By Shweta Kamble
This Italian trip had it all. The architectural splendor of Venice, the medieval beauty of Verona and the innovative spirit of the Biennale.
On the occasion of the 16th International Architecture exhibition at the Venice Biennale, BouT organized its annual study trip to Venice from the 17th to 21st of October 2018. Joining this trip, was a group of 16 multinational students and a faculty member from Building Technology.
The aim of the study trips organized by our association is to provide the students with an international experience and exposure to architectural and technological innovations.
This years destination, Venice, also known as a floating city, is famous for its rich culture and centuries old architectural styles. The splendour also houses interesting modern structures by notable architects such as Carlo Scarpa, OMA, and Tadao Ando.
Below are some of the highlights of the trip;
Exploring the City :
With the intention to see both the historic and modern architecture of the city, the group first visited Saint
Visit to Venice Biennale :
The highlight of this year’s trip was the Venice Architecture Biennale and the unique opportunity to visit the research and design projects at BK Booths displayed at the Biennale for the very first time.
Meeting with C+S Architects :
C+S Architects in Treviso is one of the leading architecture firms in Venice. The group got the opportunity see their office and interact with the lead Architect Carlo Cappai. The firm exhibits a diverse portfolio of works and students were presented with their work philosophy, technical and architectural design approach during the visit, helping them pique their academic interest towards technology and design innovation.
Historic exploration in Verona
Over a day was spent exploring Shakespeare’s Verona. The town was a completely different experience in terms of architectural language and scale. Through a guided bike tour historic monuments such as The Grand Open Air Roman amphitheatre, Basilica of San Zeno, Ponte Pietra bridge and Torre dei Lamberti, the highest tower overlooking the city, were seen.
Some facts learnt about the monuments along the tour: The arena built in the 1st century, has a capacity of housing 30,000 people and is still functional; The arched Ponte Pietra, the oldest bridge originally from Roman rule was destroyed and rebuilt in 1949; The bridge’s eventful history and the preservation of elements from all periods, from ancient times to the present, have made the bridge a symbol of Verona’s history.
During the trip, experiences and ideas were shared and exchanged, and bonds were made. From BouT, we hope the group had an enriching experience and have witnessed the relevance of their technological studies in the built environment. Lastly, however most importantly, this trip would not have been possible or complete without Dr. Serdar Asut and the continuous support of Dr.-Ing.Marcel Bilow. Thank you!