Catch you on the flip side [of the equator]

Now that we have returned to Columbus and are back to work, I can certainly say that this trip has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. I used my STEP money to help me pay for this education abroad, and of course the point of STEP is to create a “transformative” experience for all of us who participated. I really thought through and discussed multiple times how I thought that this trip would be a transformative experience, but now that it is over I can fully understand it without any speculation. Since I had never traveled outside of the US or Canada before, experiencing a new country and culture was amazing, and fills me with happiness and excitement to continue to travel throughout the rest of my life. I can’t believe how many sketches and pictures I came away with, and will be able to keep these memories forever, not to mention remember all the things I learned.

Some of my favorite experiences included eating the food (an As Chacarero is now one of my favorite foods), visiting the college campuses and comparing them to our own, relaxing and sketching on Santa Lucia, hiking in the Andes, and getting to actually use Spanish for the first time.

Santiago as a city is so much more dynamic than anything else I had experienced, whether it is at a small scale like the street performers that would run out at a red light, or on a massive scale like how the cerros influence the organization and culture of the city. We got to experience little quirks like ringing a doorbell in Valparaiso to buy a cookie as well as grand views and vistas by climbing high into the Andes or looking out from Costanera. I think that although I learned a lot about sketching, architecture, landscape, planning, etc., along the way, the trip has inspired me to not take anything for granted, to not miss out on new opportunities, and to just appreciate the world that we all live in. I’ll be able to take all these lessons with me throughout my academic career, into my professional career, into my personal life, and the next time I travel.

Home

   It has been only 48 hours since we came back from Chile but somehow feels like a distant memory. I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to visit Chile, a country that I would not be able to travel to if it wasn’t for this study abroad program. 

   Before I traveling to Chile I told my self that I would need to “be comfortable with being uncomfortable”. When I landed there I found my self feeling more at home in Chile than in Ohio. Parts of the city felt like I was back home in Europe. I think most of the people in the trip felt the same way because I would catch them referring to the hotel as their home. I think this is because the people there were so kind and patient even with our high school level Spanish. 

   My favorite thing from Chile was their attitude towards architecture and social spaces. Their architecture was so vibrant and unique. It was different for the US and it was different from their neighbors. The difference from house to house in the same neighborhood is what gives the Chilean architecture so much richness. As for social spaces and streets, I think that it has more to do with their culture than city planning and landscape. No matter how hard we try to imitate those in Ohio, sadly it would not have the same success as in Chile. 

   Now I am sitting in studio, my second home. I’m trying so incorporate the things I learned in Chile into my studio project, while reminiscing about the sunshine, clear skies and 80degree weather. 

Oh and BTW my goal in Chile was to meet a llama and I’m happy to say that I did 🙂

Santiago: An Experience Like No Other

I was amazed by the beauty of Santiago as soon as we stepped out of the airport. Day by day, I only grew to love it more. We learned a lot in class leading up to the trip, but there were so many aspects that could only truly be learned through experiencing it.

The openness, for instance, was very surprising. Everywhere in the city felt like a single open area. Sidewalks, streets, plazas, and parks all felt like one. Locals, tourists, and even dogs all shared the same space while using it in their own way. I have tried to explain this to people since I have come back home, but found it difficult to describe. Perhaps this is simply something that needs to be felt and experienced.

There was a similar situation with the architecture. We discussed and read plenty ahead of time, but nothing compares to seeing the buildings in person. A picture of a handrail in a museum does not do it justice compared to touching it in person and walking down the stairs. Images of the Innovation Center do not convey the monumentality of the space and the views that it provides.

We also spent a decent amount of class time talking about Chilean drinks and food, but no number of videos could convey the delicious taste of jugo de frutilla or the many flavors of helado on the streets.

Simply walking through Santiago or the hills of Valparaiso was probably my favorite part. Looking around gave me the opportunity to appreciate the country and its beautiful art and nature. We were lucky to have a tour guide as great as Alejandro with us because we had so much access to better understand the culture and people around us.

Now that I am back in Columbus and can reflect on the trip as a whole, I have nothing but fond memories. The trip may be over, but the memories of the beautifully vibrant city will surely last forever.

So Worth It

Although it feels good be back home, the wheels of the plane touching down in Columbus was a shadowy feeling because that meant that our trip had come to an end. In the most honest way, I can say that this trip was the greatest experience of my life. Not only was I given the unique opportunity to travel to a different part of the world, but I also learned more than I thought was imaginable. In Santiago, I learned an immense amount about the city’s culture, its architecture and most importantly about myself.

Arriving in Santiago started a very new experience for me as this was the first time I’ve ever been subject to a new culture outside of the United States. It was interesting for me to get the chance to interact with a different culture and to see how the gears of society turn in a foreign country.

As far as architecture goes, I was able to see and understand a great deal of themes throughout many projects in Chilean architecture. Such as, the ideology of designing for sustainability used frequently by Radic and Aravena, and also the challenge of building in mountainous terrain as the Adolfo Ibáñez campus was. Being able to see many of these impressive pieces of Chilean architecture in person gave me a perspective on the architecture that was completely unique to studying a project from photographs in a classroom.

When I signed up for this trip I had no idea what kind of personal experience it would turn out to be for me. Before leaving for the trip, I feared that I would not come out of my shell and it would negatively affect my experience in country, but thanks to an incredible group of people and the new friends that I made, this was no problem for me. Thanks to this trip, I learned so much about myself and the things that I am capable of. I am immensely thankful to everyone on the trip that helped me make this study abroad opportunity in Santiago, the time of my life.

Sad to Say Goodbye to Santiago!

A full day of classes completed and fully immersed in Columbus, OH, I can safely say that my time in Santiago was well spent. It feels strange being thrown right back into my regular routine after being in a totally new place and a culture foreign to my own. After leaving the airport, I had lunch with my mother and attempting to put into words and pictures just how meaningful this trip was to me was practically impossible. Never being abroad before, I had no idea what to expect and was even scared to go through customs for the first time! I surprised myself with just how much I pushed myself and allowed myself to fully embrace all of this newness and I am very proud of everything I got out of the trip.

I am a creature of habit. I wake up at the crack of dawn everyday, eat the same foods, go to bed at the same time every night, I live my life like clockwork. This trip threw my routine for a loop, and through it was challenging at first, the break was much needed and allowed me to enjoy the food and culture more than I could’ve ever imagined. I had no expectations when it came to meeting others on the trip as well, but so quickly the entire group became close and I met people in various years and bonded with people in my own year, I feel like we all have this new unspoken connection that will last a lifetime and I’m so grateful to have gotten to know all of these people.

Santiago was unlike anywhere I have ever traveled to. I am still working on adjusting to the bitter weather, bland dining hall food, and identical brick architecture that Columbus is full of. Chile was vibrant and no two buildings looked alike, it was stimulating and thought provoking. I loved the colorful pedestrian streets and unity between landscape and the built environment in areas such as Valpariso, Cerra San Cristobal, and our day trip to Cajun de Mapio. Overall, I will remember this trip forever and it has hugely impacted my education and life!

A Spring Break Full of Surprises

After arriving home and talking to people about my experience I realize that in the past week so many interesting things happened that it’s hard to condense into a simple answer for “how was your break?”. I am really glad I decided to go on this trip because it was such a unique opportunity. It was really interesting being exposed to a new culture and architectural styles.

I’ve never been to a spanish speaking country and being forced to quickly relearn all the spanish I forgot in order to make it by was a challenge. I was surprised by how quickly I was able to remember things and start trying to think of how to say different things. I was surprised that I was able to become a very makeshift translator at some points. This trip made me want to improve my Spanish so that if I get the opportunity to travel to another Spanish speaking country I will be able to communicate better with the locals. That being said I’m incredibly grateful for all the people I interacted with who put up with my broken Spanish and confused expression and worked to help me understand and make it possible to communicate despite the language barrier.

Something that surprised me about Santiago was the amount of greenery everywhere, even within urban areas. There were giant trees everywhere that provided shade and broke up the endless facades of buildings. Even in residential areas there were balconies with plants overflowing them. I have never seen a city that had so many trees and it made me realize how much they can add to one’s experience of a urban area. This trip gave me a new appreciation for landscapes and green spaces in cities. The presence of the Andes mountains surrounding Santiago, and the Cerros tucked within the city was another natural feature that I found myself forgetting then noticing and being in awe of all over again. There was one day were a group of us climbed to the top of Cerro Santa Lucia and it was a surreal experience being able to climb to the top of a hill and look out over a city.

Outside of the projects we focused on there were so many interesting buildings in Santiago. I remember standing at the top of the Costanera tower with a group of people pointing out different buildings we liked and discussing them. There were ones that were interesting colors or shapes. One that stood out appeared to have a front that was covered in greenery. Even just walking down the street there were different buildings that stepped out of the box and brought interesting moments to the city.

This trip is one that I will fondly remember for the rest of my life. It taught me how to become a more independent traveler and reassured me of my ability to adapt to new environments. I also feel like I gained a new appreciation for architecture and landscape by experiencing the amazing spaces Chile had to offer. Going into this experience all I really knew about Chile was that it was the long, thin country in South America. I didn’t really know what to expect that I’ve had the opportunity to explore the country I can say it surprised me in so many ways. I loved my experience in Chile and would return in a heartbeat if given the opportunity.

