This summer we spoke to Owen Petrucci, 4th-year architecture major at Carnegie Mellon University here in Rome studying at the Pantheon Institute during our 4-week summer program. Touring EUR, Owen discussed his experience in the Eternal City and what it has taught him urban design, culture, and finding your “home” in Rome.
Owen in front of the Palazzo della Civiltà in EUR.
For Owen, architectural design is rooted in the details. “I really enjoy like small details. I like specking screws, like that level. I think it’s like really interesting to involve yourself in a project to that level, so, I’ll probably end up going into residential, small scale, really, like intimate relationship with the client”.
“You can’t get this experience anywhere else”.
Pantheon Institute’s small class sizes allow for a rich report with our professors. Owens studio course is taught by Alessio Rosati, a Roman native who started his own architectural firm and is now the Head of Institutional Projects at the MAXXI Museum. Owen explains, “We talk about music, about art, poetry, life experiences, here to go, where to eat. It’s been wonderful. He’s slowly becoming a friend. He’s very welcoming”.
Owen with Professor Alessio Rosati and student Lexi Melville in Architecture Design Studio.
Final Reviews with (left to right) Professor James Kalsbeek (Penn State University), Professor Alessio Rosati, Owen, and Professor Romolo Martemucci.
On an academic field trip to Siena with Summer Program students (left to right) Noah Hussainsiraj (Penn State University), Boone Lewis (Carnegie Mellon University), Lexi Melville (Parsons The New School) and Owen.
Coming from Pittsburgh, Owen feels that Rome brings life the value of public visibility, that how you present yourself to the outside world is essential towards defining your identity. “Whenever you leave your apartment or your dorm, you’re very visible to the street and that’s very deeply rooted in Italian culture to present yourself within the public realm”.
Pantheon Institute’s commitment to immersive learning seeks to embed students within the city, making their daily life part of the experiential learning experience. From walking the streets during Cartography class to taking your daily coffee next to a centuries-old Roman ruin, every moment is an opportunity to engage with the legacy of Rome. Our academic field trip through Tuscany then connect students to the greater heritage of Italy, seeing how different cities evolved and adapted over time, each one imbued with a unique history and local traditions.
Right: Summer Program field trip visiting the underground of Siena. Left: Summer Program field trip visiting the Duomo of Orvieto.
“[Study abroad] is a great learning experience. It adds a lot. It gives you something to talk about and for other people that have studied abroad, it’s a great bonding experience kind of be able to talk about those experiences. So, I think it just adds. It can only add.”
The welcoming and enveloping nature of the Eternal City keeps you always wanting more. “To be among history, and it’s just there waiting [for you] is incredibly interesting and unique and I think it’s just the highlight of Rome. It kind of makes you want to come back and experience it again and again and again.” And when asked about Pantheon Institute, Owen says, “you’ll feel right at home”.
Thank you, Owen, for spending your summer with us. We loved having you and we look forward to seeing where you end up next!
