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Published: October 18th 2009
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The Forum
The Forum has the largest and best example of the visible layers of Romes historic past. I know, its been too long since Ive updated the blog. Im just trying to build up the anticipation so that you can enjoy the book that Im about to write. Hopefully I can condense these past few exhilarating weeks without leaving anything out. Happy travels =)
I’ve been abroad for about a month already. This is the longest I’ve ever been away from home and I miss it very much. Not so much homesick but I miss the usual comforts like the foods, the smells, and of course the lovely people in my life. But adjusting to the Roman lifestyle has been pretty smooth so far. I’ve learned that I just need to forget everything I know from back home. Forget how the food tastes. Forget how the morning air smells. And forget the efficiency of small daily tasks that we all take for granted (laundry, grocery shopping, etc.). In doing that I think I can embrace the culture more willingly. Simple, right? Not so much.
My apartment is in the Trastevere area of Rome. It’s a 10 minute walk and just across the Tiber River from the UW Rome Center, which is located in the famous Campo
di Fiori. During the day the Campo turns into a market with vendors selling anything from fruits to fancy hats (where I impulsively bought myself a straw hat). The market has been a tradition since the Middle Ages. At the center is a statue of Giordano Bruno who was burned at the stake by the Church for positing that the sun actually revolved around the earth instead of the other way around. The Church has only recently apologized. Crazy. Anyway, at night the Campo turns into a melting pot of food, wine, music and performers. Its really amazing because the action continues into the early morning every night. Its very festive and I enjoy the soundtrack coming from the Campo into studio in the evenings.
Ever since the first day in Rome I’ve barely had time to sit. I think my calves are as solid as the cobblestones I tread on because I walk so much. There are tons of sites to see and monuments to visit I can hardly name them all nor traverse my way through without getting lost (not like it would be such horrible thing). Luckily for me I’m taking classes with a wonderfully dynamic
Colosseum
Walking from the Forum to the Colosseum. team of instructors to teach me a few things. Dave Miller is the Dean of the Department of Architecture at the UW and is also one of the partners at Miller · Hull, an award-winning architecture firm based in Seattle since 1977. He brings real-life expertise and practicality that I find valuable because much of my own education so far has been conceptual. Trina Deines and Brian McLaren school us about Rome’s vibrant history. Its so much more interesting to learn history when you’re in the middle of it all and your senses can’t help but to soak in everything around. Frank Ching is the drawing instructor and is a master at what he does. He’s internationally recognized for his architectural drawings and instructional books. Instruction takes place on-site where he goes around one-by-one providing direction about where to take the drawing. Frank simplifies the process so that we can better understand what we’re looking at and to construct the composition accurately. Sketching a real life object such as a building or a series of spaces honestly is not exactly easy. He’s one of the primary reasons I chose to do the Architecture in Rome program and I’m very lucky
The Colosseo
Up close and personal with the majestic Colosseum. Supposedly only a third of the original mass stands today. because he’s retiring this year. This is definitely a priceless experience I’m bound to learn so much from.
The best thing about Rome is that it contains a wonderfully rich architectural history and that this history is visible. Many of the functioning buildings you see today have been maintained throughout the years and characterize the traits of their era. I’ve visited many of the historical monuments that you’ve all seen on postcards as well as the less recognized ones but that are just as important and beautiful. Simply moving through the spaces provides a glimpse into the great minds of the past designer and what they might have been thinking. Also significant are the modern buildings only recently constructed. These projects are important to note because they mark a transition in Rome that is progressive and even controversial. In any case, appreciation for any type of architecture here is easy and I’m sure I’ve only experienced a fraction of what this elegantly chaotic city has to offer.
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