be using as I am curious how it differs from the experience of using the COTA in Columbus. If I were to pick a site, I am most excited to see Stonehenge as there is so much mystery surrounding it, and I want to learn more.

This is a photo from a local Columbus apple orchard that I went to with friends in the fall.

Yunhao’s Bio

Hi my name is Yunhao Zhong. I’m a senior in Architecture degree.  I’m from Nanning China， a green city in the south of China. I have art learning experience on Sketching, Gouache painting and Chinese Traditional painting experience before I came to the United State, and that make me into the Architecture.

I’m always excited experiencing difference culture. To know different cultures, people’s lifestyles in this world would be super valuable to me. This course not only allows me to draw sketching again, which what I always like, but also allows me to see the development of London. London must have its own reasons for being an international centre. The texts in the books and the descriptions on the Internet make me feel that London is still too far away. I want to see London myself, to feel its humanity through actual experience. Personally, I love Norman Forster’s buildings, such as londoncityhall and 30 St Mary Axe. During my four-year undergraduate career, I read those buildings only when I’m writing essays or doing design. This trip is the time for me to feel the soul and spirit of those architecture and see what those architect want to tell the world.

Yunhao’s Bio

Yunhao’s Bio

Anthony’s Bio Post

Hi, Im Anthony Battaglia. I am a second year majoring in architecture. My home town is Millburn, New Jersey which is a suburb of New York and is about 40 minutes from the city. I have also lived in Cleveland, Ohio and Chicago, Illinois. Being at Ohio State is a great fit for me, since the campus is in an urban area, and I’ve lived close to big cities growing up. Some hobbies of mine include snowboarding, swimming, sailing, photography, and traveling. I have traveled to more than half of the States along with Canada, plus a few countries in the Caribbean. I am very excited to visit London because I have never been there before. I love visiting different cities, and London has always interested me. What interests me the most about London is how new modern towers/buildings are built right along the historic/classic architecture throughout the city. I am looking forward to seeing Stonehenge because it amazes me how old it is, along with the history behind it. St. Paul’s Cathedral looks breathtaking from the  pictures I have seen, and I am excited to see the cathedral in person.

Me in Chicago last summer

 

Jake Treadway’s Bio

Hi, my name is Jake Treadway and I am a Senior graduating in May with a degree in Landscape Architecture. I currently work at a landscape architecture firm in Parma, Ohio. I have 2 brothers, Dawson that is 21 and studying at Ashland University and Bodhi who is 8. I am from Cleveland, Ohio about 2 hours North of Columbus. I went to Berea-Midpark High school. In high school I played for the football team. My hobbies include sculpting, camping, watching football, and anything to do with animals.

I am most interested to see London as a whole, but I am particularly excited to see the landscapes the London has to offer. It has been a dream of mine to see Stonehenge since I was a kid. I am also interested in seeing the mixture of old and new architecture in the city. Overall I am excited to travel abroad and get to see how other people so far away live their lives for a week. The last time I left the U.S. was in 10th grade when I traveled abroad to Italy, so I am excited to have to opportunity to do it again in such an amazing country like London.

Jake at the OSU vs. PSU Game

Bio

Hi I’m Casey Whalen. I am an architecture major and I am considering a minor in environmental engineering. My home town is Avon Lake, Ohio, which is a suburb on the west side of Cleveland. I graduated from Avon Lake High School where I played soccer and ran track. Other hobbies of mine include art, mainly 3D art such as ceramics, and reading. When I’m not doing any of those activities I’m most likely watching Netflix. I love my hometown because I have a large extended family that all live close to each other, so when I’m home I get to see my family all the time. Being far from my family is the biggest change that I felt at OSU but I love this school and the campus! I am very excited to go to London because I have never been out of the country before. In London I am most excited to see Stonehenge because the mystery of it fascinates me and I am excited to get a real sense of its scale when we see it in person. I am also excited to see St. Paul’s Cathedral because I really love the architecture and ornamentally of historic churches.

Me in Chicago this past summer.