Back to Reality

My experience in Chile was everything I had hoped and more. I can say I definitely received the culture immersion that I had desired and included everything from language to food. This was especially apparent when I walked into a restaurant for lunch the first day and nobody there spoke any English. I will say, the Chilean people were very patient with us “Gringos” and our broken Spanish. Also, I noticed a large part of Chilean cuisine was either very meat or fish heavy, this was fine by me as I am relatively open-minded when it comes to food.

The one thing that really stuck out to me about Santiago and Valparaiso was their proper use of all the land available to them. Santiago was the most expansive city I have ever seen, I don’t think I was able to see all the way to the end of it even at the top of the Costanera Tower. And in Valparaiso, with the steep landscape, they were able to build up to use all the space they could in a very dense landscape.

Even with all this dense urban environment, the idea of a natural landscape was never lost on the Chilean people. This is an idea that I think needs to make its way to America more, it seemed like everywhere I was in Santiago, I was only a short walk from the nearest park. There were numerous parks all throughout the city, some with wide open areas, and some with much more condensed space. The important thing was that there was a space for everyone’s wants and needs in these parks.

Sad to Leave Santiago

Sunday and Monday everyone asked how spring break and Chile was and all I could respond was amazing! They would ask well what was amazing?, and I would respond with everything. I explained to a few that my favorite part was climbing up the old and uneven stairs of Cerro Santa Lucia and reaching the top of the castle and looking over the entire city but still being overwhelmingly surrounded by mountains. I explained to others that the most difficult part was the language barrier, but that once I took a step back I could understand what they might be saying due to the activity. To others, I explained that I need to find a really amazing spanish restaurant in Columbus to feed my new found empanada obsession. No matter what I told anyone, I was not able to fully explain how amazing the trip to Chile was. 

I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to travel there and experience a culture and architecture that is so unlike that in the United States. I truly feel that the lessons I have learned from observing and aiming to understand their culture will really help me in the rest of my education and career. 

I am frustrated that the pictures don’t do the country and city justice and my words don’t either, so I have been telling people that if they are ever offered the opportunity to travel to Chile, they have to go. 

Shoutout Christine! When I told her I was considering going to Chile she said you have to go, and so I did! So thank you for encouraging me to take such an amazing trip!

Fueling Confusion

Back in U.S. soil and I will have to say that I was disappointed in the flat land, cold weather, and perpetually hazy skies. Within these last 48 hours, I find myself reflecting more and more on how much I loved my abroad experience. Even more than the various beautiful destinations that we went to, what I loved the most was my ability to analyze the buildings we observed. In that aspect, I surprised myself. This revelation can be interpreted as both good and bad. Since I took this course to see if my curiosity in architecture would correlate into some ability, I am glad that my interest in architecture has been fueled further as a result of this trip. Pessimistically, part of me also wanted to hate every aspect of this trip so that I could be certain that a career in finance was the route I should take. Thanks to all of you, that did not happen. As I continue down this road called life, I have reached a point where a road diverges. I have to decide if I should take a relative leap of faith and pursue a masters in architecture or stay true to my undergraduate and enter the corporate world.

P.S. I will also say that I like OSU’s campus a lot less after going to UC’s. I used to completely love the uniformity and clean nature of all our brick and mortar buildings but after visiting the campus at San Joaquín, I have begun to think that we lack the necessary variety that makes each department so special.

First time in Chile but not my last…

The Santiago trip exceeded my expectations immensely. As my first study abroad trip, I’ve never expected to have such a entertaining time in Chile yet still be a teaching experience. I not only gained an understanding of the Chilean culture, but I also gained insight on architecture from a different continent. I understood the difference and between Chile and Ohio in terms of architecture and I’d admit that Chile is way beyond Ohio in design. Chile has been undertaking these urban ideas that have a SOCIAL PURPOSE and creating a meaningful architecture, which the landscape and climate having a huge role.

The landscapes of Chile incorporated throughout all of Santiago creates an interesting architectural promenade. Every street, every walk you took, you were surrounded by trees that bordered the road or trees/plants and created spaces for outdoor seating areas or provided shade. The heat during the day that hardly reaches 80 degrees with a constant breeze throughout the valley that keeps you cool. I’d say over all the countries I’ve traveled I’ve never experienced such an ideal weather.

One of my goals for this trip was to come back in one piece, since this was my first time traveling on the air without family members. I think I learned a lot about myself.  To be more responsible with my items. How to take care of myself independently, in terms of money. I also learned that maybe Ohio isn’t where I want to study for Graduate school… I was really impressed by the programs offered for architecture, more specifically Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, and they how they don’t label architecture as it is, but into multiple categories of design, philosophy, engineering, etc.

Santiago reminded me of a cleaner New York…. I won’t forget the guy who was selling ice cream on those hot days, screaming “HELADOHELADOHELADO!”. I definitely won’t forget the food, which were mostly meat based, really heavy to digest and was always too much to take in, but never regretful. The people of Chile were patient even with our language barriers, they always tried to understand or communicate even if it was through hand motions.  It felt more like New York when we took the metro bus and artists were performing on the bus. But what Chile has that New York doesn’t is green spaces; hills, trees, multiple parks, mountains in the distance and a whole body of ocean along the country.

I don’t think I can pinpoint a favorite project we visited or restaurant we ate, but I know I had special memories that I hold for ever place. I won’t forget this spring break trip!

¡Adiós Chile!

I’m already planning my trip back.

It’s really hard to describe how it feels to be back home right now. Since it was a spring break trip, as soon as I came back I had a lot of work to do from other classes. There was really no rest time in between where I could really take in the experience I just had. It kind of makes it feel like it almost didn’t even happen. Although, I keep finding myself saying sí to my roommate so it definitely did happen haha. It’s just hard to believe that I’m back already. The week went by so quickly, I wish I would’ve gotten to stay just a bit longer in Santiago because who knows when I’ll be back there again. Funny thing is, if there wasn’t a study abroad trip there, I don’t know if I would have thought to visit there myself. So now it feels a little weird to miss a place I didn’t really think that much about just a short while ago. I’m already thinking though about how I want to visit there again someday. Maybe bring my sister and show her the city, since somehow I have become the world traveler in the family. 🙂

Back to “Normal”

It was hard and didn’t feel right just being thrown right back into my old routine today. It felt like I never left for spring break and Santiago was just a dream. Santiago came and went too fast for me. I still can’t believe that I had this opportunity. Everything that I have done and seen is nothing like what I have experienced in my past.

I noticed differences between our culture and Chilean culture. But I found it easier to spot the similarities. I didn’t expect to find so many. I thought that their would be a big difference between us. The fact that we are on completely different continents and yet are so simular astonishes me.

Another amazing thing I witnessed in Chile were all of the friendships made. Going into the trip, most of us knew little about our classmates. It was crazy to actually see people go from strangers to friends in a matter of a few days. I learned so much about my peers that I would have never gotten to do if I didn’t go on this trip. I have a feeling that class this Thursday is going to be a completely different class than the one before this trip.

The architecture in Chile was amazing. Alot of it seemed to be much older than what it was. There was such a harmonious mix of styles. In the US we have a diverse portfolio too. But Chile has done much better preserving the old and introducing new. The Chileans set a good example on how to treat and use architecture in a way that is beneficial to everyone. Something that America lacks and that we should follow.

Traveling to Santiago is a rare opportunity few get to have. I am so grateful to have had it. I learned so much from this journey about the world and myself. I hope to inspire others to try something like this and I hope to be able to do something like this again in my future.

Adios Chile!

The first time I realized that the trip was officially over was when I was oddly able to understand every one around me. I felt the unnecessary need to keep saying “gracias” or “lo siento” in response to people. While I love the ability to finally understand the words being spoken next to me, it is very bittersweet to be back home.

I reflect on all of the experiences that I had seized during my time in Chile. My favorite memory was the group’s time at the monastery – looking around and seeing all of us in awe from how picturesque the building was, sketching in silence. While that moment was my absolute favorite, I loved everything else about the trip from seeing all of the beautiful buildings in Santiago and eating amazing food, to almost losing the group in Baquedano. Every memory made is one that I will always cherish.

From this trip, I have learned so much. While the tourist attractions were amazing, I also enjoyed our free time where we got to fully immerse ourselves into the culture as regular Chileans rather than visitors (Colin’s Spanish skills surely helped us to do this). Chile was a helpful and enjoyable sneak peak into my time after college as I hope to spend the summer after graduation traveling around the world. If my travels go even half as well as this one, I will be ecstatic.

Unfortunately, I have to get to all of the homework and exams that I had awaiting my arrival, however I will still be day dreaming of empanadas and 80 degrees the entire time.

Building new friendships & Experiencing a new culture

It’s a little more than 24 hours since we have returned to Columbus, Ohio. The flight home was very relaxing and the meals on the plane were so much better than what we had on the way to Santiago. The flight felt shorter and I was able to fall asleep for a majority of the flight home. Looking back to our entire trip and the itinerary, I have noticed we did so much within a short period and it was such an amazing experience. 

