STEP Study Abroad: European Architecture Studies

1.            The main activities that took place throughout my STEP signature Study Abroad project were learning about famous works of architecture firsthand, conducting and presenting research on those buildings, and sketching and analyzing buildings. Each student was responsible for researching five assigned buildings and presenting the information to the group at the place of the site. We were also responsible for sketching and diagraming buildings and comparing them to one another through analytical sketches.

2.            On this transformational study abroad STEP signature project, I came to understand that it is okay to be pushed outside my comfort zone and realized that is where I have bountiful opportunities to grow as an individual. Being able to figure out how to adapt myself to new situations and overcome them as a more confident person was such a valuable experience. I learned to intelligently talk and argue on the spot, take part in, and handle myself in, analytical conversations where I felt my knowledge was inferior. I also managed to transport myself from the United States through international and foreign airports and train stations and back again.

3.            Taking part in comparative and analytical conversations about architecture and theory with graduate students and my professors was far outside my comfort zone. However, through that experience, I learned that my thoughts are relevant, not inferior, and are worth sharing. At one point I was called to the spot and was asked to respond, after a graduate student had spoken, to a rapid conversation about brutalist architecture and Le Corbusier. I had to quickly come up with my argument and compare theoretical, aesthetic, and structural aspects of certain Le Corbusier buildings and explain why they matter. Through experiences like this, I really discovered to not be afraid to share my ideas and thoughts when it comes to art and architecture.

               Being outside my comfort zone and knowing how to handle it also became relevant in presenting my research to my forty-five peers and professors on several buildings we visited. I gained the confidence to take part in conversations about the buildings I researched, answer questions, and respond to design and theory arguments. There was one moment where one of my professors did not believe what I was saying about the structure of the façade of Casa Mila and tried to call me out on it in front of the group and declare that I was incorrect. I was able to respectively respond and make my argument. After touring the building, my professor approached me and informed me that I was indeed correct about the structure.

               For this study abroad trip, students were responsible for arranging and purchasing their own transportation to the trip starting location and then back to the United States on their own. Purchasing my own plane and train tickets and navigating airports and train stations abroad where I do not speak the languages was such a learning experience for me. I feel that having this experience under my belt has really helped me grow in my self-awareness and responsibility.

4.            This project helped me become more aware of my surroundings and gain a better appreciation for world cultures. Having the opportunity to travel to and experience the cultures and the architecture of five foreign countries really broadened the worldview I thought I already had. This trip sparked even more interest for me in traveling and learning about lifestyles and cultures around the world and how they relate to the architecture.  During my five-week journey along this trip, I was inspired by the world cultures I witnessed, and I became even more interested in being able to help improve the lives of others through architecture. This STEP signature project helped me think about the changes I want to make in my lifestyle and what kind of person I want to be as I finish my last two years at The Ohio State University and go on to graduate school to receive my Master of Architecture.

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