With Cities Under Climate Threat, Jefferson Students Visit Venice

The Institute for Smart and Healthy Cities conducted an amazing joint studio opportunity with the Università Iuav di Venezia’s Department of Architecture and Arts, and the Planning and Climate Change Lab.

The workshop in Venice, Italy was attended by 14 Jefferson students and students and faculty from IUAV. This trip was sponsored by the Institute for Smart Structures, Jefferson College of Architecture and the Built Environment, and Thomas Jefferson University.⁠

The Department of Architecture and Arts and the Planning and Climate Change Lab focus on spatial planning as part of the complex and dynamic relationships between humans and nature, while the Climate Change Lab concentrates on climate change’s effects on cities.

Exploring Venice on foot, via waterway transport, through local lenses, and communication with their IUAV partners enabled the students to enrich themselves in the cultural experiences and lifestyle that will be valuable for years to come in both their personal and professional lives.

In accordance with the Design Studio Topic, Cities Under Climate Threat – which primarily focused on Philadelphia and Venice – the changes in weather conditions during the group’s travels allowed them to understand the extremities that Venice faces daily, which only enhanced knowledge on the need for development of resilient strategies there.

Now, the students look forward to applying the knowledge they gathered to their thesis projects, as well as their future architectural careers.⁠

Take a look at the student highlights.