COMPOSTELA summer program
COMPOSTELA summer program tries to use the city of Santiago de Compostela as an architectural laboratory in a double sense, first to learn from its excellent architectural examples -historical and contemporary- and second to get advantage of Santiago's urban complexity for the students interact and to make architectural proposals.
The program focuses on developing fundamental skills of an architect. In that sense, materiality, tectonics, sketching, handmade models, are basic elements of the common syllabus of this summer program.
The Compostela Architecture Institute sponsored by Fundación Compostela Arquitectura, offers an intensive three-week summer program in which students will attend craftsmen workshops, lectures, and sketching classes, visit major works of architecture from the Middle Ages to the present, and complete three design projects that emphasize the tectonics of building construction in relation with the social environment.
The program emphasizes learning with one's hands and the direct engagement with current urban issues: students evaluate urban conditions of the city using sketches and models, and then present their insights and proposals to local elected officials
- WORKING by HAND
- TRAVELLING as LEARNING
- SOCIAL AWARENESS
a.LECTURES
The program works in collaboration with the University of Santiago and scholars give lectures on the history of the city, including on the XVI th century monastery that is home to our classrooms and studios. This offers the students perspectives on architecture from a historian's or a landscape scholar's point of view, perspectives that are different from those of architects. Linguists, anthropologists, and archaeologists teaching at the University or part of the Spanish National Research Council -CSIC- contribute unconventional views on architecture.
b. TOURS
In addition to its historical centre, the city is also home to an important number of contemporary architectural masterpieces designed by leading architects –Eisenman, Gallego, Grassi, Hejduk, Siza, Viaplana, and others. Our “COMPOSTELA” summer program takes advantage of this important heritage by organizing daily visits to works of architecture such as the CGAC museum by Siza and the City of Culture by Eisenman.
The tours are led by architects that were involved in the design of each building and present to the students each project's evolution.
c. CRAFTSMEN WORKSHOPS
Taking advantage of the craftsmen masters that still today develop their work in the old part of the city of Santiago, our program “COMPOSTELA” introduces workshops with a carpenter, a stonemason an ironsmith
d. SKETCHING CLASSES
Part of the program are also morning classes where the students learn how to sketch the main public spaces of the old city of Santiago.
Seeking academic excellence and hoping to attract top students, the “Fundación Compostela Arquitectura”, will promote a scholarship program for applicants to the CA Summer program with exceptional academic or professional profiles that have received financial aid in the original countries.
1. DESIGN AND CRAFT: Learn about design, building crafts (stone, wood and iron) and local culture from Master architects and scholars . See buildings by Peter EISENMAN, Manuel GALLEGO, John HEJDUK, Alvaro SIZA, Albert VIAPLANA and others.
2. NETWORK: Meet students and professors from around the world, including India, China, Russia, Spain. Grow your international network and make new friends. Experience Europe close-up. See other countries before or after the Program.
3. MEDIEVAL CITY: Spend time sketching in cafes and experience the walkable Medieval city of Santiago de Compostela, built in the 1200's, with its plazas, fountains, and cathedrals in granite. Enjoy Santiago's inexpensive cuisine and night life.
4. MULTIDISCIPLINARY LECTURES and DISCUSSIONS: art, architecture and building craft, music, literature, anthropology, urban design and landscape architecture. Understand how Galician culture informs its architecture. Instruction is in English.
5. WORK WITH YOUR HANDS: Learn to shape granite and iron from local masters in the “materials workshops” twice each week. Understand local materials and the building craft in Galicia, through physical and direct learning with your hands.
6. SEE GALICIA SPAIN: Go on bus tours, swim in the Atlantic and jump from the highest mast on a boat tour in the Rias of Galicia. We spend most of our time learning outside, in the city. Consider visiting Portugal (3 hours away) after the program.
7. REAL COMMUNITY PROJECTS: Meet representatives from the city, who will attend your studio review. All Compostela projects are real and are created for the city and its residents. Last summer our students' project was selected to be built.
8. LESS EXPENSIVE: Compostela is a relatively affordable study-abroad program. Housing for all 21 days is just $450 and meals are inexpensive. Many art supplies are provided for you by COMPOSTELA.
