CAMtastic Newsletter October 2024
Living History: Architecture Professor Leads Students on an Immersive Adventure in Italy
By Journey Short, SIU School of Journalism and Advertising
Florence, Italy, known for its breathtaking architecture, vibrant culture, and rich history, became a living classroom for eight Southern Illinois University students this spring as they embarked on an immersive two-week overseas adventure.
Guided by Kirk Irwin, Assistant Professor at the School of Architecture, students honed their manual drawing skills while exploring iconic Medieval and Renaissance buildings and museums that shaped the course of art and architecture. Irwin said that teaching architectural history and traditional drawing techniques in a city over 2,000 years old, like Florence, hits differently. It was his third time leading SIU students on the international trek (his fifth trip overall), and this year's experience once again lived up to the hype.
"Walking through the streets and the plazas and finding someplace to sketch is really invigorating," Irwin said.
Remarkable buildings that span centuries — from the massive, iconic Renaissance dome of Santa Maria del Fiore to the graceful curves of the Loggia dei Lanzi — surrounded the students as they strolled through the cobblestone streets in the heart of historic Florence.
"Students get to go to a specific site and draw, and that is a centuries-long tradition," Irwin said.
Beyond drawing inspiration from their surroundings, they experienced the essence of their craft's origins. Florence is the birthplace of techniques for depicting three-dimensional spaces on two-dimensional surfaces and concepts like pentimento—layering new art over old. It's the type of experience that would be impossible to replicate inside the walls of a classroom.
Andy Horner, a master's student in architecture, described the trip as a transformative experience.
"Being able to physically be in person and see the architecture, and also hear about the history—not just in a classroom, but while I am standing in front of the structure—really puts things into perspective. It helps me understand the political implications and the history that goes into creating architecture and all the components in there."
Beyond the living history experience, Irwin said that he loves watching his students develop close bonds that can last a lifetime, a sentiment echoed in Horner's favorite memories from the trip.
"As silly as that may sound," Horner said, one of the best parts was the "deep conversation about random stuff" he engaged in with his classmates.
"You get to really talk with them about architecture, but you're also talking about real life and just really connect on a personal level with one another," Horner said.
Another master's student, Sabrina Saleh, shared that her favorite part of the trip was experiencing the city through the eyes of a local tour guide.
"We were learning new things from a local point of view, and we were all talking about things we were discovering and seeing in the place. And the experience itself was very nice because he walked us through places that are very unique and very related to the area and the culture there," Saleh said. "That was a nice day".
The students were also excited about the rare chance to spend so much time with their professor. Irwin is a licensed architect with three decades of professional experience; he’s designed a mix of residential, small commercial, and institutional buildings, mainly in Chicago. This fall, he is defending his PhD in Architectural History at the University of Edinburgh.
He has presented extensive research at numerous venues, including the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the University of Amsterdam, the University of Cape Town, and Oxford University. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects and an International Chartered Member of the Royal Institute of British Architects.
At SIU Carbondale, he teaches Research Methods and Programming, Global Traditions in Architecture, and Special Topics in Architecture and undergraduate courses in Architectural History. The students said it was invaluable to learn from Irwin's expertise in a hands-on environment.
But beyond his architectural history and building design credentials, they noted another impressive teaching flex: his ability to tear down proverbial walls and connect with his students personally.
"It kind of helps me remember that professors are humans, and they are people, and they have personalities and lives," Horner said. "It kind of humanizes them in a way. And I think it's been transferable because I got to know him in a full, deep way, and now I am able to have other classes with him and feel very comfortable with him."
