Students visited Finland, Japan, and Mexico City this summer as part of the CU Denver Global Education program. These international study opportunities offer experiences beyond the classroom and immerse students in diverse cultures and perspectives, expand their worldviews, and shape their future careers.

Finland | Architecture and Landscape in Finland: Interdisciplinary Design Study

The Finland program, open to architecture and landscape architecture students, is an interdisciplinary program that encourages students to complete a case study project exploring an aspect of design in Finland. Two distinct yet integrated components of the program weave graphics and sketching with history and culture. The courses are co-taught by Professor Taisto Mäkelä and Associate Dean and Professor Ann Komara.

“Professor Mäkelä and I ran our first Study Abroad Finland program in 1993,” said Komara. “Summer 2024 was our 13th iteration – we had an amazing group of graduate and undergraduate architects and landscape architects. Finland has been fascinating as a locale for a number of reasons and we never tire of sharing it with students.”

Landscape Architecture student Viktoria Grigoryan took advantage of visiting a place she had never visited before. “I love traveling in general,” said Grigoryan, “and I saw this trip as an amazing opportunity to get to know the culture in depth through the lens of architecture and landscape architecture.”

“Finland’s legacy with architectural modernism is legendary, but we also introduce students to traditional wood architecture and explore how architecture and landscape are integrated within the culture and climate,” Komara continued. “The students explore the breadth of design, from forks and chairs to lighting and textiles, and study everything from design details to facades, materials and planting strategies. Urban design and planning ideas also inform how we explore Helsinki, which is a very walkable city with amazing transportation.”

“Nature is never far from any part of the city – the shorelines of Töölö Bay and the Baltic Sea, and the islands of the archipelago in the harbor connect everyone to water. Small parks and gardens and rocky granite outcrops scattered around the city offer respite, as do shaded streets and patches of woodland,” added Komara.

When students travel abroad, they get to try new things and experience unfamiliar territories.

“My favorite part of the experience was getting to study Temppeliaukio Church and try reindeer meat and gooseberry pasta,” recalled Bachelor of Science in Architecture student Myles Rule. “Everyone was so friendly and inviting in Finland, with several people inviting our class into their homes. Experiencing a genuine Finnish sauna for the first time and getting to swim in the freezing forest lakes are memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life.”

While Komara is not planning to lead a travel study course next summer, she already has her sights set on Summer 2026. With her experience leading the Finland program over the years, she understands the long-lasting value of travel study programs. “We hope [the students] come away with some new or enhanced skills – sketching and drawing ‘in the field,’ analyzing architecture and urban patterns, and a sense of how the culture is reflected in design,” said Komara.

“They return home with a sketchbook as a record of their experiences and discoveries – we hope they refer to this and that lessons, impressions, and ideas from Finland inform their work in studios and classes, and in their careers. We have had students years later come to tell us about how their Finnish experience informed a project they were working on. So cool.”

Thinking back on his experience, Rule added, “I feel every student should have the opportunity to take a study abroad class in a subject they are interested in, especially those who have never left the country. As someone who has traveled extensively before, I feel that the school takes extremely good care of students and provides one of the safest travel experiences I have ever been a part of.”

Japan | CU Denver in Japan: Tectonics in Context – Japan Lab 01

For two and a half weeks this summer, students were immersed in the Japanese context, a unique building culture unlike anywhere else in the world. While in Japan, students were given three design prompts, supported by tutorials and embedded within three contexts in three different communities. Students participated in joint exercises with students and faculty from Kyoto University and traveled between Tokyo, Miyajima, Naoshima, and Kyoto.

“Japan offers an unparalleled blend of ancient traditions and cutting-edge contemporaneity, all reflected in its architecture. From serene temples and meticulously crafted gardens to carefully articulated architecture and innovative urban design, it’s a living laboratory for anyone interested in the built environment,” said Assistant Professor and Director of the Undergraduate Architecture Program Kevin Hirth. “Leading a travel study course there allows me to share my passion for Japanese architecture with students, providing them with firsthand experiences that will enrich their understanding and inspire their own creative pursuits.”

