Visit the 2009 Barcelona Summer Program Blog

Summer semester
Barcelona, Spain

Established in 1986, the program gives students the opportunity to learn in Barcelona, a city whose impressive portfolio of architecture—from medieval to contemporary—and urban design makes it one of the most attractive cities in the world.

The intensive 8-work course compresses the requirements of a typical 15-week semester at Washington University. The design studio focuses on projects in the city, with an emphasis on issues related to its dense fabric, history, and constant, successful efforts to remain sensitive to the past while adapting to the demands of contemporary life, tourism, and commerce. All design projects are located within the old Gothic Quarter. A seminar on Spanish architecture is also offered.

The program has been expanded to accommodate 30 students the past two summers. All classes are held in a rented studio space in the immediate vicinity of the Plaza Real in downtown Barcelona.

The faculty is primarily drawn from the Escola Tecnica Superior d’Arquitectura de Barcelona. Adrian Luchini, Professor of Architecture at Washington University, also teaches the studio on either a full-time basis or as a part-time instructor. Prominent architects who live and work in Spain often serve as lecturers in the program.