Polina Ilyin

This past spring semester, I studied abroad in London. Before the start of the semester, I was fortunate enough to participate in the Environmental Justice in Northern Europe signature seminar, which gave me the opportunity to explore countries like Sweden, Norway, and Finland. By studying in London, I was given the opportunity to witness and interact with British and European architecture that I never would have otherwise. Through the architecture program, I explored London as well as international cities like Barcelona and Dublin, and I used those unique experiences and styles of architecture to inform my own design process throughout the rest of the semester.

I did not expect the depth and layers of London that were largely hidden away by its stereotypical image projected online. By taking a course called “Walking London,” once a week I had the opportunity to simply wander and discover new and hidden corners of London with my class and professor. I think this, above all else, allowed me to reach a deeper level of connection with the city. I was not expecting to find moments of secrecy, little gardens tucked away through skinny alleyways, and an old, forgotten shopfront dwarfed by nearby buildings that all felt like little prizes for me to find. I continued to be surprised by the depth of overlapping history London had throughout the entire semester. During the semester, I ran the official London architecture Instagram and am continuing to do so until the summer ends. This was an amazing opportunity to connect with professionals in the field who are based in London. I also would like to continue my thread of connecting urban exploration with writing in other places I travel to. Through one of my classes, I did several pieces of creative writing that unfurled the narrative behind the act of walking and exploring. I am continuing my study abroad experience next semester and would like to keep using writing as a medium to interpret architecture throughout my education and beyond. I hope to use this passion as a tool to further my career goals and personal creative goals as well.