First of all, going to Chile is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Without going on this study abroad, I would not have known where to start my research. After this trip, I can definitely say that I can definitely plan my trip when I decide to go back in the future, and let’s hope that I know some Spanish before I decide to visit again! 

Secondly, I learn so much about Chilean contemporary architecture and landscape architecture by visiting important buildings in and out of Santiago. I enjoy seeing the colorful facades of various buildings throughout the duration of the trip. It definitely adds beauty and a unique style to the architecture. It is also very cool to see how city planing and landscape architecture can come together and create so many unique and amazing public spaces and pedestrian walkways around the city. The pedestrian walkways are often shaded and allow people to take a journey through it and end up in a much larger public space. It definitely felt much cooler in the pedestrian walkway compared to being in a place like plaza de Armas. I wish that we can have more public spaces for people to use in Columbus, and I think we are moving toward that direction in recent years. 

Lastly, I am so grateful to have the opportunity to get to know everyone on this trip. I have notice I did not know anyone and was afraid to talk to a lot of people before the trip, but now it is a completely different story. A week of intensive learning, walking, sketching, complaining and chilling has definitely brought us all close together and I would not have it in any other way. I have learned so much from everyone and learned a lot more about Chilean culture since we have returned. 

Time Well Spent

Getting back to Ohio and having some time to stop and think about the trip has made me realize how valuable this opportunity has been, both architecturally and culturally.

Firstly, I think being exposed to a wide variety of architecture will really help to expand my ideas for future projects, especially having gone on this trip my freshman year. Specifically, I found the monastery to be very inspiring. The use of materials blended with the simplicity of the design made for an overall very tranquil feeling, and it was one of those special moments when architecture makes you feel. In fact, I actually had a conversation about this very topic with an Argentinian architecture student I met at the top of the Costanera Tower while watching the sunset. He said that one day he hopes to create architecture that provokes feeling and emotion, and taught me that in Argentina, they call this “arquitectura sensacional”. We went on to talk more about school and travel and architecture, and it absolutely affirmed my passion for design. It was truly a conversation I will never forget.

I also found great significance in learning about Chile’s culture and how it relates to  the United States and other countries I’ve visited. Geographically, Santiago reminded me of a mix of Florida and Montana, with both palm trees and mountains. However, conversing with the locals and witnessing Chilean culture was unlike anything I’d seen before. When I’ve traveled in the past, I might have looked a bit foreign to some people, but I could mostly go around without anyone thinking twice about my presence. The same cannot be said about Chile. I’ve definitely never felt like such an outsider while visiting another place, and it was both uncomfortable and magical all at once. I think it’s extremely crucial and valuable to be pushed out of your comfort zone and really emerce yourself in other cultures, and I really felt I was able to do this on this trip. I’m pumped to see how my worldview changes as I apply what I’ve learned on the trip to live back at school.

Overall, all I can say is that I’m very grateful for having this experience. Thank you to the instructors and everyone on the trip who made it an incredible ten days and a time I’ll never forget.

Thoughts on Santiago

The time I spent in Santiago was a very valuable and unforgettable experience. On this trip, I was exposed to so many different types of architecture and learned so much about the culture and history of Chile. The visit to the Museum of Memory was an especially eye-opening experience for me and really helped me to better understand the history of this area and the pain that was caused by the coup. Doing things like riding the metro and walking through pedestrian streets and Plaza de Armas also helped me to gain a better understanding of daily life in Chile.

One of the most interesting things for me on this trip was seeing how much the Chilean lifestyle differed from that of America. The laid-back style of service and small size of restaurants and stores contrasts the fast-paced, big-business culture of America. It was also interesting to me that most people, while not overly-friendly, were not outwardly rude or annoyed and no one seemed to be in a rush, like we often see in America. Even though most of us spoke another language, most people we interacted with were friendly and patient with us, and didn’t become easily frustrated or annoyed.

Overall, I am really going to miss Santiago and all of its special characteristics, like the dogs wandering around everywhere and the delicious foods, like empanadas and huesillo. I’ve gained so much from this trip, including a greater knowledge of architecture, culture and the Spanish language, and I’m glad that my first trip to South America was this one.

Returning from Santiago, Chile

When I return home from Santiago, Chile, the first thing I thought was that I am very grateful that I had this opportunity. I learned a lot about architecture, landscape, and about myself.
The experience of seeing the project we learned in a lecture on the site and taking time to sketch on the site was very special. Especially design details that correspond to the climate and locations (such as sun shading strategies etc), I could understand clearly by being at the exact site.

One of the most interesting things about the city of Santiago was how it interacts with water, pedestrians, and landscape.
The water was used in many different ways in everywhere through the city. different forms of water vary from fountains and ponds in parks, steam fan in a metro station, and water walls and falling water art in a mall. It was clear that the water element was utilized to cool down from the hot weather. In contrast, when we went to Valparaiso, water elements were less used in the city due to colder weather.

The driveway and pedestrians street are very close in Santiago. First, I was feeling it is close to Tokyo, Japan. However, as I see more places, I felt that the separation between driveway and walkways is more ambiguity than Japanese street. Not only the walkways on right next to driveways but also many parks, restaurants’ seating areas, benches, tennis courts, markets, and even kids parks were located on the right next to driveways, sometimes next to highways. Usually, vegetations, section level, lower objects (ex. semi-sphere stones at Plaza de Armas) and/or material shift separates the two zones. They are very ambiguity separations and I sometimes felt it may not safe. However, I also thought it is very interesting how density the city is and pedestrians space are more dominant in the city, trying to maximize the pedestrian’s spaces.

This was the first time to sketch on site. First, I struggle to find a good spot to draw and how to express my findings of the building. As I sketch more and more, I could find what I am most interested about the project, and how to sketch them better and faster. I feel I can analyze buildings better now and I actually enjoy sketching. I will definitely continue to bring a sketchbook when I travel.

I learned many skills to analysis. I am very happy I could travel with my classmates and all members could return safely.
I appreciate the instructors for planning this travel and provided various opportunities for us to learn. Thank you!

Learning from Santiago

When I arrived home yesterday I had many thoughts about what I was exposed to in Santiago. I realize I had many preconceptions before I arrived there that were proven false. For one, I thought that the city would be larger in terms of surface area. However, in reality it was a bit denser than I expected. This density provided a liveliness to the city and a necessity for well operating public transportation. Actually, I think above everything I was most impressed by the transportation and infrastructure in Santiago. For example, the roads and tunnels were well maintained and none of the roads we encountered were rough like we have here in the United States. Also, the metro station had pretty consistent arrival times between stops and across different lines as well.

So, what could big cities in the United States learn from Santiago in terms of infrastructure? I think what I noticed above all is that there was an effort to improve on what is working. In the United States bureaucrats have a tendency to accept that what is working is acceptable. While most places in the United States do not have the density to run an efficient metro or bus like Santiago does, we should be invested in improving the infrastructure we already have. There is no incentive to fix things until they become a problem. Admittedly, this might be a societal problem that we as Americans face which is where the difference in amenities occur. So, while it does dishearten me to see my home running so inefficiently, I also see it as an opportunity to plan on what I can do as an architect. On this trip we had so many types of students. There were architecture, landscape architecture, city and regional planning, business, and law students in attendance. The amount of talent and different insight on the trip made me optimistic that we as a generation can use this knowledge moving forward to design or plan projects that give back to society. We all play a role in the process of making spaces that give back to society.

New cities, buildings, food, and friends

I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to travel to a country with such interesting and diverse architecture. This experience was unlike any other because it was one thing to sit in a classroom and learn about architecture, but then to be able to travel across the world and see it first-hand was very unique.

When I told my family and friends that I was traveling to Chile, most of their initial reactions were something along the lines of “What’s there to see in Chile?”. I think that most people’s preconceived notions of South American cities are not very architecturally interesting. Admittedly, I initially wasn’t exactly sure what there was to see in Chile, but after this trip I am able to tell everyone how intriguing the architecture and landscape of Chile actually is.

One thing that really stuck out to me was how the architecture responds to the terrain and landscape of Chile. Being a very mountainous region, I could imagine that building a structure on this terrain would be extremely difficult. However Chilean architects such as Smiljan Radic and Alejandro Aravena take this challenge in stride and use it to create some very interesting pieces. I was particularly interested in the Adolfo Ibanez campus and how it was constructed far up in the hills. Winding roads lead to the beautiful school, and once you are inside it is hard to imagine how a space so unique could have been constructed on anything but a treacherous, sloping terrain. It truly fits in perfectly with the landscape, and the challenging terrain is part of what makes it such a unique place.

This trip has inspired me to think more analytically about the architecture around me, as well as challenge myself in my own designs. The experience I gained on this trip is something that cannot be taught in the classroom and is truly invaluable. I am very grateful to have made lots of new friends and to have experienced such a unique country and all of its culture.

Tourism, Parks, and Public Spaces: reflecting on Santiago

For such a large and layered city, Santiago is not that touristic. Compared to some of the large European cities I have been to, it felt like the city catered much less to tourism- and more specifically American tourism. For example: only a small amount of the signs are in English, just two lines of the metro make announcements in English, and many people did not seem to change their behavior to make us feel more comfortable.  Why then make a distinction about American tourists? After all tourists in general can be inconsiderate and annoying- to be fair to people from the US, we are not the exception. What, in my opinion, distinguishes American tourists from the rest of the world is their expectations. We don’t need to speak another language, they should speak English. We don’t need to know other cultures customs, they should accommodate ours. It is refreshing to see a city that doesn’t feel like is catering to all of our expectations.

