Programs : Brochure

In addition to a rich cultural and natural history, Guatemala possesses an impressive array of architectural and urban gems, spanning from pre-Columbian temples all the way to new traditional architecture built in the twenty-first century. Students join Catholic University professors and local Guatemalan architects to explore three key sites: the stunning ruins of the ancient Mayan cities of Yaxha and Tikal, the beautiful Spanish colonial mountain town of Antigua and its environs, and the world-famous new traditional neighborhood of Cayalá in Guatemala City. Participants stay in safe, comfortable lodging with access to fresh, regional foods, all while exploring more than a thousand years' worth of breathtaking architecture and urbanism.
 

Undergraduates enroll in the Special Topics course, ARPL 419. Graduate students in the 519 section. Before students leave for Guatemala they will complete a reading packet equipping them to better understand the Mayan, Spanish colonial, and Guatemalan architecture that they will see. During the trip, students will be exploring, discussing, and drawing every day--they will keep a journal-like sketchbook documenting their studies with words and field drawings. After the end of the trip, they will select and contribute drawings as well as a short written report to a curated group exhibition that will be installed in Miller.