The travel study experience in Japan was truly immersive, where students took in the sights and later in the day shared their experiences with one another, discussing what they learned. “Every day, we walked with our sketchbooks out for hours, just soaking in the urban landscapes and architectural marvels of the various cities that we visited,” said Hirth. “We shared meals together, poring over our sketches and sharing thoughts on the deeply exciting places we had visited the days before.”

“Experiencing the vibrant and innovative feel of Tokyo juxtaposed against the rich traditional heritage of Kyoto, and exploring smaller islands by ferry,” shared Master of Architecture student Kara Hand as she recalled her favorite moments from her experience. “The Plaza of Kanagawa Institute of Technology and the Chichu Art Museum on the island of Naoshima made the top of my list of architectural highlights. I also enjoyed getting to know the professors and other students, wandering the streets, and tasting all the flavors of Japan (matcha!).”

Regarding his goal for this study abroad experience, Hirth shared, “Overall, I’d want them to return not just with a wealth of knowledge about Japanese architecture, but also a broader worldview, a renewed sense of curiosity, and the tools to become more thoughtful and creative architects.”

Interested in studying architecture in Japan? Hirth and Architecture Chair Marc Swackhamer are currently planning a return visit next summer. Visit the Office of Global Education/Study Abroad to check in for updates about CU Denver in Japan: Tectonics in Context – Japan Lab.

Mexico City | Public Space Studio in Mexico City

“The Master of Urban Design program’s focus for destinations for our annual Urban Design Global Studio is on Latin America, which shares many commonalities with Denver and Colorado in terms of settlement patterns, culture, language, and urbanism, while still allowing us to experience and study urban design from diverse and unique perspectives,” said Assistant Teaching Professor and Urban Design Program Director Ken Schroeppel. “Mexico City, one of the largest cities in the world and the capital of our neighbor to the south, offers a wealth of opportunities to explore walkable urbanism at a grand scale.”

The goal of the Mexico City Public Space Studio was to teach students the importance of having great public spaces available to all citizens through the application of urban design and planning principles, tools, and methodologies. In the studio, students worked on public space design assignments, engaged with local design and planning professionals, and worked in small interdisciplinary groups within the College of Architecture and Planning. Of course, students also experienced exciting excursions in and around Mexico City.

“Students stayed in the heart of the city and were given assignments that required them to get out of the studio and explore Mexico City’s urban environment; tour and study public spaces on their own and with local urban design experts; and visit numerous sites of great cultural importance to the Mexican people,” said Schroeppel. “We also took a day trip to Cuernavaca, Denver’s sister city under the Sister Cities International program, located two hours south of Mexico City, where we visited Parque Denver.”

“My favorite part about the experience was connecting with the other students and forming bonds,” said Master of Urban and Regional Planning student Haleigh Coar. “It was so fun to become friends with people I had not had class with before. In addition, I enjoyed exploring the city and experiencing different neighborhoods on our free weekends.”

Next summer, the Urban Design Global Studio will visit a new locale—Santiago, Chile.

“Students will not only have the chance to experience all of the same things we experienced in Mexico City in 2023 and 2024,” said Schroeppel, “but also benefit from engaging with our new academic partner, the University of Chile in Santiago, and their Department of Architecture and Urbanism.”

Summer 2025 Study Abroad

While planning is still underway for the Summer 2025 study abroad schedule, there are currently three opportunities available for consideration. As mentioned, a return trip is planned for Japan, and the Urban Design Public Space Studio will be heading to Chile. New in 2025, Leyuan Li and Alex Yueyan Li will be heading to China for CU Denver in China and Hong Kong: New Informality and Contemporaneity. We will also see a CAP tradition making its return—CU Denver in Italy: Architecture and the Urban Context of Rome, taught by Assistant Professor Matt Shea and Visiting Assistant Professor Lior Galili.

Learn more:
Global Education: Study Abroad

College of Architecture and Planning

by Carmen New