Despite how Santiago is now, talking with Alejandro he seems think that tourism is an increasing industry in the country. And often times increasing tourism is a good economically for a country. I also think that it would be problematic to say that Americans shouldn’t go to an area for fear they would taint it. Often I think that it is unfortunately the case that the tourists will come and the question becomes how can they be responsibly integrated into the city. An answer to the question that may not immediately be the most obvious, but one that I would argue is the most encompassing is creating and maintaining healthy public spaces in the city. These may be pedestrians streets, plazas, or parks but often they all work together to allow a healthy interaction between people occur.

Why is it important for tourists and the public to interact? It may seem like a trivial question, however list off some major tourist cities and often the two don’t mix. Cities sometime have an active interest in keeping their citizens away from tourists. In Santiago I often felt closer to the citizens of the city and I believe it is unequivocally because the public spaces are well designed and allow for this mutual exchange to occur.  Pedestrian streets and bike lanes reach to not just areas with hotels but areas where people live and draw them towards plazas and parks. Seating is designed to accommodate different sized groups and different uses. The spaces feel safe and maintained- and thus they are cared for by both tourists and the public. I think a perfect example of this is plaza de armas. It is remarkable that the space is both so populated by tourists but also immigrants and citizens of Santiago. The plantings and design make it interesting, maintenance keeps it cared for, authorities keep it safe, and walking streets get people there on foot. All these things must work in harmony to make the public space work and perhaps most importantly- allow the citizens and tourist to coexist.

 

New Place, New People, New Perspective

Traveling to Chile was such an amazing, immersive experience that gave me knowledge that I could not have attained from within classroom walls. Being able to actually experience the architecture we are learning about helped me understand the projects much better. I could see the entire context, the little details, and the big pictures as the designers would see. While seeing images and videos in class is very helpful to learn about the different architecture, it is the feeling that the architecture evokes when you are present in front of it that is the most important quality to learn. We could only learn this by visiting these beautiful works.

While this trip continued my growth in architectural knowledge, it also greatly helped me in my sketching. I have become more confident in my abilities, a quicker sketcher, and more able to correctly portray the subject of my sketch. I also gained the experience in making plans and sections while on site, which I found extremely helpful.

Each city, Valparaiso and Santiago, had totally different feels. While Valparaiso was a large city, to me, it felt like a quaint, little sea-side town. The vibrant houses compact together create the city’s iconic identity and create a feeling of happiness and being content. Santiago felt like a huge city, having many tall buildings, bustling streets, and city traffic. However, the Andes Mountains surrounding the city allow people to be able to take a brief break from the busy city ongoings to just breathe. These cities are not the extend of what Chile has– it offers extreme natural beauty as well, which I got to experience in Maipo Valley and the hot springs that accompanied it.

Experiencing the Chilean culture makes me excited for my future travels and eager to go and explore more of the world immediately. Trying new foods, seeing the typical ways of life, and experiencing the culture gave me insights that I never had before the trip. The rushing Metros that could pack large amounts of people in them, the bright street art in Valparaiso, and the Andes Mountains surrounding Santiago evoked emotion that one can only experience in Chile.

 

Santiago Chapter Personal Reflection

My chapter in Santiago, Chile has been written and finished. I have been so lucky to experience Santiago and Chilean culture with my peers and I discovered a lot more architectural design and structural systems. I can already tell my personal adventures abroad will influence my studio projects, as I was so inspired by everything that I saw. From Chile’s metro stations to cultural centers to their sustainability designs, I personally believe America’s melting pot of culture can learn from them and adapt promptly. 

As I stated earlier, I believe that students should learn not only inside the classroom but outside as well. I never would have taken away my new perspective after reading a textbook or attending one lecture. Undoubtedly, these academic perspective allows for formal training, however,  by experiencing architecture first hand, I know I grew as a student. 

Traveling to Santiago made me eager to experience other cultures. I am thirsty to engage with other types of sustainability designs that other countries have effectively incorporated into their cultures. Not only is this practical and functional, sustainability guarantees a much brighter future for future generations to enjoy this culture that my generation can have an impact on through architectural design. 

Although this chapter has concluded, I cannot wait to begin a new one. And of course, I will always refer back to this chapter and recall what I have learned and how it has impacted me. In all,  my travels to Santiago have been absolutely wonderful. I will miss it but remember it with smiles. 

¡Gracias Chile!

     The past week in Chile was jam-packed with new experiences, learning lessons, and memories for me—almost as filled as the metro was on Thursday night! So many meaningful cultural and personal moments together created my amazing time in Chile that I would like to reflect on as many as I can.

     First and foremost, the Chilean architecture was the whole purpose for this study abroad opportunity and it did not disappoint. I really appreciated the variety of architectural styles we visited from the simple intersecting cube design of the Benedictine Monastery to the very elegant, classical, symmetrical La Moneda Palace facade. This trip taught me to stop and stare, think, question, analyze and ponder the architecture rather than just snap a thousand pictures because it looked cool and move on like I used to do on vacations. Even from just one semester of architecture courses, I realized that I am much more aware of how architecture functions and feels as I move through it from a student’s perspective rather than just look at its aesthetic appeal as most tourists do.

     Sketching was a major component of the experience and the deeper understandings I gained about the sites we visited. Sketching was an educational tool for me both in continuously learning, adjusting, and trying out techniques along the way and in the natural way sketching made me pay more attention to details I otherwise would have missed. Often times my diagrams made me pay more attention to materiality, light, and structure which for me are architectural traits that I had to be present with to truly appreciate. My sketchbook became filled with more notes than I would have anticipated because I really found it meaningful to write down personal feelings or opinions that just came naturally from studying my surroundings.

    Language and food were incredibly influential cultural aspects of my Chilean experience. These were both areas that I was nervous or hesitant about being uncomfortable with at the start. As a classmate said before the trip, “We need to become comfortable with the idea of being uncomfortable,” I still was not ecstatic to seek out uncomfortableness. But then on the first day I found myself ordering, in very broken Spanish, a sandwich I had no clue what would be on it and ended up loving it. My confidence in just speaking naturally rather than perfectly and trying foods open mindedly grew each day. I actually enjoyed using Spanish to help classmates order ice cream or ask a vendor “Cuanto cuesta?”. I even accidentally answered in Spanish when someone asked me where I was from in perfect English at the fish market. I discovered I love empanadas and all types of flavored jugos and even was ok with peeling off the heads (with eyes!) and tails of all my shrimp at my last meal—something I never would have done before in the U.S.!

    A moment that really captured my perspectives as a traveler and American was when I was able to observe the daily lives of the university students relaxing in the shade or staring at us or just heading to class at PUC and Adolfo Ibanez campuses. I was constantly pondering whether we were more similar or more different than them than I had initially expected and finally decided all that mattered was this balance of both. Similarities unite us and differences make us unique both as people, cultures, and countries. Similarities in landscapes and architecture allowed for me to connect and relate to my understanding of the architecture I experience daily here at home while differences allowed me to critique and admire the way design can so easily and influential adapt and fluctuate to surroundings. Overall, this first time studying abroad and in particular studying architecture abroad was an eye-opening journey that I can not wait to experience again in the future!

Leave that building alone…

The Hapag Lloyd building in Valparaiso inspired me for this post, if you don’t remember it, I’ve included a quick sketch that may remind you of this distinct port authority office right near the coast. The glaring part of this building is the contrast between the international style of the top half in contrast to the neoclassical facade of the bottom half. Since Valparaiso is a UNESCO site, the facades of these old buildings could not be changed, so when the Hapag Lloyd company took over, they kept the old facade but built upwards, in a completely different style. The windows of the old facade now have the same blue glass windows that the top half does, making it look like someone stuffed a big glass tube into the old building, and it is full to the brim. This particular building, which is not very successful in its renovation attempts, made me wonder what other buildings that have been renovated in contemporary times did correctly. The Precolombian museum was a renovated old building, but it is much more successful in that way. Is it simply because it doesn’t have a boring glass cube sticking out of the top? Perhaps, but it comes down to decorum– is it an effective/appropriate use of the local history to make a building like the Hapag Lloyd HQ? Here the answer is no. The blue glass windows on the lower half of the building make it seem like the central glass structure reaches all the way to the ground and the stone facades are simply slapped on to the sides. There is no continuity between the two halves of this building, and it takes an interesting concept/potential and completely fails at executing it, unlike the renovations of the Precolombian museum, or so many other projects that have revived classical/neoclassical buildings in a contemporary way.

