Riva San Vitale Alumni Association

about riva san vitale

Riva San Vitale is located in the canton of Ticino. Lugano is the closest big city to Riva, with Italy's border approximately 20 miles away. Lake Lugano is just a minute walk from the Casa Maderni, and Mt. San Georgio can be seen from the garden outside the house. The language that is spoken in Riva, and throughout the province Ticino, is Italian. Recently the center obtained Casa Pabiana, a house located on the hillside behind Casa Maderni which is used as housing for students. Both houses are a five minute walk from the local train station “Capalogo – Riva S. Vitale”.

Virginia Tech purchased a 200+ year old "villa" in the southern part (Canton of Ticino) of Switzerland in 1991-92. The College of Architecture had operated a study abroad program in that region for several years prior to the purchase of any facility. It is a university (not college) facility, owned by the Virginia Tech Foundation, and rented to the University.

The building was completely renovated after purchase and new (European modern) plumbing and electrical work was installed. Today the three story building can lodge about 30 students, with an annex yet to renovated which might later house an additional 10-15. In addition, the University leases (since January 2000) a 1959 villa designed by a Riva architect as his home. This is immediately up the hill from the villa (with a breathtaking view of Lake Lugano) on the same mountain ridge- a short, but hilly walk from the main building. This leased facility, Casa Pabiano, serves as lodging space for about 15 additional students during the fall and spring semesters. There are two large classrooms: one is used for traditional classes -- 32-34 students in an open "U" arrangement, for example; and the other room is set up for artist and drawing tables / easels.

There is also a architecture program operating out of the Center on a year round basis. As well as a Fall PamplinBusiness program, and a Spring Arts and Sciences program. The Pamplin students get to learn the unique benefits of learning required courses as well as international advanced courses in an abroad enviornment. Typically there are about 15 architecture students and a faculty member from the VT College of Architecture and Urban Studies at the facility during the academic year. There is also a group of traveling architecture students (and another architecture faculty member) who spend irregular amounts of time at the VT facility from time to time.

Virginia Tech