University of Virginia · Fall 2026
Program Schedule
Charlottesville
Aug 25 – Sep 17
Italy Residency
Sep 19 – Nov 6
Charlottesville
Nov 10 – Dec 15
Classes meet at their scheduled times. All times Eastern. Labor Day is Monday September 7; no classes meet on Monday.
Week 1 · August 24–28
9:00–11:30
City & Landscape
Introduction. Metric scales, fieldwork, exercises introduced.
Art & Architecture
Venice in Time: Watery Beginnings to La Serenissima. Monica Shenouda.
Building Venice
Diagramming spatial structures. William Sherman.
12:30–17:00
Research Studio
Launch. Program intro, project intro, Module 01 assigned.
Research Studio
Reading the territory: methods, mapping, lens selection.
Week 2 · August 31 – September 4
9:00–11:30
City & Landscape
Exercise 02 · Recording. Tools, measurement, recordings.
Art & Architecture
Venice in Time: From Empire to Global Hub. Monica Shenouda.
Building Venice
William Sherman.
12:30–17:00
Research Studio
Desk crits.
Research Studio
Desk crits.
Week 3 · September 7–11 · Labor Day Mon Sep 7
9:00–11:30
City & Landscape
Exercise 03 · Processing and Curating.
Art & Architecture
Mappings. Monica Shenouda.
Building Venice
William Sherman.
12:30–17:00
Research Studio
Pin-up with Bill Sherman. Sandro Bisa introduction.
Research Studio
Zoom lecture. Amina Chouiri on marsh restoration and lagoon dynamics.
Week 4 · September 14–18
9:00–11:30
City & Landscape
Field kit preparation and departure briefing.
Art & Architecture
Venice, Veneto, Lagoon and the Land. Monica Shenouda.
Building Venice
William Sherman.
12:30–17:00
Research Studio
Module 01 review.
Research Studio
Module 02 Phase 01 due. Departure briefing.
Saturday, September 19 — Depart for Italy. Sunday, September 20 — Arrive Venice, transfer to Vicenza.
September 19 – November 6. Based in Vicenza, then Venice. Each week is organized as a unified program with all faculty and students together. Weekends are free unless noted.
City & Landscape · Exercise 04 · The River
Mon Sep 21
AM
Monte Berico
Vicenza river walk
PM
Center of City
Palazzo Valmarana or possibly Rotonda
Tue Sep 22
AM
Verona · by train
10:00–10:45City walk
11:30Giusti Gardens
PM
12:30Quick lunch on own
13:30Castelvecchio Museum
Wed Sep 23
AM
8:30Departure to Villa Emo
10:00Villa Emo
11:30Brion Cemetery
PM
13:30Bassano del Grappa
15:00Distillery
16:30Caldogno
Thu Sep 24
AM
Palladio Museum
Vicenza
PM
Teatro Olimpico
Center of city
Fri Sep 25
AM
8:14Train to Treviso
Drawing exercise in Treviso and site visits
Sun Sep 27
AM
Bus to Bressanone
Visits with Sandy
PM
Fortezza
Hotel Jarolim
City & Landscape · Exercise 05 · The Source
Tue Sep 29
PM
Return to Vicenza
15:55Train
Thu Oct 1
AM
Bus to Fusina
Villa Pisani Montagnana
Malcontenta
Lunch in Fusina
PM
15:00Boat to San Zaccaria
Move into apartments
Fri Oct 2
AM
9:00–11:00Logistics — Vaporetto passes
Walking tour of Venice
PM
Walking tour of Venice until 14:00
City & Landscape · Exercise 06 · Torcello
Mon Oct 5
All Day
Southern Lagoon
Lido and Pellestrina · Piccolo Museo della Laguna Sud
Tue Oct 6
AM
9:25Depart Fondamente Nove · ACTV line 13
10:00Lazzaretto Nuovo · guided visit
PM
Lunch at Lato Azzurro + bike rental
Bike tour of S. Erasmo · farming, beach, fisheries
Optional · ORTO winery visit + tasting (tbc)
Wed Oct 7
AM
Depart Fondamente Nove · ACTV line 12 · Burano
Boat tour with the Burano rowing association · small canals and the northern archipelago
Halophyte nursery · marsh-protection plantings (tbc)
PM
Lunch in Burano
Building typologies · Burano to Mazzorbo
Venissa · project presentation, meet the agronomists and winemakers (tbc)
Thu Oct 8
AM
Depart Fondamente Nove · ACTV line 12 · Torcello
Cathedral and historical areas · site introduction
PM
Lunch
More time on site
San Michele on the return · Laguna nel Bicchiere — Vigne Ritrovate (tbc)
Fri Oct 9
AM
Meeting at COMBO
Lecture by Ludovico Centis
11:00San Francesco della Vigna
PM
Free — Fall Break begins
Fall Break — Saturday through Tuesday, October 10–13.