Hapag Lloyd Building

artists de la calle

As the end of our trip now rears its ugly head, I look back on my Santiago experience and think of some of the major differences between what I’ve seen and experienced here versus back in Colombus. The large amount of plant life penetrating the cities here, the language barrier, the weird trash pick-up baskets, and (what stuck out most to me) the amount of street art here. It seems that everywhere you turn there is some moral, tag, or scribble; and no surface is safe. It’s on buildings, street signs, the road, benches, and literally all of the bus windows. The people here are creative and it shows through the marks they’ve made on their environment. Over the week I’ve seen lots of reoccurring tags in different locations through the city. Whoever did each of them has that innate desire to leave something personalized and recognizable for others to see. Even though it may not connected to their name what matters to them is knowing they have this entity out there that everyone can see that is inherently theirs. Art is all about creating and making something outside of yourself that evokes something in other people who see it. What better gallery than a cityscape that millions of people live and work in? Back home grafetti is certainly more frowned upon back home. But I’m a person that thinks that any art opposed to no art is usually good art. I think it adds interest and depth to santigo. It makes the large city feel more personal and connected. It helped me to recognize the cultural perspectives of the people here through their own handiwork on their city. Continue reading

Day Opener: Eye Opener

My Day Opener as is shows the range of projects we visited starting from La Moneda ending it with the Furnicular.

My last blog in the country is about my first sketch of this trip. I think Day 1 was the busiest day yet the most diverse in terms of the projects we saw. From historical buildings to different transportations to parks, the first day of Chile gave a me a sense of the kind of architecture the city of Santiago focuses on. Chile’s architecture ranges from a traditional colonial aesthetic to contemporary modern architecture as it deals with the variety of landscapes that make up the South American country. I now end this trip finding their focus of sustainability and their use of green space. The green spaces filled the city and the mountains in the view reminded me each day how I was in a whole new place.

 

Chair Compare (Blog 3 B)

In the airport a set of interesting chairs caught my eye. They reminded me of the Knowlton chairs and the assignment we had done before the trip. I analyzed these chairs in a similar manner so I could compare with the Swan Chair. Both if these chairs have complex curves which helped make them more pleasing, and the curves helped make them more ergonomically better. But they did this in different ways. The Swan Chair used symmetry and had a void in between the seat and back to add interest. Then the airport chairs used asymmetry and have a large bulbous shape for complexity. This also helped give the chair a heavy and more permanent presence. I think these could both work in the Knowlton Library, but I don’t think the Swan Chair could go in the airport. The Swan Chair lacks the heavy presence to go in the airport. It would look out of place and fail to be a focal point. But personally I like the design of the Swan Chair better and I think it is better suited to be a seat to relax in.

Swan Chair Side Elevation

Swan Chair Section

Airport Chair Image

Airport Chair Diagrams

Architecture Made Human: A Pablo Neruda House Analysis

Diagrammatic sketch showing how La Sebastiana is divided by floors and La Chascona is divided by volumes.

Image showing the vibrant color and elegant water feature that help capture the essence of Neruda’s vibrant home

Image showing the connection of space through exterior circulation and landscape.

In both visits, I was completely enveloped into the world of Pablo Neruda but couldn’t quite pinpoint why. I had been on similar tours before, so it wasn’t just the fact that there were so many personal artifacts. Even the architecture itself was not something I had taken many notes on. The combination of the two, though, resulted in something that felt specially magnificent and heartfelt.

Our visit to Neruda’s La Sebastiana spurred a curiosity about the relationship between interior decoration and architecture. Is the interior of a building truly what defines its character, especially with something as intimate and personal as a home? This concept certainly is not one that would be endorsed at Knowlton. It has always seemed to me that if decor is the primary essence of a building, then the architecture itself is lacking in one way or another.

Truth be told, I initially thought that the exuberant interior completely overwhelmed other facets of the space. The more I thought about it, though, I realized that the interior is what makes the building feel alive. After all, Neruda lived in the space. The pieces there weren’t just any other decor- they were vibrant and tasteful. Nothing was there for the sake of filing the space, and everything had a meaning or story behind it. It was amazing how the memories behind each piece still could be felt in the room.

Upon visiting Neruda’s Santiago home, La Chascona, I was not surprised to see that the character of the building was still there. The design of the space, though, seemed so much different. As opposed to one five-story building on a hill, this home was composed of three separate volumes with about two or three stories each. While I would expect this separation to make the cohesiveness and warmth of the building to be challenged, especially since it was right along the edge of a busy public Santiago street, that was not the case at all. The vegetation between the three pieces was the connecting tissue that enveloped and shielded them. It was the glue, or the fabric, that unified the house and made it whole. Now it was not just the interior decor, but the landscape that helped define the home. Neruda’s personality was strong, and his homes convey that in a multitude of ways.

It is said that the architect of La Chascona originally oriented the home so it could strategically face the sun, but when Neruda saw the plans, he flipped them around completely and said he wanted it built that way to face the mountains instead. That, to me, captures the essence of Pablo Neruda and his homes. It roots down to feelings, thoughts, and emotions. It may not be what we learn about in architecture school, but it is something I want to carry with me throughout my studies. Architecture is, above all, for the people. It should read as such. A house should become a home.

Comparing Capitals

While at the Mapuche Cultural Center, I noticed and admired the highly decorative, composite styled columns in the space’s lobby. Afterwards, we made our way towards the Tirso de Molina market, where I noticed the decorative capitals that the structure has. There existed a stark difference in appearance when comparing these capitals to the former ones mentioned. The capitals of the columns in the cultural center were obviously an embellished classical styled columns, whereas the capitals of the columns at the market posses a modern contemporary style. The reason why I compared the capitals of these two columns is because although they are both, in their own way, ornate, they look incredibly different. the two diagrams below show a side by side representation of the two very contrasting styles demonstrated in the columns’ capitals.

Decorative capital of columns at Tirso de Molina

Ornate qualities of composite style columns in Mapuche Cultural Center

The Houses of Pablo Neruda

Visiting two of Pablo Neruda’s houses, La Sabastiana in Valparaiso and La Chascona in Santiago, I was able to get a better understanding of Neruda’s design style and how site was influential to the architectural design of the buildings. Both of these houses make use of a concept of stacking, in La Sabastiana with the stacking of floors and in La Chascona with the stacking of buildings up the hillside. The small plot that La Sabastiana sits on makes for a very claustrophobic floor plan and a need for the house to rise vertically to fit in the necessary programs. La Chascona has much more space on its site to spread out and makes use of that by dividing the programs into 3 different buildings connected by a central garden. These buildings were also both designed with a focus on the views. La Sabastiana and it’s very vertical form allow for many widespread views of the hills of Valparaiso and the ocean below. La Chascona focuses instead on the views of the central garden and courtyards. Besides the floor plans, the interiors of both buildings were very similar. They were very eclectic, combining many different styles and cultures. Each were filled with a variety of memorabilia and prized possessions that Pablo Neruda collected throughout his lifetime. The interior designs are a good reflection of Neruda’s lifestyle and the things that he found important.

Exploded perspective of La Chascona

Exploded perspective of La Sabastiana

View from window of La Sebastiana

La Chascona symbol in on the house in Santiago

Plaza de Armas; Creating Sketches and the Importance of Spaces.

Diagram of trees in Plaza de Armas.

Diagram of benches in Plaza de Armas.

Sketch of the aerial plan of Plaza de Armas.

When you are immersed in Plaza de Armasa, it is difficult to understand a layout of  the space. I found it very difficult to put what I was seeing onto paper. That is why I chose to take this sketch on in various steps. By breaking it down I was able to further understand the design of the plaza’s vegetation. As noted in class, the major organization in the plaza is a 8×5 grid of palm trees. But to further emphasize the importance of the plaza, there is a change of elevation coming from the streets up to the center of the plaza where most of the shade is. The fountain in the middle of the plaza also is the main focal point in the plaza, but there also is a gazebo on the x-axis coming from the fountain that is important as well, as it a unique presence in the plaza that provides a unique space for activity. Overall, the plaza provides many spaces for everything from street performances, to relaxing in the shade and is very successful at it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Light and Perception of Space

Blue glass at church

Light at monastery

Light above statue at Pre-Colombian Art Museum

    Some of my favorite buildings that we saw on this trip were the monastery, the church, the pre Colombian art museum. A common theme in these buildings was the play of light. Each one of these buildings created three completely different atmospheres using unique techniques. 

    The Pre-Colombian Art Museum is a dark space due to the black painted walls. In the basement, the architect light the space with artificial lights. He was very particular in choosing the color, type and intensity of light. On the handrail he used a continuous light to take people down to the basement. Above the statues he used artificial light that was reflected on wood to soften the harsh light. These materials and lights allowed for a dark and heavy space.

   The Benedictine monastery is the complete opposite experience of the Pre-Colombian Art Museum. The monastery is made of a series of planes that are pulled apart to allow for light to come through. In some instances, like in the side walls, 4’ of the bottom wall is pulled in creating a slip for light to get in. The entire space is white with sublime light washing over the interior of the building and showing Gods’ presence. 

   Lastly, the church at the university used a combination of natural and artificial lights. They used artificial light on the floating roof and angled slits on the wall to bring in natural light. Additionally they used colored glass to transform the natural light into a intense blue light. This church also had a sublime effect but it was created more by the color than the puncture of light through the space. 

European Feel in a South American City

One of the first and strongest observations I got from Valparaíso was its resemblance to small European towns. Last year, my sister studied abroad in a small French town a few hours outside of Paris, and my parents and I got the chance to visit her in the summer. I had been to France earlier in 2015, starting in Paris and working our way down and around for close to a month. Long story short, I’ve had a lot of exposure to small village architecture. Quaint facades, narrow cobblestone roads, worn-down materials, the whole Shabang.

