The American Academy in Rome has awarded Krupali Krusche, an associate professor in the University of Notre Dame’s School of Architecture, the 2024 Adele Chatfield-Taylor Rome Prize in Historic Preservation and Conservation.

Krusche was awarded the fellowship on Thursday (April 25) during the Janet and Arthur Ross Rome Prize Ceremony and Concert held in New York City at Carnegie Hall.

“Learning that I had been awarded the Rome Prize Fellowship was a moment of pure joy and overwhelming gratitude. It felt like a validation of my belief that the preservation of our architectural heritage is not just about keeping the past alive but is a vital part of our dialogue with the future,” Krusche said.

For more than a century, the American Academy in Rome has awarded the Rome Prize to support innovative and cross-disciplinary work in the arts and humanities. Each year, the Rome Prize is awarded to as many as 30 artists and scholars who represent the highest standard of excellence.

Rome’s history has been central to Krusche’s research for the last 15 years. Her work — which centers on the digital documentation of World Heritage sites — has focused on the Roman Forum in partnership with the Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Roma (now known as P.AR.Co), Ministry of Heritage and Culture and the Archaeological Service, Rome, as well as the Belvedere at the Vatican in collaboration with the chief architect at the Vatican Museums and the Soprintendenza Beni Architettonici.

These projects were initiated under the four-year agreement with the World Heritage Center of UNESCO.

The award will allow Krusche to dive deeper into the legacy of Palladio drawings in the Roman Forum and the question of preservation of cultural heritage, focusing on the architectural marvels of the standing temples on site.

“The city is a living museum, a testament to architectural innovation through ages, offering lessons in sustainability, design and beauty that resonate with our contemporary quest for harmony between the past and the future,” she said.

“I’m particularly excited about the chance to work hands-on with Roman monuments, applying and perhaps even expanding upon the digital documentation techniques I’ve specialized in.”

Krusche’s publications based on her Rome research have been far-reaching and include multiple papers, conference proceedings and books. A 3D exhibit and international conference, “The Digital Future of World Heritage,” was conducted in partnership with the United States Embassy in Italy, NASA, UNESCO and the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage in 2014.

In addition, a drawing exhibit of the ongoing work at the Vatican, titled “New Drawings of the Vatican Belvedere,” was set up at the Villino Stroganoff in Rome in collaboration with the Vatican and Bibliotheca Hertziana in 2018. And in 2023, she exhibited her research team’s efforts with a 3D experience of the Roman Forum at the Immers-Expo 2023 at Oxford University.

Krusche has co-authored a recent book on the Forum, “From Pen to Pixel: Studies of the Roman Forum and the Digital Future of World Heritage,” with Patrizia Fortini.

Established in 1894, the American Academy in Rome is America’s oldest overseas center for independent studies and advanced research in the arts and humanities. The academy has become a diverse and global residential community for artists and scholars from a wide range of disciplines to live and work in Rome. The support provided by the academy to Rome Prize and Italian Fellows and invited residents helps strengthen the arts and humanities.

“This fellowship means that I can contribute more meaningfully to saving the essence of our shared human history. It’s a responsibility I cherish deeply, and I am eager to embark on this adventure, knowing well the challenges and triumphs it will bring,” Krusche said.

“Set against the backdrop of Rome’s eternal beauty, the academy allows creatives and scholars to immerse themselves fully in their projects. It’s not just about the research or the creation; it’s about living within the layers of history, breathing the air of past centuries, and letting the city’s ancient stories seep into your work, enriching it beyond imagination.”

Contact: Carrie Gates, associate director of media relations, c.gates@nd.edu or 574-993-9220