Architecture + Design, Fall 2017, Newsletter III

Fall semester has come to an end and the Architecture + Design students are getting ready for departure. These days, as usual, have been hectic but the students are now finished with all their final presentations and projects. Students on the Architecture track presented their final projects on the creation of a urban community garden in the central part of a block in the Eixample area of Barcelona. Their very different perspectives and final projects not only showed their potential but also different ways of understanding the city.
 

On the other hand, students on the Design track displayed their final projects in an exhibition at ELISAVA. Elissa, from Simmons College, describes one of her favorite projects which she completed for a course at ELISAVA, proving the importance of personal experiences while abroad. Please subscribe to her playlist on Spotify.

NOT JUST THE END OF THE SEMESTER

To students, parents, guardians, advisors, instructors and whom may concern,

It has been a pleasure working in the CIEE Barcelona Architecture and Design program these last 7 years but now it is time to bid farewell to the program. As announced some months ago, Fall 2017 will be the last edition of Architecture and Design, a program that condense the best of an experience abroad.

The nature of the program itself, due to the reduced amount of students and its academic component, which is very focused on the city of Barcelona either in project work for the Architecture Studio or in the core course “The City in Visual Culture”, helped the students get to know their new home very well. Barcelona, as the students learned, has changed tremendously through the years and this program was able to witness them all – from the construction of the Gloriès area, the W Hotel, the transformation of the Raval neighborhood, etc. Barcelona has been always something to be experienced and also analyzed, especially by students who are able to understand the benefits of this powerful association.

Also, the students' experiences in our host institutions, ESARQ and ELISAVA, were always challenging but eventually positive. There, students were given the opportunity to be immersed in another academic culture and they learned different ways of working in a more global market. The language barrier, the different approach to the disciplines and the immersion in a local academic context did not stop our students, who successfully adapted themselves to each challenge.

With the idea of Barcelona as a solid center of experiences and studies, the possibility of visiting other Spanish cities during a weekend trip created a much more complete adventure, such that students could compare and experience other realities in the country. The weekend trips to Madrid, Santiago, Bilbao, Valencia, Sevilla and Granada always provided an academic turning point for them.

Right now, it is a pity to be closing the last edition of such a complete and genuine program, and that's why it is time to be happy and satisfied with the work we accomplished, to look back and remember: remember the good (and not so good) moments, all the ways we changed the lives of our students and also to reflect on how they have also changed our lives, especially mine… since I’ve spent much of my time at CIEE working very closely with the students, who curiously taught me a lot not just about Barcelona but also about myself... That's why I hope to not forget anyone and want thank all the students and instructors that made this genuine program possible! Thanks to: 

Vanessa, Zachary, Vanessa, Thomas, Taryn, Shawn, Sarah, Sandra, Nathan, Megan, Marena, Megan, Marc, Lindsey, Kathryn, Julia, Joseph, Jessenia, Hailey, Erica, Daniel, Cara, Britta, Ava, Alyssa, Abigail, Daniel, Justin, Paulina, Sarah, Taylor, Sarah, Valeria, Leah, Christine, Shantal, Abigail, Zachary, Gerard, Ashley, Siobhan, David, Drew, Erin, Omar, Eike, Maya, Elizabeth, Alejandra, Anna, Diana, Gisbel, Eugene, Meghan, Skyler, Khai, Johan, Evan, Graeme, Mariam, Connor, Annika, Lena, Sara, Ximena, Nicholas, Alexandra, Damaris, Chenita, Shelby, Rae, Aaron, Marilia, Alexa, Elizabeth, Brett, Tyler, Mercedes, Emily, Caroline, Gabriella, Lauren, Leroy, Joseph, Zoe, Shira, Melisa, Gustavo, Eytan, Hannah, Lindsay, Gavin, Hannah, Katharine, Kristin, Jill, Britnee, Melanie, Eliza, Jacquie, Audrey, Natalie, Jamie, Parker, Christelle, Jack, Caroline, Giang, Elissa, Samantha, Ana, Kay, Jessica and also the instructors and former director of the program: Magda, Rafael, Judith and Suzanne for all their efforts and knowledge throughout the program.

With gratitude,

Fernando Janeiro, Program Manager, Architecture + Design Program