A link to a photo gallery has been added so that we can upload the random, beautiful images that we take while abroad. If interested follow the link and enjoy!
http://gallery.me.com/timcasper/100200
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tim's Class Schedule in Rome
Tim’s life here in Rome is very busy and this blog is dedicated to that. On Monday and Thursday he has studio or basically a design class from 2-6 pm. This course is time consuming outside of class and more explanation will be given below.
On Tuesday from 9-12, Tim has a course on “Classical Architecture” which is a walk and talk course with sketching assignments. They go to buildings that exemplify classical architecture from the Renaissance until the eighteenth century. This is to provide the students with a more comprehensive visual vocabulary and of course take advantage of Rome as a living model.
Then on Wednesday from 9-12, Tim has another walking and talking course called “History of Rome” with an eccentric woman who knows everything. She is a crazy cat lady who reads Etruscan and cannot finish a class on time. Ask Tim about how the cats come to her from out of the Roman ruins. For that class, Tim only has a paper and he is not too concerned.
But back to studio as it is the most intensive course and for architecture students it takes priority. For this Tim must design a library in a space that he has created along the Via Julia near the Ponte de Sant Angelo. It is an odd shaped lot which right now has pretty hideous, mismatched buildings. Hopefully Tim can transform the space into something worthy of Roman architecture or at least a passing grade. Here are two pictures of the space to give you an idea. In the end Tim will produce around 10 drawings all water-colored and rendered with the utmost care. Wish him luck!
On Tuesday from 9-12, Tim has a course on “Classical Architecture” which is a walk and talk course with sketching assignments. They go to buildings that exemplify classical architecture from the Renaissance until the eighteenth century. This is to provide the students with a more comprehensive visual vocabulary and of course take advantage of Rome as a living model.
Then on Wednesday from 9-12, Tim has another walking and talking course called “History of Rome” with an eccentric woman who knows everything. She is a crazy cat lady who reads Etruscan and cannot finish a class on time. Ask Tim about how the cats come to her from out of the Roman ruins. For that class, Tim only has a paper and he is not too concerned.
But back to studio as it is the most intensive course and for architecture students it takes priority. For this Tim must design a library in a space that he has created along the Via Julia near the Ponte de Sant Angelo. It is an odd shaped lot which right now has pretty hideous, mismatched buildings. Hopefully Tim can transform the space into something worthy of Roman architecture or at least a passing grade. Here are two pictures of the space to give you an idea. In the end Tim will produce around 10 drawings all water-colored and rendered with the utmost care. Wish him luck!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Sophia's Walk to Rome and ICCROM
With only a four minute walk to the ICCROM building, I was not expecting much from my stroll to work. I basically make a left on the Via di Salumi (the street of salami “makers”) and right onto Via di Vascellari which turns into Via San Michele, the street that ICCROM is on.
However, I underestimated the complete charm of Rome no matter how short the distance. All along the Via di Vascellari are artisan workshops and studios. There is a leather worker, a wood worker, a glass blower, a dress maker, a furniture maker, a Zen painting studio, and that’s all I can remember/have noticed so far, I am sure there is more. At siesta time or around lunch, when I walk back to eat at the apartment, those shops close but cafes and small restaurants are bustling with customers, mostly locals. At night the street is transformed once again by a number of nightclubs, bars, and large fancy restaurants that are indescribably romantic.
At the end of this fascinating street is the Piazza Santa Cecilia where the church of Saint Cecilia is located. The church was founded in the fourth century but was renovated in the Baroque period. There is a lovely garden cloister at the front entrance and parents frequently take children there to play. The history of the place is pretty amazing and the very courageous Roman woman to whom it is dedicated is one of the most venerated saints.
Then I get to ICCROM, a nondescript government building with a single flag and plaque marking its presence. Inside is the same, nothing glitzy or awe-inspiring in the architecture but if one looks on the walls one realizes the importance of ICCROM. The entire place is plastered with posters proclaiming how this organization is working to protect cultural heritage around the world. There are projects saving stone monuments in Africa, wooden structures in Korea, and mosaics in the Middle East just to name a few. As an art historian, seeing so much overwhelming support for visual culture is very inspiring.
But to the specifics of what I am doing there…I work with Maria Mata Caravaca in the archives and documentation center. I am there to help with the digitization and cataloguing of slides for the ICCROM online database. Maria is from Spain but lives here with her husband and two kids. Interesting enough, she has a daughter named Sofia and her husband is an architect! She is very sweet, quite and belongs in a library. I do not consider myself to have those qualities so I am sure my loud Americaness is a real change to the documentation center.