What I found interesting, then, was that I was taken right back to my time in France while walking around the streets of Valparaíso, despite being on an entirely different continent. Of course, there were some major differences, namely the brightly colored buildings, the graffiti, and the sheer size of Valparaíso (although when walking its streets, it’s easy to forget you’re in such a large city). However, I found the similarities to greatly outweigh the differences. While you’re in both places, the age of the towns and the amount of history that surpassed in it is clear. Extremely quaint, culture-rich, old architecture, and very cute. The walls and streets are heavily worn, most the buildings themselves are originals, and if they were in fact renovated, usually only the interiors were updated to keep the its exterior charm.

One thing I was not expecting in Valparaiso was its buildings to be so worn down. At first I took this as a lack of effort by its residents to keep it up, but later I decided that although very inhabited throughout the years, this old-timey feel was what gave the city much of its charm.

Overall, I was blown away by Valpariso. I didn’t think I’d find a place so European looking in South America, but this turned out to be an incredible surprise. I feel lucky to have been able to travel to two places that are so different but still find incredible similarities, and I’m excited to be able to compare Chile to the places I travel to in the future.

View of street in Valparaíso

View of street in a small French town

French building art

Valparaíso building art

Quick sketch of street in Valparaíso

Chile: A Country of Many Identities

By spending all of our time in and around Chile’s major cities Santiago and Valparaíso, we had not gotten to see much of the natural beauty. On Friday, our free day, a group and I traveled to Maipo Valley and to the hot springs; it was unlike anything I’ve experienced before. While it was a fun day, we learned much about the Chilean culture outside of the major cities.

Our tour guide explained to us that the Maipo Valley area is experiencing an issue with the hydraulic drilling that is occurring. It pollutes their natural streams and disrupts the ecosystem. However, they don’t have many other options for income. Their income source used to be mining until it was shut down due to the danger regarding drilling and earthquakes. Now, the little Chilean towns rely on tourism. 

I found this particularly interesting that tourism is the main source of income in the smaller towns. They don’t look like typical tourist traps that one would see in major tourist destinations in America. For our tour, we stopped at the same quaint restaurant for breakfast and a nice little tapas dinner. While I was expecting the tour to be great, it blew away my expectations. 

Along with the economic aspects, we learned about the environment and the vegetation’s that can only grow in Maipo Valley due to the specific climate and altitude. We learned about the three types of trees that grow there— soap bark tree, the Baldo/doctor tree, and a litre tree that causes allergic reactions. The cacti there also only grows 900 km above sea level and can be surrounded by snow. 

With our tour, we hiked a 18,000 foot volcano and went in seven hot springs, with the hottest one being 60° celsius, or 140° Fahrenheit. It was two kilometer hike up and another two kilometer hike back down. While it was a long day, it was an experience that I will never regret or forget.

The heart of Maipo Valley, showing off it’s amazing views in the mountains and natural streams.

My sketch of my favorite place we saw in Maipo Valley.

One of the natural springs on our tour.

A City and the Sky

View of the Andes from the Benedictine Monastery Lookout

 

Sketch of the City and it’s Mountains

At this view, I was amazed at how the buildings met the mountains. The two stood apart but were understood together. Through this sketch, I aimed to capture how the two connected to one another. I imagined that the mountains were hollow on their underside, and the buildings clipped onto the end of the mountains shell. That way, the buildings do not creep onto the mountains at all, but stand at their periphery, dictated by the location and sprawl of the mountains. It is not as if the mountains are more important than the buildings, they are just much larger and the buildings must respect their space. Similarly, the mountains create valleys to respect the cities space. 

I am planning to color the sketch in with green and blue alcohol markers, so that the green foreground and blue sky will be colored and mountains and city will not. I believe the color will enhance the emphasis upon the relationship between mountain and city.

View of my sketch and the view

Light and it’s effect on shopping

As advertisers and entrepreneurs may already know, the ambience of a space can have a very direct influence on how people act and feel in that space. I think this principle was shown very clearly when we visited the two markets today. Both were technically open air markets, as they had ceilings that were not closed and minimal amounts of walls. Despite this similarity, the two markets were different in very distinct ways and I would argue these differences arise as a result of their qualities of light. Within the main Vega market the roof is formed  by slanted corrugated panels that open up, shown in the diagram below.

Diagram showing directionality of light at Vega

While some light is let in, because of the orientation of the building this light is limited and the market feels quite dark.

Looking up inside the Vega market

I do think that it contributes to it having a subterranean feeling. This is quite different in the first market we visited. The ceiling and light were treated in a very different manner.

Outside view of panels

Inverted pyramids with permeable faces allowed a diffused amount of light to enter the market, giving the space a more full, welcoming quality. The pyramids are instrumental in this, allowing light to pass no matter the time of day, as opposed to the strict directionality of the roof of the Vega market. The eating places were located on the second floor and while it may simply be correlation and not causation, I noticed many more people eating on this floor.

Elevation of pyramidal panels

what type of roof you plan to have may not always be number one concern on designers lists. However, as the case with many things, attention to detail can make a huge difference in how a space feels.

Structured for Success

Geometric patterned mosaics and truss support system at GAM

Close up view of Museum of Memory and Human Rights facade with visible structural beams.

View of Museum of Memory and Human Rights’ bar building facade with structural system clearly visible.

My quick diagram sketches of the basic truss support system and other geometric relationships at GAM

     Despite not having taken a structure course yet, I was able to gain a new understanding and appreciation for analyzing structure. I wanted to diagram and learn how structure can efficiently serve its important functional role but also greatly facilitate design themes. For instance at Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center, I noticed a design theme of geometrical patterns organized in relation to the ceiling’s steel truss structural support. The use of a truss system, in which the diagonal components allow for more space to be carved out of large structural mass, make the structure at GAM not feel overbearing and still let the mosaic pattern be the focal point. It also appeared as if the triangular shapes formed by the structural beams influenced the triangular mosaic pieces within them to form a cohesive geometric design. Also, the large circular stone seating bench I was sitting on mimicked the circular glass pattern directly above it on the ceiling and the linear block patterned flooring with metal accents related in geometry and materiality to the linear support beams directly above.
     The benefits of truss structural system were also important at the Museum of Memory and Human Rights. The structure was mainly located towards the edges of the bar building which allowed for continuity of open, spacious circulation and exhibit rooms throughout the interior. Since the beams at the museum were spaced more irregular and are clearly visible from the exterior facades, they also serve as an eye catching graphic design focal point.

Night at Pre-Columbian Musuem

The dark stairs contrasts the shining light of the windows and the glass door.

My interest in the Pre-Columbian Museum was the design of the stairs, more specifically its context to the rest of the space. I feel as if the represent what the Knowlton stairs represent which are these obaque objects that make a way through an open space. We get to see that through Knowlton, but in the Pre-Columbian Museum it still makes a presence of these black walls that either takes you up to another dark space or a more brighter space. This concept is also shown as one would progress through a space filled with light into the night.

The panoramic image is what is being sketched above, as you can see the differences on each side in terms of lighting and a hint of the artwork on the second window from the left.

A closer look at what is seen through the window, a gradient of pink and purple.

So this transition is seen through plan and section, but what I noticed about where I was sketching was the placement of the art. In between the pitch black, heavy ramp and the light coming from glass of the windows and door was the colorful sheets of pink and purple that were floating, which was framed by one of the window.

The sculptural black stairs that wrapped with the black rails seen as a sculpture that constrasts from the well-lit room.

As I was sketching this scene, people were passing by and I observed their movement as they first enter the museum. I then understood the ramp as more of a calling into another space. Since the entry into this museum is a well-lit, double height, white walls, door to the outside courtyard that is first seen in front of you, then you turn to the left and then suddenly it’s this dark, black, huge stairs that, for me personally, seen as a part of the museum like a sculpture. Most of the time the person would double look as if they are unsure about what would happen next as they begin to move foreword into the “night”.

Immigration in Chile

Graffiti on the side of a german church in Valparaiso

Café Pu In Valparaiso. A Peruvian restaurant

One of the main reasons I wanted to travel to Chile was to get exposed the culture customs and traditions that mild the experiences of a typical Chilean. This meant learning about the political climate in Chile but not limited to learning about the economy. I wanted to understand current issues that affect this countries demographics whether it be immigration or emigration. In order to get a real sense of what was happening I indulged in a lot of conversation with the locals to grasp a real understanding on immigration in Chile. After various personal narratives I learned about the huge Venezuelan and Peruvian population that immigrated to Chile to find better opportunities in this country as theirs experience a huge financial setback governed by the order of a corrupt government. It’s amazing to walk around and see that a lot of Chileans accepting others into their country. I notice that there are  lot for Peruvian and Venezuelan businesses that are all around Santiago and Valparaiso  In addition, it was incredibly interesting to see Chileans support these businesses by not only being friendly and accepting of these businesses but by supporting them  Although some support immigration the country experiences a strong setback from government. After talking with locals many feel that the president resembles  Trump’s as he pushes for tighter control over the flow of immigration. This strong anti immigration platform infests the country as some have take it upon themselves to graffiti Trump’s famous slogan. It’s interesting to see how these two viewpoints play out in a different country. Although I saw both views expressed in a nonviolent matter I wonder about the violence that might occur to draw attention this political debate about immigration in Chile. As I continutue to learn about the political climate in Chile as a student I hope to use my experiences to continue to mold my perspectives on immigrants and the push and pull factors that influence one to immigrate to another country.

