XU Xiaoran, Sharon This study tour means a lot to me, not only because it is my first time going on a study tour abroad but I am one of the core members who are in charge of the tour ever since the proposal preparation. Actually I am the one who came up with the idea to select Spain as the destination of this year’s study tour. During the organization and preparation process, I have witnessed my growth and enhancement of capacities in these two semesters. I have gone through lots of first times both when preparing the tour and on tour. They are valuable experiences that I will treasure for life long. Thanks to the team work of my teammates and the help and instructions from our supervisor, Dr. Leung, we finally overcame the difficulties and reached milestones one after another. When we finally boarded the plane to Barcelona, I knew that the blueprints we planned were starting to come true and all that I have sacrificed was worthwhile. I have been dreaming for years to see the Sagrada Familia for real. The first day on tour, when we walked outside the Metro Station where the Sagrada Familia was right behind us, I was so excited and touched that I cried. The basilica was even much more beautiful and fascinating than what we had thought. After visiting the other three masterpieces of Antoni Gaudi, I have obtained basic idea of Gaudi’s designing style. I really appreciate the way he integrate natural elements into design and think ahead of others. One interesting example is that he actually installed a ‘lift’ in Casa Mila, though it took more than ten minutes to go to the upper floors of the building. Something else unique about Gaudi’s design is the concern on humanization. This reflects on his design of the courtyard surrounded by the building for better sunlight and ventilation as well as the design of the door handles which have perfect contact with human hand when held. What also impressed me during the tour is the visit to the Mapfre Tower in Barcelona. We actually got the chance to reach the roof of the tower and appreciate the perfect view of the whole city plan. The managers also guided us to the building service rooms and gave us some useful information about how the building operates. The unique design of the double-deck lift impressed me most. It is a good example of inspiration integrated into the design of the building system to improve its function and effectiveness. Visiting the universities in Barcelona and Valencia, communicating with the local students, attending a lecture on urban planning are also memorable experiences to me. The city park built along the old riverbed in Valencia is a good example of urban renewal. The Exiample district in Barcelona was a wise conception of the architect Cerda when it was designed. The design took into account the special climate in Barcelona, ways of living of Barcelona citizens and future of the city. I have also learned the way Barcelona government bought mural paintings from the churches in Pyrenees, detached them from the original place and installed them in the National Art Museum of Catalunya for better protection based on initial setting. In all, this study tour turned out pretty well. I have obtained some knowledge about urban planning, architecture design, inspired by several unique design and maintenance techniques and gained basic idea of culture and history of Spain. What’s more, though organizing and planning the tour, I have gained much experience and enhanced my capacities in many ways, like professional email contacting, organizing and planning, problem-solving etc. Organizing and participating in this study tour is a choice that I will never regret.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 18:48:52 +0000
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