Perks of my position, other than just helping a great cause, have turned out to be greater than expected. On a somewhat just fun note, I have a badge that looks very official and gets me in and out of the building. But on a more serious note, there is a class going on at ICCROM right now that I can attend whenever I want. It is called “First Aid to Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis”. Each day is a different course or practicum on preservation/recovery in times of turmoil. There are 24 selected participants or “students” from Iraq, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, the Australian military, Nigeria, basically places where these skills are highly valued. I have so far attended two sessions: one on proper documentation and labeling of objects and the other on agents of deterioration. Each class is taught by a different expert and the class goes on till the end of October so I am sure to learn a lot! If you are interested check out the website and see the great things being done to save our precious history.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Tim's Walk to School
A walk in Rome is never a normal stroll. Between traffic confusion, vocal beggars, and hordes of people one is always amused. Tim’s walk to school is particularly full of everything. He has beautiful vistas of Saint Peter’s, the Tiber, and even ruins of an ancient sanctuary.
Tim’s adventure follows the major transportation route for those entering the city from the primarily residential area of Trastevere. It starts by crossing the bridge, Ponte Garibaldi, and then continuing into the city with Via Arenula until one hits the major street in Rome, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II.
Local traffic on this route includes an above ground trolley system, many buses, mobs of scooters, anxious cars, and lots of pedestrians. One cannot call the street peaceful. Nonetheless it is a very pretty street with trees, a park, and many nice apartment buildings with shops on the first floor. The most impressive building on the street is the Ministry of Justice. Here one sees many lawyers and cops conversing outside as well as the local media trying to get statements and film footage.
How does Sophia know so much about Tim’s walk to school? Well, the grocery store that I prefer is a block away from the Notre Dame building. Via Arenula is also home to all kinds of useful stores with stuff like bedding, electronics, home goods, etc.
Hope this gives you a glimpse into our Roman life and see the map/photos below for more context.
Tim’s adventure follows the major transportation route for those entering the city from the primarily residential area of Trastevere. It starts by crossing the bridge, Ponte Garibaldi, and then continuing into the city with Via Arenula until one hits the major street in Rome, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II.
Local traffic on this route includes an above ground trolley system, many buses, mobs of scooters, anxious cars, and lots of pedestrians. One cannot call the street peaceful. Nonetheless it is a very pretty street with trees, a park, and many nice apartment buildings with shops on the first floor. The most impressive building on the street is the Ministry of Justice. Here one sees many lawyers and cops conversing outside as well as the local media trying to get statements and film footage.
How does Sophia know so much about Tim’s walk to school? Well, the grocery store that I prefer is a block away from the Notre Dame building. Via Arenula is also home to all kinds of useful stores with stuff like bedding, electronics, home goods, etc.
Hope this gives you a glimpse into our Roman life and see the map/photos below for more context.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
A Trastevere Treasure
When Tim and I arrived in Rome, we were met by one of the Notre Dame program officials to help us find our apartment. She said that she had been there earlier this summer and that is was really pretty. Well, that was an understatement.
It is important to give our abode some time on the blog as it will be a determining factor in our overall Roman experience.
From the beginning: We knew that graduate students that were married would be found an apartment near Notre Dame’s campus in Rome. This is a great feature as an apartment is much better than the dorm style housing of our single colleagues. As they started the search, we were nervous about location over any other factor. We are not fans of overcrowded and theft laden public transportation. Plus we both love walking and sight-seeing, so our first choice was something within walking distance. The coordinator eventually contacted us this spring with two options, an apartment near the Vatican and one in a hip neighborhood across the Tiber called, Trastevere.
The perfect match: A side story to the apartment story is my getting an internship at ICCROM which is in Trastevere. This prodded us to chose the hip neighborhood which is sometimes considered the pulse of Rome with all potential connotations: noise, rif-raf, active night life. What turned up was an apartment literally, and I mean that, three minutes away from my office. The street is right near the Tiber river so we knew, thank you Google map walk distance Beta, that the apartment was also an easy walk for Tim to the center city, about 12 min.
The place: First off, our street is extremely quant and narrow. The taxi that took us there when we arrived had to drop us off a street early because he could not get to it by car. (A great thing of course!) Our apartment is basically an old building with about eight apartments carved into it. We live on the second floor. We go up two short flights of stairs and then across an outdoor, elevated pathway that connects three of the apartments. This porch like structure gives you unobstructed views to other surrounding apartment roofs, balconies, windows and activities. It is all very bohemian.