A City Where Buildings And Exterior Space Are One

A park sketch showing circulation through the park along with leisure areas, and buildings in the background.

An image of the plaza space in front of the PreColombian Art Museum, showing the way circulation through Santiago can occur through landscaped plazas rather than just sidewalks.

An image taken of a walk space in the Universidad Cathólica de Chile, once again showing the integration of seating, circulation, shading, and landscape.

On our first day in Santiago, I was immediately struck by the openness of the city. As I walked to get lunch, all of the stores along the way had their doors open to the street. Escalators to the mall were accessible straight from the sidewalk. The separation between indoors and outdoors was often minimal to none.

The openness of the city is difficult to describe. The word that seems to best explain it is permeability. Many of the malls in the city, for instance, do not act as one heavy volume on a city block. They are permeable in the way than the lower level has paths to cross through the block, with shops all around.

Even parks behave in an entirely new way. They don’t act as an isolated destination the way I have seen many parks in Ohio. Rather, they serve as both recreational areas and as circulation paths through the city.

The impact of all this is the creation of a blended, unified city. Locals and tourists, children and the elderly, and even dogs and humans all live as one.

Implementing this into cities like Columbus would completely transform the place, and certainly in a positive way. Take the Oval on campus, for example. It is by far one of Ohio State’s most popular spaces, and serves the dual purpose of play and circulation. Perhaps Columbus is not quite so literally possible since the climate of Ohio is nowhere near as favorable in Santiago. Still, creating spaces that are permeable as opposed to heavy volumes has the potential to create a more usable city.

Extended precedent analysis

View from the campus

View from Main Street

View from building across the street

I was very exited to visit the innovation center by elemental, especially because someone in my studio just did a precedent analysis on it. When I first learned about the building the most intriguing thing was it’s monumental look. When I saw the building in person I was pleasantly surprised by the facade. The concrete was not one continuous smooth surface. Instead it expressed the texture of the wood formwork. The grain of the wood softened the look of the harsh concrete while the connection joints of the wood pieces created a textured effect. The floors of the buildings are exposed by the joints of the formwork. When I walked inside I was surprised at how small the atrium was. The floors were straightforward with the elevator core in one side and offices/work space around the atrium. The special part of the building for me were the triple floored balconies and its iconic look. That is why for my sketches I was more focused on how it looked from different spots on campus. 

Nunca Mas

A site that I was looking forward to visiting on this trip was the Museum of Memory. I had done a lot of research on this topic in AP Spanish in high school and the subject weighed heavily on me. While visiting the museum, I couldn’t help but notice there were parallels between it and our 9/11 memorial in New York City.

First of all, they both use enormous scale gallery walls that can be seen from almost any part of the museum. The Museum of Memory has the enormous wall filled with many picture frames of victims of the attacks and the 9/11 memorial in New York has varying shades of blue tiles to represent what color most people described the color of the sky was on 9/11/01.

New York City 9/11 memorial tile wall

My sketch of the wall of picture frames in the Museum of Memory

I think that this large scale is used to make a great impact on whoever is entering the museum and to make them realize just how many lives each specific event has effected.

Another similarity between the two museums is the use of water. I think that the water in both museums represent the absence of those who were taken from their loved ones on these days.

Museum of Memory

Reflecting pools at 9/11 memorial in NYC

 

Valparaíso’s Crafted Authenticity

Traveling through Valparaíso was a beautiful experience from start to finish. It was awe-inspiring to see the many architectural styles within such a short distance from each other. We were enlightened with views of pretty houses on a hill all leading to the big blue ocean.

However, there was this emptiness to the portion we walked through. It kept nagging me through the walk that the only people we saw were vendors, waitresses, and other tourists. Not to say that it was necessarily a bad feeling, but at some point I had to ask if I was walking through a film set. Most of the houses appear to be houses in terms of typology but had a lot of variance in the programs. It might be unreasonable to expect a majority of people to be able to afford the maintenance for such a house. Yet, at the same time I think houses built should serve their purpose as houses and not as vessels to drive the tourism market.

One of the main reasons I believe it only to be geared toward the tourism market is the emphasis placed on appearances. There were many houses empty and vacated that were being renovated to have the appearance of vibrancy even if it did not necessarily start that way. I am a fan of the appearance of the city, but I do believe it is similar to Santa Monica where zoning code drives a lot of the decisions of the outer appearance. In my opinon, giving individuals the opportunity to control their facades would be preferable. Even though the houses were eye-catching, I felt myself more moved by the murals throughout the city. That was the most authentic experience for me personally. The same energy used to paint the intricate work could be applied to the surface treatment of the facades.

Valparaíso gives an appearance of parts relating to the whole while the relation is only surface level

This door shows a treatment of surface where formal properties are overlayed with graphics

Even with a mural painted over the masonry the bricks’ pattern is still present and gives the image another layer of depth

Copper Wall Openings

Centro Cultural Gabriela Mistral’s copper surface was very interesting to me. The first sketch is showing my analysis of the panels which is being used to create the surface. I observed two types of panels. One from least to middle-level opening. The other one is from middle-level opening to a max level of openings. The surface is created by the combination of these two types of the panels by cutting in a different size, flipping upside down and gathering/scattering the same level openings.
For the wall, more north side and the top has more openings to let light into the building. Less opening panels are used on the bottom of the wall more for the privacy. The second sketch and the third diagram is showing the organization of opening levels.

it was great to learn how the simple panels can create a variety of surface expression as well as the shading system.

2 Panel types idea diagram

 

West side wall: higher it goes, it has bigger and more frequent openings. lower wall has less and smaller openings.

 

organization of opening diagram: more openings on top for light and less opening on bottom for privacy. Also north side has many openings for light.

East side wall image

west side wall image

The Beauty of Undeterred Business

Being a business major, i wanted to take time to address the business climate here in Chile. I have been astounded at the economy’s acceptance of free market capitalism regardless of size, quantity, or quality. When I say this I am referring to the countless tent or blanket sheet merchants that live in the streets of nearly every major thorough fare. These merchants offer various commerce ranging from fruits to used clothes and everything in between. I think that this action, this acceptance has been pivotal in strengthening this economy to what we see it to be today. This increased economic activity allows for a more cohesive society one that is interdependent and works towards the same ends. I also have enjoyed being in the atmosphere of such hard-working and  entrepreneurial people. The ambition that they carry around everyday regardless of their profession is refreshing to me and invigorated my pursuits. When we go back home to the United States, we will return to a nation of formal institutions. One where vendors require permits, small corner stores tend to be more corporate, and where large institutions are the predominate force in commerce. Now I’m not saying that the US, a very successful capitalistic country should take notes on Chile’s economic activity yet I think it is very important to note the fluidity of their ability to exchange commerce. I believe if the US were to relax their permit regulations for vending or implement a greater importance on markets similar to how Valporaiso created a weekly market schedule (Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday), then we would see greater economic activity. Through witnessing all of this entrepreneurial activity I am further interested in the structure of business incubators and further passionate about implementing my own. I’m going to take what I’ve seen in Chile, the passion that individuals have for their craft and attempts to help as many Americans with that same passion as I can. While it may not be as visible, I know that the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in America. 

The Innovation Center: “Design of the Year”

Innovation Center – Giant openings puncture Elemental’s “monolithic” concrete innovation centre. 

Not only green plants are used to be landscape design, but also stone designs could be a special way to illustrate beauty. I was intrigued by these cement spheres that were situated in front of the Innovation center due to their unique design and diverse purposes. Such as the stone spheres in front of the innovation center in PUC. The stone spheres is emphasizing the shape of circle while the with contrast of formal rectangle shape of innovation center is creating the sense of recreation. So people can feel more entertained. There were three sets of the cement spheres containing roughly thirty various sized spheres in close proximity to each other. The texture of the spheres looked like a mixture of cement and other aggregates. As I was observing how the spheres related to the campus, I noticed they were being used more so as a place for gathering, sitting, and elemental design instead of relating to its context. Multiple people were sitting on the spheres, including our Santiago group, to rest or meet people to go inside the innovation center. The cement spheres acted as its own location marker due to how easily it was to spot and notice them as so the building. 

The Truth Behind the Lies

I was anticipating my visit to the museum of memory. I had always learned about the attacks that happened in Chile but I wanted to get my hands on the hard evidence. I wanted to know what actually happened with US intervention in Chile. Specifically , I wanted to see the classified documents first handedly on the order made by the CIA and other government agencies under the presidency of Richard Nixon. To my surprise there was little to about nothing displayed on US involvement in the attacks. ( pictured are the only two CIA documents displayed). Analytically interpreting the document it clearly portrays the CIA’s point of view on the attacks. Moreover, it shows how little they think of Chileans and their government. This is clearly shown as the document repeatedly refers to the left wing as terrorits. The language that is utilized is incredibly offensive but foreshadows the support that the CIA and US government in general will have on the attacks against the working class of Chile. I decided I wanted to learn more! I soon noticed a basement floor where students from universities can come and do research. I decided to stay for an hour and do research. They had nimerous artifacts and classified documents in their database. It all made sense after doing my research. I learned about the United States illegal activities in Chile and how they overrided Chilean power based on a supposed “ drug transaction”. However, after analyzing the situation I soon came to realize that the United States abused their power to gain access to the military’s channels to know information about what was going on. Apart from that there are various documents, books, and testimonies from war generals who recollect their transactions with members from the US like the CIA. Also, i discovered that the United States president had a certain perspective on Chile and got involved in Chilean attacks by providing ammunition and financial support. The United States took part in this horrific event that still affects people do this day. It makes me wonder about the sad reality of the situation. When will the United States stop it’s involvement and when is enough enough ? Where do we draw a line on human decency?

