UC Center, Florence

The course explores the unique landscape of sustainable fashion in Italy, highlighting the interplay between its rich historical, cultural, and artisanal heritage, and the contemporary surge in experimental and high-tech practices driven by R&D centers and emerging brands. Students examine how these two facets intertwine – both theoretically and in practice – shaping a dynamic and contemporary sustainable fashion scenario. Thus, the course delves into Italy’s artisanal legacy in fashion and textile, presenting case studies of local craftsmanship and companies, accompanied by an overview of contemporary cutting-edge experiences, to assess their role in the current sustainable paradigm.

To this extent, students are primarily introduced to the historical development and meaning of sustainable fashion in the Italian context, to then focus on more recent trends in material innovations, design, and production processes. The contents of the course also cover the foundations of sustainable fashion as a global phenomenon, to critically reflect on its definition and to explore key sustainability principles. Classes are scheduled according to macro themes and employ a hybrid approach, blending theoretical knowledge (traditional lectures) with practical application through class activities (hands-on or meta design projects). An interdisciplinary perspective is adopted to demonstrate the possibilities of integration of ecology, philosophy, science and art in the design perspective. The course features field visits to local museums, institutions, and designers’ studios to witness sustainability in action. Additionally, guest lectures from field experts and scholars provide specific insights or address key challenges.

This studio course introduces the principles of painting and develops skills in composition, observation, and the use of color. The course includes sessions on technique, brushwork, color theory, and the use of different media.  During the first half of the course assignments concentrate on developing different skills and building techniques, using traditional and experimental approaches to painting. During the second half of the course, students use these skills to develop their own work. Students explore the history of art in Florence in the many galleries and museums and use this knowledge to inform their own work. The course covers the technical developments of the Renaissance, including the study of perspective, line, and form. Through guided instructional sessions, students cultivate their unique artistic styles and engage in individual research, which may involve integrating themes and techniques from both modern and contemporary art. This study is the basis for developing painting skills through engaging with, and responding to, the works and artists they study. The course also has a focus on developing skills for self and peer criticism to discuss the development of the work. Students create a final piece supported by an Artist's Statement, a research breakdown outlining the evolution of the project's concept, and technical development. 

The Elementary Italian course provides students with the essential language skills to communicate effectively in common Italian contexts, covering the first level of Italian proficiency. Through a communicative approach and a strong emphasis on active participation, it helps students to quickly improve their ability to interact with Italians. Engaging in role-playing, group work, in and out of class task-based activities and oral and written tests, learners are immersed in the Italian language, reinforcing their listening, speaking, reading and writing abilities. Assignments and projects deepen their understanding of Florentine life and Italian culture. By the end of the course, students acquire foundational language skills as well as insights into Italy's rich cultural tapestry. 

This course introduces the history of design in Italy from the post-war period to the present day and explores the connection between design and the rebuilding of Italy and the Italian economy, following the devastations of World War II. The link between Italian design and Italian identity, and the concept of ‘Made in Italy’, is explored through the study of design in different areas, including fashion, objects, transport, and furniture. By looking at the impact of Italian design outside of Italy and the emergence of global companies, including the main fashion houses, the course leads students to understand the importance of design both as part of the Italian economy and as a lens through which the world views Italy. Finally, through visits, lectures, case studies analyzed through a cross-cultural lens, and in-class discussions, the course builds awareness and inspires creativity for new projects in an ever-changing world and society, with an eye on sustainability, ethics, design justice, and life cycle assessment in today’s market. 

This studio course introduces the principles of painting and develops skills in composition, observation, and the use of color. The course includes sessions on technique, brushwork, color theory, and the use of different media.  During the first half of the course assignments concentrate on developing different skills and building techniques, using traditional and experimental approaches to painting. During the second half of the course, students use these skills to develop their own work. Students explore the history of art in Florence in the many galleries and museums and use this knowledge to inform their own work. The course covers the technical developments of the Renaissance, including the study of perspective, line, and form. Through guided instructional sessions, students cultivate their unique artistic styles and engage in individual research, which may involve integrating themes and techniques from both modern and contemporary art. This study is the basis for developing painting skills through engaging with, and responding to, the works and artists they study. The course also has a focus on developing skills for self and peer criticism to discuss the development of the work. Students create a final piece supported by an Artist's Statement, a research breakdown outlining the evolution of the project's concept, and technical development. 

