2025 Christopher H. Browne Drawing Tour: Verona & Villa Saraceno

Since 1991, the Drawing and Study course has been a cornerstone of the ICAA’s annual education program. The program follows in the footsteps of architects journeying abroad, and at home, to study and document precedents for the purpose of informing the design of new buildings and places.

Each iteration of the program explores the continuity and vitality of the classical tradition in a paradigmatic city or region that has been instrumental to its development. Each destination offers an opportunity to build a profound and comprehensive understanding of the classical tradition at all scales of design - from the city and its contiguous landscape as a comprehensive work of civic art, to the composition of the architecture and interiors of individual buildings, to the fine grain of detail, material, building craft and artisanship.

The study of precedents and adaptations to modern circumstances is paramount to the understanding of the classical vocabulary as a living language of architecture and city building. The course aims to enhance the practitioner’s knowledge and skills in creative and informed applications of the classical tradition.

The Christopher H. Browne Verona Drawing Tour, taking place May 22 - 26, 2025, will examine the rich architectural history of Verona through drawing and discussion. Please note that participants must make their own travel, accommodation, and meal arrangements (with the exception of a few group meals) for the Verona Drawing Tour; the group will meet on-site at a variety of drawing locations throughout the program. A draft syllabus and schedule for this program is available here.

Situated at the foot of the Lessini Mountains on the River Adige, Verona is one of Italy’s most architecturally rich cities. Its architecture and urban structure reflects the evolution of a fortified city over 2,000 years.

The historic core contains extraordinary examples of architecture, public spaces, infrastructure and landscapes from the Roman, Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance periods as well as works from the 19th century that draw inspiration from these sources. The Drawing Tour will examine work from all of these periods with special attention devoted to the work of the Renaissance architect Michele Sanmicheli (1484-1559).

The Christopher H. Browne Villa Saraceno Drawing Tour, taking place May 27 - 30, 2025, will be fully on-site at Villa Saraceno—approximately one hour by car from the city of Verona. Villa Saraceno, built by Andrea Palladio around 1550, provides a special advanced-level opportunity to fully explore an important Palladian precedent over the course of several days. Accommodation and meals at the Villa are included in registration (with several non-residential spaces also available at a lower rate). A draft syllabus and schedule for this program is available to view here.

Please note that these two programs require separate registration, and may be taken together or separately.

About the Instructors

Stephen Chrisman is a Partner at Ferguson & Shamamian Architects in New York City. He holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Notre Dame and Bachelor of Architecture from the Oregon School of Design. His teaching focus has been on Classical Architectural Design and Composition, The Art of The Measured Sketchbook, and How to Study Buildings: An Analysis of Architectural Composition and Precedent. Stephen is a long-standing Fellow of the ICAA and serves on its National Education Committee.

Meeghan Hart is a founding principal of Hart Architects in Portland, Oregon, along with her husband and partner Brendan. She has over 12 years of experience in the field of architecture and design. She began her career with Peter Pennoyer Architects in New York City, where she contributed to highly-detailed custom single-family houses and apartments. She has since worked on projects in multiple states with a focus on housing at various scales, from single-family residences to multi-family affordable housing complexes. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Notre Dame, where she has regularly returned to teach design courses and participate in reviews. She is an active board member of the ICAA-NW and is a passionate advocate for adaptive reuse and traditional, contextual architecture as an antidote to the ubiquity of placeless design.

Brendan Hart is a founding principal of Hart Architects, an architectural practice based in Portland, Oregon which focuses on traditional design of residential, historic, and boutique commercial projects across the country. Prior to forming Hart Architects in 2024 with his wife Meeghan, Brendan worked in architectural offices in New York City and Portland, where he contributed to many award-winning projects across a variety of scales from urban master planning to residential design. A passionate educator, Brendan has joined the University of Notre Dame's School of Architecture as visiting faculty for multiple appointments, where he has instructed design studios. He is a recipient of the ICAA's 2016 Rieger Graham Prize, which facilitated his detailed study of the history of urban and architectural development of papal processional routes in Rome. Brendan sits on the board of the ICAA's Northwest Chapter. He received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Notre Dame in 2012.

Michael Mesko holds a Bachelor and Master of Architecture from the University of Notre Dame. In addition to work in the U.S, he has practiced architecture in the UK and Ireland. Mr. Mesko has taught architecture for the University of Notre Dame’s Rome Studies Program and for the Georgia Institute of Technology School of Architecture. He is currently Professor of the Practice at the University of Notre Dame, School of Architecture. As Trustee, Fellow, and Education Chair for the ICAA, he leads development of educational program content and curricula for the ICAA’s education program.

Prerequisites

The drawing and study tour is an advanced level program aimed at advancing the contemporary practice of classical design through the study of precedents. The program is designed for practitioners with a minimum of several years professional experience and familiarity with the classical language as a practical discipline. Participants should have experience with architectural field drawing or have completed a Measured Drawing and/or Analytical Drawing skills class with the ICAA prior to attending. To learn more about upcoming preparatory courses offered through the ICAA, contact [email protected]

Please note that the course does not provide instruction in fundamental drawing skills.