The Florida International University School of Architecture’s Genoa Study Abroad program offers students a rare opportunity to continue their academic journey while immersed in one of Europe’s most historically and architecturally rich cities. Designed as a studio-based, semester-long experience, the program allows students to stay on track with their professional curricula while engaging in a more expansive, place-based approach to learning.
Over the course of 16 weeks, students live and study in Genoa, Italy, where the city becomes an extension of the classroom. Through direct engagement with the built environment, its layered histories, and contemporary urban conditions, students deepen their understanding of architecture beyond traditional academic settings.
Fall 2024 Design Studio 10. Genoa Study Abroad: Europe Field Trip. Students visited the Vitra Fire Station by Zaha Hadid Architects, Vals’ Thermal Baths by Peter Zumthor both in Switzerland, the Convent of Sainte Marie de La Tourette in France by Le Corbusier, and Casa del Fascio by Giuseppe Terragni in Como Italy, among many others.
At the center of the program, which is housed in a renovated Renaissance monastery, is the design studio, typically Architectural Design 9 or Design 10. Studios are paired with required coursework such as Master Project Seminar in the Fall or Environmental Systems 2 in the Spring. Students also take Genoa-centered electives taught by Italian faculty from the University of Genoa. These include Italian Language and Culture and Architecture of the City. The integration of FIU coursework with local academic expertise creates a collaborative learning environment grounded in both global and regional perspectives.
The program is open to graduate students in the School of Architecture with a cumulative 3.0 GPA, typically in their final two years of study. Cohorts are intentionally small, with approximately 15 students per semester, creating a focused and immersive academic experience that encourages close collaboration.
Genoa is an ideal setting for architectural study due to its rich urban fabric, cultural depth, and access to important resources such as the Wolfsoniana Collection. The program is further strengthened by FIU’s longstanding relationship with the University of Genoa. Faculty collaborations, research initiatives, and academic exchanges have built a strong foundation that enhances the experience for participating students. Opportunities for professional engagement and internships abroad also contribute to the program’s value.
Professors Jaime Canavés and Eric Goldemberg are pictured with FIU President Jeanette Nuñez during the Genoa studio visit in the Fall 2025 semester. Students had the opportunity to present work connected to their study abroad curriculum to FIU President Nuñez, FIU Provost Elizabeth Béjar, members of the FIU Genoa community, and their peers.
“The experience of living and studying in Genoa is life-changing,” said FIU Professor Eric Goldemberg, one of two Architecture faculty members who led the Genoa program in Fall 2025. “It certainly mobilizes their interest in the city and in the way the Italian culture is present in all aspects of urban life. The city fabric of Genoa offers a completely different way of experiencing urban living, as it is densely packed and has multiple public narrow medieval alleyways called ‘caruggi’ that lead to ‘piazzas’ where everyday life unfolds, and where students begin to understand what it is like to walk and use public transportation in a European city. We don’t do that in Miami!”
Goldemberg emphasized that the learning experience extends far beyond the studio and classroom. “Through all the architectural tours we complete in Genoa, and through the trips we organize in Italy and across Europe, the students absorb incredible first-hand architectural lessons. In that way, the cities themselves become their teachers too.”
He also highlighted the importance of FIU’s collaboration with the University of Genoa. “In terms of cultural exchanges, we also co-teach with Italian colleagues from the University of Genoa, so the students are exposed to a different pedagogy. They receive an Italian point of view about their design projects, especially when we organize project reviews with guest critics from the university and in the profession.”
“Being able to study abroad for 16 weeks was an incredible, unforgettable experience for our students,” said FIU Professor Jaime Canavés. “They were immersed in a new culture, walking the city every day, experiencing the food, the people, and the architecture in a way that transformed them.”
Canavés also reflected on the strong sense of community that developed among the students throughout the semester. “Beyond the academics, they built a true sense of brotherhood and sisterhood that has remained strong even after returning home. Seeing both the students and their families so excited and impacted by this experience was incredibly rewarding. For me, spending eight weeks abroad with such a fantastic group of students was just as meaningful.”
Graduate architecture students, under the leadership of studio director Prof. Dr. Thomas Spiegelhalter, studied the Port Hercule skyline in Monaco—an extreme case of vertical density, luxury architecture, and constrained topography. Guest speaker Dr. Beatrice Moretti presented “Architecture for Extreme Environments: The Coastal Realm,” addressing climate exposure, infrastructure resilience, and coastal design futures.
Student Jennifer Ortiz also reflected on how the experience reshaped her understanding of architecture and urban life. “Living and studying in Genoa deepened my appreciation for the relationship between architecture, infrastructure, and everyday urban life,” she shared. Ortiz noted that the experience sparked a particular interest in public transportation systems and the role of edicole within the city’s social and cultural fabric, highlighting how “small, everyday interventions can shape the character and rhythm of urban environments.” She also expressed gratitude for the professors, mentors, and peers who enriched the experience and for the new ways of seeing and understanding design that she will carry forward in her work.
Throughout the semester, students participate in curated site visits across Genoa and surrounding regions. Some locations are visited each term, while others are tailored to the specific focus of the studio. These experiences reinforce the program’s emphasis on learning through direct observation and exploration.
To explore the FIU Genoa journey through a student perspective, check out M.Arch Spring 2026 graduate Valeria Parra’s study abroad experience in Italy.
More than a study abroad program, the Genoa experience expands how architectural education is understood. It places students in a global context, encourages critical thinking across cultures, and prepares them to engage with the built environment at an international scale.
