ISI FLORENCE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
The International Studies Institute School of Architecture program was established in 2001 in cooperation with Roger Williams University School of Architecture and Historic Preservation. The school runs both semester and summer study abroad programs in architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, structural engineering, and more. Courses are taught by local Italian architects and scholars, all of whom are not only dedicated teachers but also well-established practicing professionals. Our academic programs are open to qualifying students from all universities, and the Institute hosts both faculty-led and customized programs.
Our practicing faculty works closely with the Municipality of Florence and other Tuscan cities, the University of Florence, and Italian architectural firms. This means that ISI Florence architecture students gain real-life immersive experience by working on actual architectural projects in the city of Florence and Tuscany.
Explore our program offerings, contact us if you would like more information, and if you are in Florence, please come and visit us at our newly renovated facility in the historic center at Palazzo Bargagli, on Lungarno delle Grazie 22, Firenze.
The Architecture Program
The semester program consists of a required design studio course and one, or more, approved architectural electives, Italian language (all levels available) and free electives from the Institute’s offerings (15-16 credits total). This program is open to architecture students who have completed at least two years of study in the discipline. Admission is selective.
Program participants are required to enroll in the following curriculum:
Dates & Fees
Fall Semester: Late August – Mid-December
Spring Semester: Mid-January – End of April
Semester Tuition & Fees (15-18 credits) $20,995.00
ISI Florence offers scholarships, financial aid, and partner discounts for qualifying architecture students. Contact Us about how to make your experience more affordable
What’s Included:
Tuition (12-18 credits), mandatory course field trips and excursions, personal architecture design table and workspace, studio facilities and resources, pre-departure assistance, airport pick-up in Florence, 2-day orientation program with field trips, fully-equipped shared apartment, end-of-semester apartment sanitizing/cleaning, permit of stay fees, student services help desk, 24/7 emergency phone, Institute smartphone App, optional extra-curricular activities, farewell party, an accredited transcript from Roger Williams School of Architecture, ISI Florence alumni membership.
Note: Fees do not include meals, airfares, textbooks, insurance, optional travel, or optional extra-curricular activities.
ARCHITECTURE COURSES OFFERED
ACCREDITATION & RECOGNITION
All courses are accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) through the School of Architecture and Historic Preservation at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island.
University Partner Programs
WHY FLORENCE?
It’s difficult to think of a more inspiring country for architecture and design studies than Italy. And what better place than the crown jewel of the Renaissance, Florence – home to the magnificent Brunelleschi dome and millennia of urban architectural evolution.
Florence allows architecture and structural engineering students to be immersed in a backdrop that spans over 2000 years, peppered with historic edifices dating back to the Middle Ages and High Renaissance. But it doesn’t end here. Our semester program also takes students to Rome, Berlin, Basil, Barcelona, and other European centers of classical and contemporary architecture. Florence is also the perfect departure point to explore Italy and Europe.
In addition, Florence is a thriving metropolitan hub, which makes it the ideal place to observe and analyze contemporary structures, as well as structural interventions on historical buildings. The city of Florence is our students’ classroom and campus, where they can study first-hand how the Florentine community seeks to marry the city’s growing infrastructural demands with its rich heritage as a European cultural center. Few cities offer both such a depth of character and so obvious a melding of past, present, and future.
OUR IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE
The studio and elective courses, all taught by practicing architects and academics, are designed to integrate in-class teaching with visits to construction sites and field trips to other relevant destinations. Students sketch on-site and evaluate ideas for a team project—the culmination of the Advanced Design Studio course. The program also encourages mastery and skillful integration of the complex set of variables—artistic, technical, and philosophical—that underlie the successful design of any constructed environment. Students end the program with a team project, drawing from their unique experiences both in the classroom and across the “citywide campus” of Florence.
PROGRAM FEATURES
We’re with you Every Step of the Way
The ISI Florence staff will be with you every step of the way. Our admissions specialist can answer all your questions and guide you through the application process. The Florence-based team will greet you at the airport and provide dedicated support from the moment you arrive to the day of departure, including a 24/7 emergency service. Experienced faculty will work with you to ensure your curricular goals are met and you get the most out of this exciting academic program. What this means is that you will receive day-to-day guidance on your courses, while living in Italy, traveling on the weekends, and adopting Florence as your new home.
Experimental & Project-based Learning
Our architecture studio courses, all taught by practicing architects, are designed to integrate in-class teaching with visits to construction sites and field trips to other relevant destinations. Students sketch on-site and evaluate ideas for a team project—the culmination of the Advanced Design Studio course. The program also encourages mastery and skillful integration of the complex set of variables—artistic, technical, and philosophical—that underlie the successful design of any constructed environment. Students end the program with a team project, drawing from their unique experiences both in the classroom and across the “citywide campus” of Florence.
Newly Renovated Facilities and Academic Resources
ISI Florence offers students spacious and bright design studios in the historic center of Florence, equipped with review and seminar rooms, a design computing laboratory, architecture library, modeling studio, and exhibition gallery. Annually updated software packages in the design-computing laboratory include the complete Autodesk Suite (AutoCAD, Revit, Maya, 3D Studio Max), Adobe Design Premium Creative Suite (Acrobat, Dreamweaver, Flash, Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop, Form Z), standard printers, and a 3D printer. The Architecture Design Studio is entirely networked for wireless access. All participants are provided with their individual tables and workspace; the architecture facilities are open until midnight seven days a week.
Course Travel and Excursions
Apart from the seemingly endless architectural treasures right at your doorstep in Florence and the surrounding Tuscan region, the program also explores other European meccas of architectural design and innovation. Discovery and diversity tours include destinations like Berlin – Germany, Basil – Switzerland, Barcelona – Spain, Rotterdam – Holland, and more.
PARTNERS AND AFFILIATES
PHOTOS
At Work
Student’s Work
Field Trip
Beyond The Classroom
Presentation
Studio Classes
Discovering Outside The Classroom
Discovering Outside The Classroom
At Work
Exploring Spaces
Arch Studio
Arch Studio
Field Trip Antinori
Field Trip Rome
Arch Studio Facilities – Palazzo Barargli
Our Main Offices – Palazzo Rucellai
The Uffizi
Field Trip Tuscany
Field Trip
Field Trip Italy