Astra Zarina
Encyclopedia
Astra Zarina was an architect
and professor in the University of Washington Department of Architecture. She is best known for her creation of the University of Washington Italian Studies programs and her founding of the UW Rome Center.
Zarina was born in Riga, Latvia. She came to the United States with her family after World War II
and matriculated at the University of Washington in 1947. In the UW architecture program she studied under faculty including Lionel Pries
, Wendell Lovett
, and Victor Steinbrueck
. She completed her B.Arch. in 1953. After graduation she worked in the office of Paul Hayden Kirk
and married architecture classmate Douglas Haner.
Zarina moved to Boston in 1954 and entered the architecture program at MIT
; her husband enrolled at Harvard
. Zarina and Haner both graduated in 1955 with M.Arch. degrees and went to work in the office of Minoru Yamasaki
outside Detroit.
In 1960, Zarina won the American Academy in Rome
Fellowship in Architecture; she was the first woman to be awarded the Academy's architecture fellowship. She subsequently won a Fulbright fellowship
for study and travel in Italy. Zarina and Haner subsequently divorced.
Zarina first taught at the University of Washington in a part-time position in the mid-1960s. In 1970, in coordination with Architecture Department Chair, Professor Thomas Bosworth
, Zarina hosted the first program in Rome for architecture students. Her first students included Steven Holl
and Ed Weinstein. The Rome Program subsequently became a regular offering of the Department. Zarina was eventually appointed as an Associate Professor and she later became a professor.
In the late 1960s, Zarina, and second husband Anthony Costa Heywood, also an architect, began working on the restoration of the ancient Italian hilltown of Civita di Bagnoregio
, located 60 miles north of Rome.
In 1976, Zarina taught the first summer program on Italian Hilltowns based in Civita di Bagnoregio.
1976 also saw publication of her book, co-authored with Balthazar Korab
, on Rome's roofscapes, I tetti di Roma: Le terrazze, le altane, i belvedere. In 1979 Zarina received the University of Washington Distinguished Teaching Award.
In the early 1980s, working with Gordon Varey, Dean of the College of Architecture and Urban Planning (now College of Built Environments
), Zarina developed the idea for a permanent facility in Rome. By 1984 the Rome Center was established in the Palazzo Pio
, located near the center of Rome. Zarina was director of the Rome Center until the mid 1990s. The UW Rome Center continues to house the Architecture in Rome programs, but also hosts programs from many other University of Washington departments and from other American architecture schools.
Zarina retired from teaching about the year 2000. She lived her last years in Civita, continuing to promote its restoration. She died there in August 2008.
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
and professor in the University of Washington Department of Architecture. She is best known for her creation of the University of Washington Italian Studies programs and her founding of the UW Rome Center.
Zarina was born in Riga, Latvia. She came to the United States with her family after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and matriculated at the University of Washington in 1947. In the UW architecture program she studied under faculty including Lionel Pries
Lionel Pries
Lionel H. Pries , was a leading architect, artist, and educator in the Pacific Northwest.Pries was born in San Francisco and raised in Oakland. He graduated with a B.A. in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1920, where he studied under John Galen Howard...
, Wendell Lovett
Wendell Lovett
Wendell Harper Lovett is a significant Pacific Northwest architect and teacher.Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Lovett entered the University of Washington program in architecture in 1940, but his college years were interrupted by wartime service. He graduated from the University of...
, and Victor Steinbrueck
Victor Steinbrueck
Victor Steinbrueck was a Seattle architect, and University of Washington faculty member, and best known for his efforts to preserve the city's Pioneer Square and Pike Place Market.-Biography:...
. She completed her B.Arch. in 1953. After graduation she worked in the office of Paul Hayden Kirk
Paul H. Kirk
Paul Hayden Kirk was among the most significant Pacific Northwest architects from 1945 to 1980. Paul Kirk's designs contributed to development of a regionally appropriate version of Modern architecture...
and married architecture classmate Douglas Haner.
