USA > Florence is an annual workshop in which architecture students from the Roger Williams School of Architecture and the University of Florence work together on a six-day long urban planning and architecture assignment. This year the workshop was led by Prof. Paolo Di Nardo (University of Florence), Arch. Luca Sgrilli, Prof. Carlo Achilli (RWU Architecture Program Coordinator at ISI Florence), and Arch. Daniela Sinicropi (ISI Florence).

The object of this year’s workshop was a site chosen in Peccioli, a medieval town in the countryside near Pisa. The design focused on three different areas along the outer city walls. American and Italian students were paired in groups of four to work on the assignment, for a total of fifteen groups.
Due to the steep elevation of the land, the assignment consisted in creating a suspended pier. Therefore, the project was not only a landscaping design challenge but a structural one as well.

 

The cultural diversity between the students was evident in the development of each project. Being more familiar with similar urban settings, Italian students held an advantage in understanding the conditions and limitations while designing in context. On the other hand, American students demonstrated an openness and a lack of constraints which fueled their creativity. The challenge of this assignment consisted in combining opposing styles and strategies to create a cohesive and successful design. Problem solving of this kind is common in the field of architecture. The work presented students with the opportunity to learn and adapt within their groups in a professional manner. Despite limitations due to time and language, the project was an overwhelming success. Stimulated by the passion to learn and intercultural setting, each project showed impressive creativity. Ultimately, all students developed an attractive and convincing project, while making new friends in the process. The designs resulting from this experience will be published in the next number of AND, a Florence-based architecture magazine, bearing further witness to the success of this year’s workshop.