CIA documents on the attack in Chile

( US INVOLVEMENT IN CHILEAN ATTACKS HELD IN THE MUSEUM) 

America, Land of Who?

The United States of America or just America, that’s how I and most others refer to these 50 states. Whenever I travel abroad, I refer to myself as an American. I know my customs and traditions to be American. I remember the first time that I was introduced to the concept of “America” meaning more than just the United States of America. It was in one of my introductory Spanish classes at OSU. My professor asked us who was more American, us or someone from Panamá, perhaps. After all, Panamá is located in Central America. Ofcourse I was already aware of the existence of both Central and South America but we, the USA were the Americans, right? It was during that Spanish class that I began to challenge that idea. I was indirectly reminded of this when visiting La Moneda Cultural Center. On the glass walls, the phrase “America, Tierra de Quienes”  was painted. This translates to “America, Land of Who?”. As I was pondering on this, I began to think of the ethnic and cultural background of the people that make up “America”. Let’s think about Latin America in particular since we are in Chile. In 2019, it’s a melting pot like the United States but we know that much of the cultural make up comes from Spainards, enslaved Africans, and Indigenous peoples native to this land. I saw this cultural make up represented in the artwork all over Valparaíso which we visited on day 5. Some of the people depicted on the murals were, in my opinion very clearly of African descent and others indigenous. This experience in Chile has truly brought this concept to life for me and I will continue to learn about and expand on this idea of America being more than the United States of America.The United States of America or just America, that’s how I and most others refer to these 50 states. Whenever I travel abroad, I refer to myself as an American. I know my customs and traditions to be American. I remember the first time that I was introduced to the concept of “America” meaning more than just the United States of America. It was in one of my introductory Spanish classes at OSU. My professor asked us who was more American, us or someone from Panamá, perhaps. After all, Panamá is located in Central America. Ofcourse I was already aware of the existence of both Central and South America but we, the USA were the Americans, right? It was during that Spanish class that I began to challenge that idea. I was indirectly reminded of this when visiting La Moneda Cultural Center. On the glass walls, the phrase “America, Tierra de Quienes”  was painted. This translates to “America, Land of Who?”. As I was pondering on this, I began to think of the ethnic and cultural background of the people that make up “America”. Let’s think about Latin America in particular since we are in Chile. In 2019, it’s a melting pot like the United States but we know that much of the cultural make up comes from Spainards, enslaved Africans, and Indigenous peoples native to this land. I saw this cultural make up represented in the artwork all over Valparaíso which we visited on day 5. Some of the people depicted on the murals were, in my opinion very clearly of African descent and others indigenous. This experience in Chile has truly brought this concept to life for me and I will continue to learn about and expand on this idea of America being more than the United States of America.

America, Land of Who at La Moneda Cultural Center

One of many colorful murals in Valparaíso

Mural in Valparaíso

Contrast, continuity and cracks : a study of details

 

Little details can make a project. I think that this simple fact is true for both designers and the general public who may not be familiar with principles of design. That is to say, I think people have an inherent appreciation for some of the fleeting moments in life; nostalgia is a powerful force. In my opinion, little details can create these tiny moments of joy. 

Water plants at Parque Bicentenario

Many projects -landscape and architecture-we have visited have details that hold up under scrutiny. Starting with parque bicentenario, I was especially struck by a view in the lake. Large, dark stone lined the bottom of the lake and from it emerged a light, thin plant. It may be a variety of allium, but I can’t find the species. Contrast can be a detail in and of itself and I think that it is working for parque bicentario to both provide a striking appearance but also create a unique experience for people using the park.

Water runnel at plaza outside La Chascona

Outside Pablo Neruda’s Santiago home  I was struck by a different type of detail. This was less an aesthetic quality of design but a more functional one as well. Instead of simply having a reflecting pool, the water in the plaza outside the house is in motion; down from the reflecting pool and out between the stones that make up the seating of the plaza. This both adds beauty to a simple space but also cools down the air and stones- an important thing for an area with strong sun and limited shade. 

Gutter at San Joaquin chapel

While details can be contrasting, they may also blend into the overall style of a project. The gutters at the San Joaquin campus do just that. Looking at them one might miss the fact they are even gutters. Their form and material makeup fits with the building, allowing them to blend in. Discovering what they are is exciting though, and proves that even everyday things deserve to be examined in detail.

I have many more details I could talk about, but I hope these select few begin to show what can be done with detail and the different ways it can be used.

Valparaiso Around the Corner

I can honestly say that the city of Valparaiso is the the most beautiful and unique city I have visited. Not just because of the vibrant colors on all of the buildings, it’s the unique organization and topography that help to make the city so memorable. Being built on the side of a mountain, makes the view of the city and the navigation through the city very different from the flat Ohio fields where I grew up. Everywhere you go there are either stairs or inclines, hardly a flat place in sight. The constant changes in elevation and everything being packed so close together make it hard to see very far in most directions. This aspect allows for many hidden doorways, alleys, and drop offs everywhere you turn. Just walking through the streets of this city is an adventure. The surprises at every turn give the city a very playful and fun atmosphere.

The compactness of the city also exaggerates its eclectic nature. Everything, old and new, the wealthy and shanties are often butted right up next to one another. This allows for even more stark visual contrast. No matter where you look, you don’t know what you’re gonna get.

 

San Joaquim vs. Ohio State

Something I was curious about before this trip was how a Chilean university compared to an American one. After visiting San Joaquim, I was shocked at how different it was from Ohio State. There was a large variety of buildings, differing in scale, shape, color and materiality. This is a direct contrast from the many similar buildings on Ohio State’s campus that follow the brick standard. Both campuses are similar in that they have prominent central features that dictate the organization of the site. The main quad at San Joaquim is a wide, paved path that serves as a linear axis for all the buildings to line up along. Ohio State differs in that the central feature is the Oval, a large landscape that divides the campus into two parts: North and South. In terms of actual campus size and layout, San Joaquim’s campus is much smaller that that of Ohio State and splits up into multiple parts, with the architecture school being located in an entirely different location than the main campus. Ohio State differs in that it is one continuous campus but can also relate to the organization of the main campus of San Joaquim in the density of academic buildings seen on their campus and also on North campus.

Innovation Center at San Joaquim

Torres Siamesas at San Joaquim

Building with interesting window features at San Joaquim

Round copper museum on San Joaquim’s campus

Diagram comparing organization of San Joaquim and Ohio State

Accessibility at the Gabriela Mistral and the Museum of Memory

Something I noticed today was the efforts to make the areas accessible to people who are visually impaired. The first thing that caught my eye was a handrail at Gabriela Mistral that had braille lettering along it to coincide with lettering in the glass behind it. Something that interested me about this was the fact that the lettering had faded and chipped off but the braille remained intact so that in order to read the lettering one would need to know braille. They also had a map that indicated the spaces buy indenting them into the metal surface along with a braille description.

The 3D map at Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center.

The handrail with braille to match the text on the glass at Gabriela Mistral.

    I also feel like the museum of memory did a good job of integrating things that allowed people with impaired vision to access and understand the exhibits. For example there was a drawing that a child did for their parent who was imprisoned and underneath there was a 3D version with braille and important elements raised up. There was also a map of the locations of key places involving the imprisonment that was raised and indented with braille captions. The map was able to be followed by one’s finger with the key spaces being raised and numbered in braille. The floor also had strips of a different material that one could follow around the museum to experience it that way. Then on the second floor there was a ledge with captions in braille leading to the voting ballot which was completely reconfigured in braille underneath the actual ballot.

My interpretation of how the Museum of Memory made some elements of their exhibits more accessible to the visually impaired.

    Last semester I attended a Buamer series lecture about art restoration and how to make history more accessible and seeing these elements in the museum reminded me of that. I think that accessibility in historically or culturally significant spaces is something that is incredibly important. Learning about art and history can help enrich an individual’s experience and making spaces more accessible allows a wider range of people to indulge in these things. I also found that the tactile elements helped enrich my own experience as someone who is fortunate enough to have vision. Being able to actually touch the outlines of a drawing and experience it in a more tangible, hands-on, way helped make the experience more real to me. I also think that this was an especially important element at the Museum of Memory and Human Rights because it is a space that is rembering people who have been through a traumatic experience while also placing emphasis on the fight for justice. Not excluding individuals who have disabilities from this experience helps support the idea that it is a space for all people to pay tribute to the atrocities that occurred. Overall, I appreciated the efforts both of these spaces made to create an inclusive experience.