From Italy to Chicago via Architecture

Gemma Brizzolara (B.Arch. 5th Year) says that she thanks Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for helping her discover Illinois Tech. Born and raised in Genova, Italy, Brizzolara’s parents took part in an architecture tour during a trip to Chicago and passed through the College of Architecture’s iconic home, S. R. Crown Hall. During the tour, Brizzolara’s parents saw the drawings and models that were on full display as students toiled away on projects, leaving an impression of what an architecture college could be. 

In 2012 Brizzolara moved to Blacksburg, Virginia. She visited Mies Campus for the first time during a Scholarship Symposium. “I was equally as impressed as my parents when I got to visit the campus and S. R. Crown Hall during the Scholarship Symposium, and having met professors, faculty, and students in the process really helped me understand the welcoming and ambitious character of the school,” Brizzolara says. 

Chicago itself also played a large part in bringing Brizzolara to Illinois Tech. While living within biking distance of world-class cultural attractions and entertainment was outstanding, Chicago’s architectural history and opportunity is unlike any other in the world, she says. 

“I am having the chance to study Chicago-specific historical building methods to research plausible deconstruction methods to be applied systematically for my independent study, so being in Chicago is certainly helping me document necessary materials,” Brizzolara says. 

The College of Architecture program’s broad teachings stood out to Brizzolara as an educational highlight.  

“Our required courses are uniquely catered to our field but involve learning a variety of manual skills, as well as digital skills,” Brizzolara says. “I personally think that the strength of an architectural degree is precisely that, in the sense that the program follows the study of such a wide variety of topics. Any individual can take what they learn and make it uniquely theirs.” 

As a research assistant with Assistant Professor of Architecture Ryan Roark, Brizzolara helped develop biomaterials to create interior architecture items and participated in design competitions, in addition to taking part in internships. 

“I only had the idea to start participating in competitions because of one of my classmates here. Most importantly, I am having the chance to research and explore some of my specific interests in-depth with my professors, one-on-one, and prepare materials that aid me not only in clarifying and illustrating my findings and interests, but also in applying to jobs and future academic opportunities,” she says. 

One of these experiences saw her travel to Norway as part of the iitAurora study away program, where the small group of students spent a month traveling the towns, cities, and fjords of Scandinavia. 

“It was a special opportunity, to deeply study and experience space and architecture simultaneously across such a vast geographic landscape,” she says. “Many of my current interests began on that trip, and I remain close friends with my classmates that I met on the trip.” 

Brizzolara’s work with biomaterials, material use and waste, and architectural sociology will push her forward after Illinois Tech, either in practice or research. 

“Having had the chance to engage with architectural design, research, and teaching throughout my time at Illinois Tech, I feel that I have been able to try my hands at all three of my main interests, and that it now just remains my choice to move forward in any one or more of these directions post-graduation,” she says. “By far what I’m most excited about is to see what all of my classmates will be up to in a few years, knowing the pioneering work our former upperclassmen are up to now.”