3 minute read
International Students
from Stoa: Volume 0
My name is Chuxi Xiong. I am a third-year architecture student. I was born and raised in Wuhan, a city in central China. As the city lies at the confluence of the Yangtze river and its largest tributary, the Han River, Wuhan has been a busy port since Han dynasty. After the government of Qing dynasty signed the Treaties of Tianjin and the Convention of Peking, Wuhan was stipulated as a trading port and lent the area along the Yangtze River to become the British, German, Russian, French and Japanese Concessions. Thus, the architecture in this area is quite different from the rest of the city, and I really like this part of my hometown. I think the buildings there display the Western architectural styles of the 19 th century in a quite comprehensive way and are in great contrast with the Chinese traditional towers and modern skyscrapers in my city. For me, these buildings are the witnesses of the development of my hometown. The existence of these exotic architectures tells the economic, religious, and cultural change in that period. Chuxi Xiong
Church of Alexander Nevsky, Wuhan, China, Chuxi Xiong My name is Chuxi Xiong. I am a third-year architecture student. I was born and raised in Wuhan, a city in central China. As the city lies at the confluence of the Yangtze river and its largest tributary, the Han River, Wuhan has been a busy port since the Han dynasty. After the government of the Qing dynasty signed the Treaties of Tianjin and the Convention of Peking, Wuhan was stipulated as a trading port, and the area along the Yangtze River was lent to the British, German, Russian, French and Japanese as concessions. Thus, the architecture in this area is quite different from the rest of the city, and I really like this part of my hometown. I think the buildings there display the Western architectural styles of the 19th century in a quite comprehensive way and greatly contrast the traditional Chinese towers and modern skyscrapers in my city. For me, these buildings are the witnesses of the development of my hometown. The existence of these exotic architectures tells the economic, Church of Alexander Nevsky religious, and cultural change in that period.
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Dazhimen Railway Station
Diana Neacşu
I was born in Romania. Although I have lived in the United States since I was 7 years old, I still visit my family in Suceava, Romania most summers and Christmases. My first year at Notre Dame, I received grants from the Nanovic Institute to study the Byzantine churches of the Suceava region for my spring and summer breaks. My thesis, a children’s village replacing a previous orphanage, is located there as well. Suceava is a city of 176,000 people in northern Romania and is the capital of the county of Suceava. I would describe the traditional architecture of the region as unique and stunning. It is a mix of Austrian neoclassical and Byzantine style. This can be seen, for example, in the articulation of the windows juxtaposed with traditional tin roofs. Sadly, not many traditional houses remain due to the construction of communist apartment blocks in the mid 20th century. Suceava is a very walkable city, and I love being able to walk to the main piazza, parks, and markets for entertainment when staying with my grandparents. I look forward to going back whenever I can.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Elisa Vieira Pliopas
I have lived most of my life in São Paulo, Brazil, a place which is known for its modernist and contemporary architecture. One aspect that I have always loved about Brazilian architecture is how it can be very simple but, at the same, create a very welcoming environment. A lot of the spaces engage the built environment with nature, which transform the otherwise grey and unornamented buildings into more occupiable and pleasant spaces.