Luke Ciminillo Delamotte’s Bio

 

Hi, my name is Luke Ciminillo Delamotte. I am a first year. My major is City and Regional Planning but I am double majoring in Economics as well. I am from Columbus, I’ve lived here my whole life. As you might guess, since I’m a CRP major, I am most excited to see the actual layout of London as a whole, how it functions as a city, how people live and work in it, and how people move around and throughout the city. However, there are several actual sites I am excited to visit. One of which is St. Paul’s Cathedral; from what I’ve seen in photos, the design seems breathtaking and I am sure that it is awe-inspiring in person. I also am excited just to travel abroad. I’ve never left the U.S. so this spring semester will be pretty momentous for me.

One of my major goals for this course is to improve my sketching skills, which are fairly novice at this point. Being more skilled at drawing has always been a life goal for me and this class seems like the perfect opportunity to achieve that. I also want to learn more about architecture, as its principles can have a large impact in city planning, especially urban design.

Luke Ciminillo Delamotte’s Bio Photo

Puying Liu‘s Bio

Hello everyone, my name is puying liu, and I am a senior in architecture. I have an older brother and an older sister. My older sister was also a student at OSU. She is now studying mechanical engineering at Virginia Tech and we will all graduate in May of this year. My hometown is Guangzhou, China. It is located south of China, close to Hong Kong and Macau, and has a large population and delicious food. Unlike Columbus, Guangzhou is as warm as summer all year round. Even in winter, you can go out with short sleeves.

In the past few years, in addition to traveling within the United States, I have also traveled to many other countries, such as Argentina and Thailand. I think it is very interesting to experience the culture of different countries and appreciate different styles of buildings, which will help expand my knowledge. I have never been to Europe before, but I know that there are many architectural styles in London, and there are many worth seeing. Each building is very unique. As a political, economic, cultural and educational center of Europe, London is everywhere, including Gothic architecture, Romanesque architecture, and Baroque architecture. I think in London, I can see many styles of buildings in a short time, and I am looking forward to this trip.

bio photo

Intro Bio

My name is Elizabeth Rechin and I am a freshman. I have two sisters, Sophia who is 20 and Margot who is 14. I am studying architecture and I am thinking of a minor in art. I am from the Westside of Cleveland, Ohio where I went to Saint Jospeh Academy for high school. In high school I was on the soccer and basketball teams. My favorite hobbies are playing soccer, painting, drawing, hiking, eating ice cream, and traveling. One of the biggest parts of my life has always been my Greek culture. Another one of my favorite hobbies is Greek dancing! I go to a Greek Orthodox Church in Cleveland where I have been heavily involved in the church’s youth group all throughout high school where we volunteered at the church, in the community, played basketball and had Greek dances together. There have also been many opportunities from my church to be involved in my Greek culture by traveling to Greece, which I did in summer 2016. This trip really sparked my love for traveling and led me to apply for this London trip. However, the trip that sparked my love for architecture was my trip to Spain in 2018. We went to several cities in Spain and the architecture in these cities are what made me so interested in pursuing architecture. Me In Spain!!!

Carrick’s Bio

Hello everyone! My name is Carrick Reider and I am a Senior graduating in May with dual degrees in Architecture and Italian, with a minor in City & Regional Planning. I was born and raised in Upper Arlington, Ohio, along with my two older brothers just right across the Olentangy River west of OSU, and coincidentally right by Aimee’s house! My hobbies include playing the piano (especially Rachmaninoff), and am a self-proclaimed movie buff (and with it being Oscar season you can catch me at Gateway almost every other day). This is my 6th study abroad during my time at OSU, and second to London with Aimee (I went previously in 2018). That being said, I am fortunate enough to have travelled to Ireland 4 times, the UK 3 times, spent the last 2 summers in Italy, as well as have ventured to Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Croatia, Greece, Morocco, Nicaragua, Canada, and also went to Chile freshman year with Aimee. My Grandmother herself was a proud Anglophile, so going to London again after her passing away will be a sentimental experience for me. I am very much looking forward to returning on this study abroad and seeing all the changes to the city since I was there last, as well as re-experiencing everything this amazing metropolis has to offer. Here’s to a great trip and getting to know all of you before we embark to “The Big Smoke”!