Zarina moved to Boston in 1954 and entered the architecture program at MIT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
; her husband enrolled at Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. Zarina and Haner both graduated in 1955 with M.Arch. degrees and went to work in the office of Minoru Yamasaki
Minoru Yamasaki
was a Japanese-American architect, best known for his design of the twin towers of the World Trade Center, buildings 1 and 2. Yamasaki was one of the most prominent architects of the 20th century...
outside Detroit.
In 1960, Zarina won the American Academy in Rome
American Academy in Rome
The American Academy in Rome is a research and arts institution located on the Gianicolo in Rome.- History :In 1893, a group of American architects, painters and sculptors met regularly while planning the fine arts section of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition...
Fellowship in Architecture; she was the first woman to be awarded the Academy's architecture fellowship. She subsequently won a Fulbright fellowship
Fulbright Program
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright-Hays Program, is a program of competitive, merit-based grants for international educational exchange for students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists, founded by United States Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946. Under the...
for study and travel in Italy. Zarina and Haner subsequently divorced.
Zarina first taught at the University of Washington in a part-time position in the mid-1960s. In 1970, in coordination with Architecture Department Chair, Professor Thomas Bosworth
Thomas Bosworth
Thomas L. Bosworth is a noted Seattle architect and architectural educator. His best-known structures are those he designed for the Pilchuck Glass School between 1971 and 1986, but his primary focus in his thirty-five year professional career has been the design of single family residences across...
, Zarina hosted the first program in Rome for architecture students. Her first students included Steven Holl
Steven Holl
Steven Holl is an American architect and watercolorist, perhaps best known for the 1998 Kiasma Contemporary Art Museum in Helsinki, Finland, the 2003 Simmons Hall at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the celebrated 2007 Bloch Building addition to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City,...
and Ed Weinstein. The Rome Program subsequently became a regular offering of the Department. Zarina was eventually appointed as an Associate Professor and she later became a professor.
In the late 1960s, Zarina, and second husband Anthony Costa Heywood, also an architect, began working on the restoration of the ancient Italian hilltown of Civita di Bagnoregio
Civita di Bagnoregio
Civita di Bagnoregio is a town in the Province of Viterbo in Central Italy, a frazione of the comune of Bagnoregio, 2 km W from it. It is about north of Rome.-History:...
, located 60 miles north of Rome.
In 1976, Zarina taught the first summer program on Italian Hilltowns based in Civita di Bagnoregio.
1976 also saw publication of her book, co-authored with Balthazar Korab
Balthazar Korab
Balthazar Korab is a photographer based in Detroit, Michigan who specializes in architectural, art and landscape photography. He was born in Budapest, Hungary, and migrated to France after fleeing from Hungary's communist government in 1949. At the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, France, he...
, on Rome's roofscapes, I tetti di Roma: Le terrazze, le altane, i belvedere. In 1979 Zarina received the University of Washington Distinguished Teaching Award.
In the early 1980s, working with Gordon Varey, Dean of the College of Architecture and Urban Planning (now College of Built Environments
University of Washington College of Built Environments
The College of Built Environments or CBE at the University of Washington is the new name, as of January 1, 2009, of the college formerly called the College of Architecture and Urban Planning. The old name was adopted in 1957-58 when the college had only two departments, architecture and planning...
), Zarina developed the idea for a permanent facility in Rome. By 1984 the Rome Center was established in the Palazzo Pio
Palazzo Pio
The 'Palazzo Pio' is built on top of the ruins of the Temple of Venus Victrix of the Theatre of Pompey, and overlooks other neighboring areas of Campo de' Fiori and Piazza del Biscione in Rome, Italy....
, located near the center of Rome. Zarina was director of the Rome Center until the mid 1990s. The UW Rome Center continues to house the Architecture in Rome programs, but also hosts programs from many other University of Washington departments and from other American architecture schools.
Zarina retired from teaching about the year 2000. She lived her last years in Civita, continuing to promote its restoration. She died there in August 2008.