Author: Samantha Ho

Back in Columbus

Leaving that beautiful 90 degree weather in Santiago was definitely a challenge for me. I immediately noticed the 40 degree drop in weather right when I stepped off the plan. Looking back at all the amazing adventures I went on and all of the things that I learned within the last week brought a feeling of sadness I as was uber-ing back to my dorm. For me, the most memorable day was our free day when me and my friends decided to complete the four hour hike in the Andes Mountains. It was probably one of the most dangerous things of I’ve done, being that the trails were probably 6 inches wide and we were hiking on the side of the mountain with nothing to catches if were were to take the wrong step. But, walking on the trail and pausing every once in a while to take in the view around me truly made me content and grateful for having the opportunity to come on this trip. Not only was I able to make long-lasting memories with my fellow architecture friends, I also learned how to survive for a week in a country that barely spoke English. I am excited to sign up for more study abroad programs in the future and can’t wait to apply for the London study abroad program next year!

Nice walk in the park after Mestizos

5 minute break on a nice rock after hiking for 2 hours

Amazing views from Santa Lucia

Pablo Neruda’s House and Vina Del Mar

Making the long drive to Pablo Neruda’s house, La Sebastiana, was worth it. The house perfectly fit in the sea of colorful houses sitting on the mountain. The breath-taking views from the house were simply amazing. The house was very eclectic with its colorful walls, narrow staircases, cut-out doors, and opulent statues. Pablo Neruda’s house towered above the surrounding houses with its five floors and large patio. I loved how each room had its own them and was very unique in its own way. My favorite floor in the house was probably the bedroom with its amazing views. I can’t imagine waking up every morning to see all the colorful houses next to the ocean. Going to Vina Del Mar was very much needed in that I haven’t gotten a lot of sleep the past few days and taking a nice long nap on the beach with the sun on my skin and the sand in my toes definitely helped. The beach city of Vina Del Mar was picturesque and I can see why it’s named one of the most beautiful cities in the world. With floral trees and bushes lining the street, the city seemed so lively. Hopefully I will come back one day. Looking forward to the free day tomorrow!

Sketch of La Sebastiana

Vina Del Mar

University Adolfo Ibanez and PUC

View from Adolfo Ibanez Architecture School

PUC Lo Contador campus

Visiting the architecture school in then mountains pleasantly surprised me. I was so amazed by the magnificent view the architecture students get to see everyday whether it be in class or simply strolling around the beautiful campus. The cool tones of the buildings on campus made the space feel very light and breezy to walk through. Personally, I favored the design of the graduate school more than the undergraduate school in that campus was more quiet and there were bigger changes in section. I loved hat inside the building there was so much natural light coming through and that they didn’t need to use a lot of artificial lighting inside the buildings. The design of the buildings and the way they were layed out sort of reminded me of the architecture in Greece, where the white buildings are connecected by narrow stairways. At PUC in the Lo Contador campus, I liked seeing the contrast between the old and the new buildings that were put right next to each other. I also liked the idea of having reviews outside in the daylight rather inside in a cool and dark building. At PUC in the San Joaquin campus, it was interesting to see how much busier and more urban the campus was compared to the Lo Contador campus or even the Adolfo Ibanez School of Architecure campus. Can’t wait to go to the beach tomorrow!

First Day in Santiago

Walking up the narrow and uneven stairs of Santa Lucia was definitely worth the view at the top. It took a while, but along the way I stopped at a nice vendor to buy a strawberry slushy which cooled me down. Along the way up, I noticed a lot Chileans using the benches and casually socializing. I find it interesting that a lot of Chileans like to find places to sit down and simply have a chat. The pace is much slower in Chile that I have noticed. The view at the top was amazing. The 360 degree view of Santiago was one of the best views I have seen from an elevated surface. With no clouds in the sky, the sun was definitely beating down on my skin and I am getting more tan. Walking through downtown Santiago made me realize that there is a mix of old and new buildings. The newer buildings I realized are usually office buildings or department stores. I love the architecture of the old buildings better than the new buildings because it gives me a better taste of the Chilean culture. Also, I love the bright colors of the old buildings because it really stands out from the cool- toned buildings surrounding them. Can’t wait to see more architecture tomorrow!

Pre-Departure

I can’t believe that we are off two Santiago in just two days, which means i should probably start packing… I am beyond excited to visit Chile because I have never been to South America before. The food, the culture, and obviously the architecture are just a few of things I can’t wait to experience. I hope that everything goes smoothly in terms of the departure to Chile and that I won’t be overly exhausted once we arrive. I am looking forward to the warm weather, but hopefully we won’t be sweating everywhere we go. On our free day, I want to visit one of the beautiful beaches in Chile, since I haven’t been to a beach since the summer. I am looking forward to the beautiful work done by Alejandro Aravena and his firm Elemental. In addition, I am excited to hopefully go on the cable car and the fornicular to get to see the amazing views of Chile. I am most definitely excited to see the Andes Mountains in person, being that they look stunningly beautiful on google images. I am still debating whether or not I should bring my camera due to the size of my small backpack, but I probably will end up bringing it. Anyways, looking forward to sunny skies and warm weather…Chile here we come!!

Samantha’s Bio

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I’m Samantha and I am a first year student studying architecture and I am in the architecture scholars program as well.
 I am from Long Island New York and live about 45 minutes away from New York City. My father is an architect working in New York City and my older brother is studying architecture at Washington University in St. Louis. I used to volunteer for Central Park Conservancy where we did bird watching, removed invasive plants, and further improved Central Park’s ecosystem. One of my favorite things to do in my free time is find new and cool food places in New York I have been to countries in Europe and Asia, but I have never been to South America before so I am very excited for this program. By doing this program and this class, I hope to further improve my drawing skills and become more knowledgeable about South American architecture.