Me in Italy this past summer

Montel’s Bio

Hello all,

I’m Montel, currently a G2 in Architecture. I am from Indianapolis, IN, so its great to be in a city that reminds me of home with its similar size and scale. I did my undergrad at Southern Illinois, also in architecture, and if you know that area its in the middle of nowhere, but I have been fortunate enough to travel across a good bit of the states, about half so far, but I have never been abroad. The closest I’ve come was a highway sign that said Canada, not very spectacular. I’m really excited to go to the country that predated America to see how culturally similar or different it actually is.

I cant wait to see the juxtaposition of the really old architecture, preferably gothic, next to the cutting edge designs that a big city like London offers. I am curious to see how the neighborhoods mix and interact with their surroundings and unique histories. I am ready to see the locals, eat the food, and take in the rich history of the town and the museums that hold artifacts from places in the world I’ve only read in books. It should be a great experience!

Me at the Indy 500!

Leilani’s Bio

This is a photo of myself taken in October.

My name is Leilani Chung and I am a Marketing Major and an Architecture Minor.  I’m a senior and have been part of the architecture minor for four years now. I have enjoyed learning about architecture through my minor, although I have not taken as many classes as most people in this class, I can’t wait to learn more about the architecture of London! I went to high school in New Albany, Ohio but I have moved around a lot so I don’t consider one place to be my hometown.

Although I am not participating in the actual London trip, I am extremely interested in learning about the historic and present-day architecture of London. I am also interested in diving deep into the culture of London and how this culture is reflected in London’s architecture. The history of London and everything the city has been through is extremely intriguing. I would like to know how it has stood up to the thousands of years that have past since it was built.

I have learned a lot throughout my time in my architecture minor and I cannot wait to learn more about London to finish up my last semester as a senior!

Blake Bordner’s Bio

Hello,

my name is Blake Bordner. I am a senior in landscape architecture here at OSU, born and raised here in Columbus. My first job in high school was landscaping and I stuck with it for about 5 years until I decided I wanted to be apart of the landscaping community professionally. So began my career here at OSU and, to this day, I have not regretted it one bit. With arch/larch, there are endless opportunities to be sought out and the ambiguity as to what you can do with this knowledge is one of the factors that makes the profession very unique and exciting.

I have had some travel outside of the US in Cabo San Lucas, Portugal, Switzerland, and Italy. As you can imagine, they all varied in different ways in regards to the architecture and, in most cases, you could see the problems engineers tried to solve to allow these places to adhere to the earths natural form and combat the forces of nature. I am excited for the London trip because I know it is a culturally rich landmark and mixes contemporary or growing movements with historical architecture. You can physically see a piece of architecture that’s hundreds of years old, turn around, and look at something that was built 5 years ago and it’s a seamless transition, almost sublime. So I know, for me, that is one of the things I am most excited to see. But also, it is nice to immerse yourself in new cultures and catch the atmosphere changing, even in the mundane activities you perform normally here in the US feel exciting when you experience it differently.

A big leaf.

Sabrina Hooker Bio

Hello! My name is Sabrina Hooker, and my hometown is right here in Columbus, OH, so the Buckeyes are very special to me and remind me of home. I am majoring in Landscape Architecture and double minoring in both Environmental Science and Studio Art. I am most looking forward to seeing Kew Gardens, St Pauls Cathedral, and a view of London from the eye. I absolutely love strolling through colorful gardens, they exude peace and comfort to me. St Pauls also peaks my interest because grand cathedrals are always so awe-inspiring, and going through the double dome will be such a unique experience. Also, I am very excited for all the delicious food London has to offer. Just being in a city that has so much history and world significance is why I am looking forward to this trip so much. One of my goals on the trip is to try and find a way to capture what it’s like to be in London through sketching, and I am eager to learn as much as I can about drawing in order to do that. Finally, wandering around in such a cool place with experts on the city and friends will be such a fun and exciting experience.