City & Landscape · Exercise 07 · The Fabric
Wed Oct 14
PM
Basilica di San Marco
Piazza San Marco
Ca' Loredan and Farsetti, Fondaco dei Tedeschi
Fri Oct 16
AM
Studio Meeting at Combo
City & Landscape · Exercise 08 · The Water
Mon Oct 19
AM
San Giovanni e Paolo
Scuola di San Marco
San Giorgio Maggiore
Il Redentore and Giudecca
PM
Rowing Lessons at Fondamente Gasparo Contarini
17:00–19:00Meetings with Bill
Tue Oct 20
PM
Desk Crits at Combo
17:00–19:00Meetings with Bill
Wed Oct 21
PM
Walking tour of San Marco Sestiere with Alex Valmarana
17:00–19:00Meetings with Bill
Thu Oct 22
AM
Train to Padua
Bus to visit Il Palazzetto in Monselice
PM
Lecture by Sophia Los at the Valmarana Center
Visit to Morselletto Stone Quarry
City & Landscape · Exercise 09 · Torcello Again
Mon Oct 26
AM
Self-guided site visit to Torcello
Draw, photograph, measure
Tue Oct 27
AM
Basilica di San Marco
Palazzo Ducale
Wed Oct 28
AM
Accademia
Santa Maria della Salute
PM
14:00–18:00Sandro crits at Combo
Thu Oct 29
PM
Ilaria and Ludovico
Giardino Mistico
Fri Oct 30
AM
Final visit to Torcello
12:00Meet students at noon to discuss findings and outline the Vicenza workshop
PM
Group lunch at the tables
Sat Oct 31
AM
Leave Venice for Vicenza
Research Studio · Module 02 Review
Sun Nov 1
All Day
Vicenza – Free Day
Mon Nov 2
AM
Workshop
Temporal interventions, territorial relationships
Conceptual framework and site layouts
Tue Nov 3
AM
Workshop
Materiality, details, and systems logic
Wed Nov 4
AM
Morning to refine and prepare presentations
PM
13:00–18:00Module 02 Review - Brad, Sandro, Amina, Bill
19:00Final dinner at Garzadori
Thu Nov 5
All Day
Pack and Prepare for Departure
Fri Nov 6
All Day
Return to Charlottesville
November 10 – December 15. Regular class schedule resumes. Final review Tuesday, December 15.
Week 12 · November 9–13
9:00–11:30
12:30–17:00
Research Studio
Module 03 begins. Comprehensive proposal.
Research Studio
Desk crits.
Week 13 · November 16–20
9:00–11:30
City & Landscape
Dossier Exercise 10 discussion
Art & Architecture
ArH 5201 Quiz.
12:30–17:00
Research Studio
Desk crits.
Research Studio
Desk crits.
Week 14 · November 23–27 · Thanksgiving
9:00–11:30
12:30–17:00
Research Studio
Desk crits.
Week 15 · November 30 – December 4
9:00–11:30
12:30–17:00
Research Studio
Production. Optional desk crits.
Research Studio
Production. Optional desk crits.
Week 16 · December 7–11
9:00–11:30
City & Landscape
Research Dossier Due
12:30–17:00
Research Studio
Final desk crits. Last day of classes.
Week 17 · December 14–18 · Final Review
9:00–11:30
Final Review
Module 03, 9:00–17:00
12:30–17:00
Final Review
Dinner at Bill Sherman’s house that evening (time to be announced).