Written by Joey George
A slight spring rain pats on the red rooftops. The smooth silky flow of spoken Italian bounces off the Piazza walls. Statues and arches adorn every corner, hints of divinity in their appearance. Lines of tourists ebb and flow through the square like Mediterranean waves.
The age of Florence is one of the first things to notice, a stark contrast from the industrial and suburban landscape of the states. The streets are tight, a chaotic equilibrium of foot and human traffic. Sirens and romance languages reverberate off the sun-tanned walls.
Florence is not only European in dress but in sustainability efforts, a culture and city mindful of energy use and over-consumption. Walking is the preferred method of transportation, air conditioning nonexistent. Perhaps a bit rude but you do not see many overweight people walking about, the Mediterranean diet tried and true, their body fat percentage parallel to the leanness of their sustainability system.
In addition to the fleeting rain you feel the legacy of Renaissance thinkers on your back, art and engineering intersecting. A certain feeling arises while walking through the Piazza Della Repubblica, following the shadows of extraordinary minds like Michelango or Da Vinci. Whispers of Rome trickle through the air, forums replaced by piazzas. Human expression, whether in the form of art or architecture, is meant to last, a legacy of art and science meeting at a crossroads, much like how the Piazza Della Repubblica bridged the four cardinal directions.
Swanson School of Engineering 