Before discussing the interior, it is essential to mention that we have the most outlandish key which turns a strange lock system that is almost medieval but very charming. Once inside one notices that the whole apartment is white washed with red ceramic flooring, very Mediterranean. The most stunning room is a toss up between the living room and the bedroom. Both have high ceilings and large, throw-me-open windows. Both are amazingly spacious and complete with excessive storage. But each has its own exciting elements. The living room is decorated with 19th century prints of Roman vistas framed in gorgeous dark wood. The bedroom has a painted drapery mural in light blues and grays, a very romantic touch. All parts of the apartment have really cool light fixtures, stone architectural details, and very tasteful but simple furniture.
But then there are the European elements to the apartment that make you feel like you are in an “American goes to Europe” comedy. The kitchen is small, okay fine, but it has no oven! Half the recipes I brought use an oven. Lights have burned out already and the electrical outlets are iffy. We may or may not have a tv that works, internet, or hot water! Probably most comical of all is that the apartment next to us is under construction. Randomly throughout the day, no night work thank god, all they do is hammer, no saws, just hammering…what could they be constructing?
However, as the pictures attest, the apartment is a real gem. In fact the Notre Dame program here loves it so much they have booked it for years to come. We are extremely grateful for this lovely new home!
It is important to give our abode some time on the blog as it will be a determining factor in our overall Roman experience.
From the beginning: We knew that graduate students that were married would be found an apartment near Notre Dame’s campus in Rome. This is a great feature as an apartment is much better than the dorm style housing of our single colleagues. As they started the search, we were nervous about location over any other factor. We are not fans of overcrowded and theft laden public transportation. Plus we both love walking and sight-seeing, so our first choice was something within walking distance. The coordinator eventually contacted us this spring with two options, an apartment near the Vatican and one in a hip neighborhood across the Tiber called, Trastevere.
The perfect match: A side story to the apartment story is my getting an internship at ICCROM which is in Trastevere. This prodded us to chose the hip neighborhood which is sometimes considered the pulse of Rome with all potential connotations: noise, rif-raf, active night life. What turned up was an apartment literally, and I mean that, three minutes away from my office. The street is right near the Tiber river so we knew, thank you Google map walk distance Beta, that the apartment was also an easy walk for Tim to the center city, about 12 min.
The place: First off, our street is extremely quant and narrow. The taxi that took us there when we arrived had to drop us off a street early because he could not get to it by car. (A great thing of course!) Our apartment is basically an old building with about eight apartments carved into it. We live on the second floor. We go up two short flights of stairs and then across an outdoor, elevated pathway that connects three of the apartments. This porch like structure gives you unobstructed views to other surrounding apartment roofs, balconies, windows and activities. It is all very bohemian.
Before discussing the interior, it is essential to mention that we have the most outlandish key which turns a strange lock system that is almost medieval but very charming. Once inside one notices that the whole apartment is white washed with red ceramic flooring, very Mediterranean. The most stunning room is a toss up between the living room and the bedroom. Both have high ceilings and large, throw-me-open windows. Both are amazingly spacious and complete with excessive storage. But each has its own exciting elements. The living room is decorated with 19th century prints of Roman vistas framed in gorgeous dark wood. The bedroom has a painted drapery mural in light blues and grays, a very romantic touch. All parts of the apartment have really cool light fixtures, stone architectural details, and very tasteful but simple furniture.
But then there are the European elements to the apartment that make you feel like you are in an “American goes to Europe” comedy. The kitchen is small, okay fine, but it has no oven! Half the recipes I brought use an oven. Lights have burned out already and the electrical outlets are iffy. We may or may not have a tv that works, internet, or hot water! Probably most comical of all is that the apartment next to us is under construction. Randomly throughout the day, no night work thank god, all they do is hammer, no saws, just hammering…what could they be constructing?
However, as the pictures attest, the apartment is a real gem. In fact the Notre Dame program here loves it so much they have booked it for years to come. We are extremely grateful for this lovely new home!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Here we go again!
Hello all and thank you for visiting our blog. We are very excited to keep you up to date with our travels and share the adventures along the way.
Some background....
Why we are in Rome: Tim's third year at UND architecture school requires a semester of study in Rome. So he will be taking classes and learning about the beautiful architecture of Rome.
Where are we staying in Rome: Our apartment is across the Tiber River in an area called Trastevere. We are on the Via Titta Scarpetta. It is apparently a great area with much to do and see. Of course we will let you know :)
What is Sophia going to do: I will be working at ICCROM, a UN agency, as an intern and also doing research for an upcoming exhibition at the Snite Museum of Art, at UND.
Although our time in Rome will definitely be a busy and academic affair, we hope to give as much time as possible to enjoying all the Eternal City has to offer. Wish us luck!
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