August 16, 2024Study Abroad in Finland: Caroline Robertson
Caroline Robertson, a fourth-year architecture student, traveled abroad as abroad as a part of the School of Architecture鈥檚 Finland Summer Architecture Institute in Helsinki, Finland.
鈥淔irst arriving in Helsinki felt overwhelming but exciting because I had been anticipating it for several months and there had been a few meetings beforehand it felt surreal to then finally be in Helsinki,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 had a feeling of wanting to maximize all of the new opportunities and explore every inch of the city. Every corner there was something new which was refreshing because I often catch myself bored of new experiences and too comfortable in 快活视频.鈥
For Robertson, one of the most impactful experiences took place shortly into the program. The cohort traveled to Kiljava, a village in the municipality of Nurmij盲rvi and Hyvink盲盲 in southern Finland.
鈥淒riving along the Finnish countryside was stunning and the summer cabin we stayed at in the woods appeared like a hidden gem,鈥 Robertson said. 鈥淪leeping in bunk beds, sausages by the fire, and sitting by the lake with the sun still high in the sky at 11:00 pm felt like I was at camp but 10x better. We learned how to measure the summer cabin by hand and translate these measurements into drafted drawings.鈥
The 15-credit hour program spans May to August and satisfies the program鈥檚 off-campus requirement. Students studied at Aalto University, named in honor of Alvar Aalto, a prominent Finnish architect and designer.
The country gave Robertson a new outlook on the built environment.
鈥淪tepping onto a campus designed by Alvar Aalto was a privilege and I got to see first hand how his drawings translated in beautiful spaces. While Alvar Aalto made a tremendous impact on Finnish architecture, the Finnish design culture was unlike anything I had experienced. The Finnish design culture prides itself in well built things, design competitions that yield beautiful public spaces, and attention to every detail. These are just a few design approaches that I am now determined to use in my future practice as an architect and designer.鈥