Bella Swanson, a senior architecture major, spent a month this summer abroad in Shinjuku, Japan, studying contemporary Japanese urbanism with 33 classmates and Chris Jarrett, professor of architecture; Jeffrey Nesbit, visiting assistant professor of architecture; and Rachel Dickey, associate professor of architecture.
From the crowded streets of Tokyo to the quiet beaches of Japan’s coastline, Swanson experienced how architecture shifts to reflect its surroundings.
“With any architecture trip, the purpose is to expose us to other cultures, to other ways of design and how we can take those designs and implement them into our own thought process,” said Swanson.
Projects with Impact
Swanson worked on four projects during the month-long trip: a case study on a building in Tokyo, a signage project for Japanese “Drinking Alleys,” an observational project and an intervention focused on energy in Tomigaya.
During the signage project, Swanson partnered with students from Meiji University to brainstorm ways signs can be used in Yokochos or “Drinking Alleys.” This three-day workshop was eye-opening for Swanson as she worked alongside advanced Japanese students.
“It was a challenge, but it was nice because I learned a lot,” said Swanson. “I didn’t have some of the skills that the graduate students had, but they would teach me and help me.”
In Tomigaya, a neighborhood in a sub-district of Tokyo, Swanson was tasked with making an observation about a place completely new to her.
“As I was walking through the site, I realized there was a sense of loneliness in Tokyo,” said Swanson. “It is not uncommon to do things alone in Tokyo, so I chose to observe that concept.”
She landed on something poetic and melancholy: Crowded Tokyo Streets Make Quiet Souls.
Swanson’s final project also took place in Tomigaya, an intervention with a focus on energy. Her group’s goal was to work through ways of heat reduction, with each member tackling an individual part of the assignment.
Swanson focused on reducing heat for the ground plane of a house. She devised the idea of misting stones, a way to enjoy a quick break from the heat when you step on them.
“If I had more time, I would create a sponge city where the medians in the road would collect the water that circulates through the stepping stones, and it would mimic the water cycle,” said Swanson.
Garden & House Summary
Blurred Boundaries
“Crowded Tokyo Streets Make Quiet Souls”
“Misting Stones”
Exploring the Island Nation
While living and studying in Shinjuku, Swanson visited Kyoto, Hiroshima and Osaka during a travel week with the program.
A notable experience was the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, a major global gathering where nations present their latest innovations, technologies and cultural heritage, organized around a shared, overarching theme. This was the first time a group of students from UNC Charlotte visited the World Expo, as it’s held every five years in a different location.
“As soon as I stepped off the train, I knew I was about to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Swanson. “I had never seen so many people in one setting embracing, not only the impressive pavilion designs, but the innovations each country presented.”
When Swanson wasn’t busy studying Japanese architecture or working on projects, she was exploring Tokyo with her friends, classmates and other students she met along the way.
“We would go shopping, which is one of the biggest things to do in Tokyo,” said Swanson. “One of our favorite cafes was a 10-minute walk, so we would go there and drink coffee and draw. If my friends were busy, I would do things by myself.”
Even though Swanson’s hard work and passion for architecture helped her along the way, she couldn’t have completed this program without the University and the David R. Ravin School of Architecture.
“UNC Charlotte gave us the capability of learning new ideas and concepts; we learned from other people rather than being set in our ways,” said Swanson. “I appreciate how much the architecture program allows me to have big ideas, explore them and condense them into an actual project.”
One month was far too short for Swanson. If she could do it again, she would stay longer, giving herself time to journey beyond the major cities, into places like northern Japan’s quiet, rugged beauty.
“I thought a month was going to be long enough,” said Swanson. “I thought I was going to be able to see everything I wanted to see, but I was wrong.”
For Swanson, the trip was more than academics. It reshaped the way she sees buildings, communities and the role of design in everyday life. “The biggest takeaway from this experience was to understand and grasp what they [architects] do and what information I can bring back,” said Swanson.
Editor’s Note: Study abroad opportunities are available to all Niners; check out the study abroad opportunities available through the Office of International Programs.
AloJapan.com