Study Abroad

InterAction Nepal | Design, Development, Global Health
Spring 2023

InterAction Nepal is an immersive, interdisciplinary study abroad program offered with the support of the UW Department of Landscape Architecture, the Department of Global Health . The program will challenge you to delve into contemporary issues surrounding urban development in the Kathmandu Valley and respond to them at a local scale through community-based human centered design and project implementation. You will work with Nepali students and residents of an underserved community to design and build a small-scale project in community infrastructure and evaluate its impacts on human and environmental health. You will also have the opportunity to pursue your own design or research interests through independent study. Program activities include lectures and discussions, language instruction, organizational site visits, field trips within and outside the Kathmandu Valley, community workshops and hands-on design and construction.

Information Sessions:
Tuesday, November 1, 5:30-6:30PM PT
Wednesday,  November 2, 5:30-6:30PM PT
Thursday, November 3, 5:30-6:30PM PT
Tuesday, November 29, 5:30-6:30PM PT

Zoom Link:
https://washington.zoom.us/j/96636848570 [washington.zoom.us]

Program Brochure / Applications:
Please visit the UW Study Abroad application portal here.
Applications Due: December 15th, 2022*

*APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED ON A ROLLING BASIS UNTIL THE PROGRAM IS FULL OR UNTIL DECEMBER 15TH, 2022

Norway | Summer 2023 A term
JUNE 14 – JULY 16

TO BE ANNOUNCED

PERU EXPLORATION SEMINAR FLYER 2022

Iquitos, Peru | Development and Human and Ecological Health in the Amazon Rainforest | Early Autumn 2019

Students will spend 2 weeks in the Amazon Rainforest and 2 weeks in the City of Iquitos, Peru to learn from landscape architects, ecologists and health professionals about the impact urbanization has on health and ecosystems in this region using interdisciplinary approaches. Students will also have the opportunity to engage with the InterACTION Labs program, a partnership between UW and Peruvian researchers and designers and an informal floating slum community in Iquitos.

For details, visit the program’s study abroad page.

Chiba University, Japan

The College of Built Environments has an ongoing exchange relationship with Faculty of Horticulture at Chiba University in Japan. Students also have the opportunity to participate in other foreign study programs through the University such as the Valle Scholarship and Exchange.

ScanDesign Programs

Supported by the ScanDesign Foundation, the College of Built Environments offers a series of programs that directly involve architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design students in the work of Gehl Architects, an internationally renowned leader in environmentally sensitive design, and use both Copenhagen and Seattle as sites for learning. These programs give students the opportunity to see and study examples of Denmark’s innovative approach to sustainability firsthand and then give them an opportunity to apply what they have learned in Seattle.

To find out more, visit: http://scandesign.be.uw.edu/

Valle Scholarship and Exchange

Unparalleled in the United States, the Valle Scholarship and Scandinavian Exchange Program has a dual mission: (1) To promote and fund the exchange of graduate students between the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington and programs in the Nordic countries. (2) To support outstanding graduate students in Civil and Environmental Engineering and Built Environments.

To find out more, visit http://www.engr.washington.edu/valle/

Perugia, Italy | Autumn 2022

In this Fall 2022 studio, we will be designing, and constructing, a sensory garden that responds to autistic users and their care provider and family needs.  This class will focus on an in-depth exploration and investigation through design for therapy, community support and ecological health.  The project is in collaboration with the AURAP foundation at the casale Forabosco that is a community initiated and supported organization for those coping with autism and their families.Students will participate in several field trips including Florence, Rome, Sienna and Naples.

Traena, Norway | Summer 2022 A term

Working with the community of Traena, we will develop ideas to design and build a collection of elements including gathering space/outdoor classroom, outdoor kitchen, furniture, seating and other enhancements for a community garden/gathering space associated with the local elementary school and that will be a venue for the music festival and other community events. Using an exploratory building method, we will implement part or all of the design. One focus will be an exploration of how place is defined by culture and how this design can both respect local history and explore the future of Traena’s unique heritage, traditions and sustainability. Students will participate in field trips to Oslo and Trondheim.

Learning Objectives:

The overarching goal of this studio is to continue building your fundamental skills and thinking as designers, and to continue finding your own design voice, values and process.  More specifically, this course is designed to help:

• Develop the basic skills of community participatory design
• Develop competencies in collaborative team work, leadership and team organization
• Exposure to and development of basic skills of site design, construction documentation, and building implementation
• Develop basic competencies in hand drawing
• Explore several drawing medias

Courses Include:

• LARCH 498/598 – Design/Build Studio, 6 credits
• LARCH 411/412 – Landscape Representation, 3 credits

New Zealand | Post-Earthquake Resilience Design for Christchurch | Winter 2020

A Winter 2020 design studio will be offered in Christchurch, New Zealand, with accompanying urban design study tours to Wellington and Auckland led by Professor Nancy Rottle and Architect Paul Olson. The curriculum also incorporates place-based media studies and independent study investigations.  Please attend the information session on Wednesday, May 15, for a glimpse of this past winter’s NZ experience and to hear about plans for winter 2020!

InterAction Nepal | Design, Development, Global Health | Autumn 2019

InterAction Nepal is an immersive, interdisciplinary study abroad program offered with the support of the UW Department of Landscape Architecture, the JSIS South Asia Center Nepal Studies Initiative, the Department of Global Health and Traction | Nepal. The program will challenge you to delve into contemporary issues surrounding urban development in the Kathmandu Valley and respond to them at a local scale through community-based human centered design, project implementation and assessment. You will work with local students and residents of an underserved community to design and build a small-scale intervention in community infrastructure and evaluate project impacts on human and environmental health. You will also have the opportunity to pursue your own research interests through independent study. Program activities include lectures and discussions, organizational site visits, field trips within and outside the Kathmandu Valley, community meetings/workshops and hands-on design/fabrication/construction.

For details, visit the program’s study abroad page.

Iquitos, Peru | Development and Human and Ecological Health in the Amazon Rainforest | Early Autumn 2019

Students will spend 2 weeks in the Amazon Rainforest and 2 weeks in the City of Iquitos, Peru to learn from landscape architects, ecologists and health professionals about the impact urbanization has on health and ecosystems in this region using interdisciplinary approaches. Students will also have the opportunity to engage with the InterACTION Labs program, a partnership between UW and Peruvian researchers and designers and an informal floating slum community in Iquitos.

For details, visit the program’s study abroad page.

Osaka & Tokyo, Japan | Asian Urbanism Exploration Seminar |Early Autumn 2019

For details, visit the program’s study abroad page.

Sweden |Design/Build Dals Langed Sweden – Public Sculpture/Community Identity | Summer 2019

In this design-build program, we will collaborate to create a landmark sculptural observation tower as a feature that provides an identity and wayfinding mechanism for the community of Dals Langed. The Dals Langed environment is one of renowned natural beauty and is rural in character, with extensive lakes, canals and woodlands. It is heavily populated by refugees from Syria. The students will learn about issues of immigration, displacement and assimilation and the perspectives of the refugees and host Swedish populations. In addition, we will visit Stockholm, the largest city in Sweden with wonderful historic buildings, contemporary squares and plazas and world class museums, and Gothenburg, the second largest city in Sweden to tour the historic fabric, visit the re-known craft museums and sections of the city under-going urban revitalization.

For details, visit the program’s study abroad page.