This is a picture of me, Sabrina!

Sam Goecke’s Bio

My name is Sam Goecke and I’m a sophomore in architecture. My hometown is Sylvania, Ohio, which is a suburb just outside of Toledo. I have played soccer for most of my life, and I have always had a passion for art, which is what helped my decide to pursue a career in architecture.

Just in the past few years I have started to travel outside of the United States more to places like Cabo San Lucas and on a study abroad last spring break to Santiago, Chile. I have loved trying new foods and experiencing the culture of different countries, which is what I am most excited about experiencing in London. I have also started sketch more in my free time, which I have found has been a great way to document my trips and practice my architecture analysis skills, as well as a relaxing activity that I can do as a hobby.

I am also excited to see the public transportation systems and general city layout in London. I think that the city seems very unique because of its blend of historic sites and contemporary architecture, so I am looking forward to seeing what kind of dynamic that creates in the city.

Sam Goecke Bio Photo

Eric’s Bio

Hi, I’m Eric Schultz and I’m a G2 in the M. Arch program. I’m originally from Youngstown, OH, but Columbus has been my home for the past decade. Although a graduate student, I’m still quite new to architecture. I completed my BS in applied mathematics from OSU in 2013, and spent the early part of my career in various areas of biomedical research. Through the past year and half, I’ve been constantly finding new avenues of exploration in the field. My current interests focus on the present and future challenges facing urbanization.

This is why I’m so excited to study abroad in London. Being a truly international city for over two millennia, the built environment of the metropolis has been influenced by a myriad of both internal and external forces encompassing political, socio-cultural, and economic movements.

As digital infrastructures continue to evolve in cities, data becomes an exponentially more plentiful resource. As architects, we are ultimately responsible for illustrating novel complex relationships in these spaces. For my individual project, I look to couple publicly available datasets within overlapping urban adjacencies to 1) clearly identify problems facing the continual growth of a global city, and 2) begin to visualize their solutions in urban design.

Eric Schultz

Kamilla’s Bio

Hi! My name is Kamilla Wieckowski and I am on track to graduate with a bachelors of science in Civil Engineering with a minor in Architecture. I am from Solon, Ohio which is about 30 minutes southeast of downtown Cleveland but my favorite part of my hometown is definitely the city! I am very excited to see London because Cleveland and Paris are the only major cities that I’ve been to and I believe it will show me many differences between the cultures and architecture. Paris is more traditional and filled with Roman architecture, but on the other hand, Cleveland architecture is more progressive and industrial (from what I’ve seen). I hypothesize that London will be a mixture of the Roman architecture in Paris but also with some more progressive and industrial architecture that is similar to Cleveland. What I am most excited to see on this trip is the Salisbury Cathedral or the Cathedral of Saint Mary. I always find it astonishing how grand old churches are and the height of the ceilings always amaze me. The pictures of the Cathedral of Saint Mary show a sublime scenery and I am excited to be able to see the construction in person.

 

This is me, Kamilla!

Jack Bradley’s Bio

Hello, my name is Jack Bradley and I am from Chardon, Ohio which is in Northeast Ohio near Cleveland. I am a freshman Architecture major. What I am excited to see in London is St. Paul’s Cathedral and climb to the top of the dome to have the vast and amazing view out over London. What I am most excited to see however, is the British Museum. Not only is the building itself an amazing feat of architecture, but what it contains as well. I have always wanted to see the Elgin Marbles which are the pieces of marble from the acropolis in Greece that have been so well preserved over time. It has always fascinated me that a culture so long ago could lift these thousand pound pieces of marble and also create such ornate creations on them. This is the main thing that I am excited to see in London during our various visits. I am also excited to see other sites such as Stourhead and Tate Modern. Overall, I am very excited for this trip, because it is my first time traveling to Europe. I have been places such as Mexico, Dominican Republic, and so-on, so it will be a very cool experience to be in Europe for the first time.

Hello, my name is Jack Bradley

Please pardon the bags under my eyes and 5 o’clock shadow; happy Monday!