What was the attitude of European culture towards non-Europeans in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance? How were African, Arab, Turk, Mongol, but also Native American and Jewish people represented in Western art and why? From the fabulous East described by Marco Polo to the myth of Prester John, from the clash with the Islamic world to the conquest of America, the imagery of non-European peoples reveals a broad spectrum of symbolic, social, and religious meanings. The analysis of these portrayals provides insight into the processes of self-identification of Western Europeans and the emergence and development of categories of "otherness". This course enables students not only to understand the classification of human groups in the past, but also to better assess critically the modern and present-day use of such categories. The course takes a thorough multidisciplinary approach, encompassing social, political, religious, and broader cultural history. Florence offers a unique opportunity to analyze on-site, and often in their original context, works representing non-Europeans from the 13th to the 17th century. 

This introductory studio course presents photography as a medium of documentation, critical communication, and personal expression related to social issues and intimate involvement. It builds photography skills including composition, light, and technical expertise. Alongside developing skills, the course considers questions of identity and expression in photography and examines how photographs have been used as markers of cultural identification. The course challenge students to question, explore, and express their own identity through photography and to take inspiration from their host city environment, in synergy or contrast with their own identity. It deepens the ability to think critically and express thoughts through images and related texts by analyzing and interpreting experiences in Italian society. Through various photographic exercises and assignments, the course explores digital photography as a tool to interpret and narrate different aspects of the city and one's personal experience of and with it, reflecting on identity in a visual way. Lectures cover technical aspects related to shooting and editing, conceiving and amplifying projects, and addressing different audiences. The course also offers an overview on Italian and international photographers and different approaches in contemporary photographic practice. Classroom discussions, assigned readings, and photo responses, combined with the personal experience of the photographic medium, help to develop critical skills to understand how photographs work aesthetically and conceptually in various contexts, how they are used in contemporary society and culture, and how they become means of personal exploration.

This course offers an introduction to Italian culture and Florence's rich history and traditions through a hands-on approach. Florence is a complex city with many identities. It is known as the cradle of the Renaissance, but its structure was shaped in the middle ages, in the 19th century, and in recent times. It is an international place, visited by tourists from all around the world, but still maintains a sense of pride in its own traditions. In the Culture section of this course, students explore the city through a series of on-site lectures, understanding its structure and its development through the centuries up to today, discovering the significance of its beautiful monuments and the scars left by its fascinating history. The Language component of the course provides students the tools and skills to navigate the city and complete tasks in real-life situations and specific contexts. Through small-group works they acquire basic communicative structures and learn to react effectively to authentic communicative situations.

This introductory foundation course for beginners investigates the various materials, skills, and expressive issues involved in drawing the city of Florence, its architecture, sculptures, and the human figure from the live model. Students explore a range of compositional issues such as figure/ground relationships, light and shade, perspective, line and shape, value and color, texture, anatomy, contrapposto, and design.  Students draw on site in the city of Florence as well as in the classroom. Both are used in conjunction with exploring diverse approaches to the learning of drawing fundamentals. Emphasis is placed on drawing from perception while focusing on different cultural conventions relating to space, perspective, the human figure, architecture, anatomy, and proportion. The course includes trips to on-site locations in the city of Florence: its piazzas, gardens, museums, as well as a visit to an artist studio. There are two versions of the FOUNDATIONS OF DRAWING: DRAWING IN THE CITY OF FLORENCE, a beginner level and an intermediate level, this course is the beginning level.

This course examines how cities pursue sustainability through governance, planning, and citizen participation. Students explore how environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability intersect within urban policy and daily life, connecting global frameworks—such as the UN 2030 Agenda and the European Green Deal—to local experimentation and community-driven innovation. While Florence provides a unique laboratory for studying how a historic city responds to contemporary challenges (climate adaptation, mobility transformation, housing pressures, and social inclusion) students are encouraged to compare it with other urban contexts across Europe and beyond. This comparative perspective fosters cross-fertilization among diverse models of governance and participation, allowing students to grasp how cities function as complex adaptive systems—dynamic environments where multiple actors, ideas, and scales interact to shape sustainable urban futures. USF combines analytical seminars, field explorations, and participatory exercises. Through simulations, role play games and collaborative projects, students experience the dynamics of real-world decision-making and democratic governance in sustainability planning.