What
Wintersession Travel CourseWhere
When
Winter 2013
Course Dates: Jan 7, 2013 — Feb 8, 2013
Past Program
Costa Rica: Design/Build Travel Studio
The Rhode Island School of Design has been engaged, since 2007, in collaborative studios with EHAVC University, the world’s foremost school of sustainable agriculture. The Wintersession 2013 studio was the culmination of a year of research and design study on the development of a prototype classroom – off the grid, hi-tech/low-tech – for rural schools in the dry tropical region of Costa Rica.
At-A-Glance
Faculty
Academic Credits
6Department
Course Numbers
Cost
$2760Includes accommodation, field trips, local transportation, all meals, museum entrances, health and travel insurance.
About this Travel Course
The Rhode Island School of Design has been engaged, since 2007, in collaborative studios with EHAVC University, the world’s foremost school of sustainable agriculture. The Wintersession 2013 studio was the culmination of a year of research and design study on the development of a prototype classroom – off the grid, hi-tech/low-tech – for rural schools in the dry tropical region of Costa Rica. In the field the students, along with EHAVC University, finalized a selected design from this Fall’s RISD Innovation Studio. They built the classroom and its landscape at the La Flor Campus of EHAVC University.
Goal - Students designed and built a classroom prototype that exhibited sustainable building practices in the dry tropics.
Design Principles - Students used affordable materials and labor for construction and developed methods for utilizing local resources and building practices. Students implemented replicable and understandable construction technology and employed energy efficient and environmentally responsible strategies for locating the building on the site and for controlling the interior environment. Ultimately, the classroom, with its inside/outside learning environments, demonstrated how integrating curriculum, teaching, energy and hi-tech systems, landscape and space contributed to a transformative learning experience.
Outline Schedule:
- ½ week gathering in Providence, travel to Costa Rica
- 4+ weeks working on the Design/Build Project with weekend
- excursions investigating sustainability in the dry tropics
- ½ week return to Providence, summary presentation
1:1 Advising Session
Have questions? The RISD Global team is available to meet for a 1:1 advising session. We can give you more information about your study options, help you figure out which program makes sense for you, and assist you with the application process.
Schedule an Appointment