The opportunity to see the architecture of Rome in person has always been one of the great desires of architecture students. Because of this, the School of Architecture of the University of Waterloo inaugurated its Rome Programme for fourth year students in 1979. Since then there has been continuously renewed interest in the city, its urban structure and its architecture as an expression of culture, power and ambition.

The intention to establish a studio in Rome was originally based on the School’s commitment to architecture as a cultural field, its strength in areas of architectural history and urban design and its desire to participate in architectural culture at an international level. Very quickly the programme became an extremely significant feature of the architectural curriculum at Waterloo and more than a thousand students have now had the opportunity to live and study in the Eternal City.

Moreover, over the years, the Rome Programme has played an important role in the architectural scene in Rome, through organizing lectures and conferences, involving Italian and foreign academics and architects, creating links with Italian institutions, addressing design problems of current interest in the city and finally, exhibiting and publishing the work of faculty and students.

Prof. Lorenzo Pignatti
Director of Rome Program