Sustainable Design Option Studio 2 Trip – The Palladio Studio

The Palladio Studio is a 4th-year design studio at SUTD–led by Rene Tan and his senior colleagues at RT+Q Architects–that explores the tripartite relationship between: 1) the study of history (Palladio’s works), 2) the experience of history (travelling and visiting Palladio’s buildings) and 3) the application of history onto current affairs (reinterpreting Palladio’s ‘old values’ and designing with them in the context of ‘new challenges’ today).

Andrea Palladio (1508-80) and his oeuvre remain relevant today.

Over a period of 5 days, students visited Palladio’s buildings in Venice and Vicenza–seeing, evaluating, understanding, enjoying, being overwhelmed, sketching and most importantly learning to apply the design principles of the great Italian Renaissance architect to design today.

Buildings visited, amongst others, included the Villa Rotonda (Palladio’s most famous work), the Villa Malcontenta, the Teatro Olimpico and the churches of San Giorgio Maggiore and the Il Redentore.

Apart from the ‘Palladian lessons’, the study-trip also covered urban experiences in Venice, Vicenza and Milan including visits to the 2018 Venice Biennale. The trip was ‘designed’ to broaden the student’s awareness beyond the classroom.

Erwin Viray, Pillar Head (dean) of ASD at SUTD, was also present on the trip to share his experiences and wisdom with the students.

The trip is enjoyable and fruitful. Rene and Erwin were eager to share their architectural insights, which helped to relate the actual buildings to what we analyzed in the first half of the term. It is also amazing to get to experience the space and feel the material with our hands, in order to understand how is everything being brought together to form harmony.