School of Planning, Design and Construction

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation Division (DNR) has been in the Sustainable Park Design and Planning partnership with Michigan State University’s (MSU) School of Planning, Design and Construction (SPDC) for 13 years.  From the beginning, this partnership  has been offering SPDC students real-world design challenges combined with practical project experience.  The outcomes have produced project solutions and concepts that are both thoughtful and innovative.  DNR also wanted students to experience and have appreciation for how public recreation projects differ in scope and purpose from the private sector.  

SPDC’s Landscape Architecture and Interior Design Programs have both participated in this partnership, with student projects ranging from second year undergraduates to seniors, and graduate students.  Over time DNR has assigning students with some very complex challenges.  Recently, through MSU, the National Charette Institute has also engaged in select projects, providing expertise in surveying and stakeholder meetings by gathering and assessing input that has positively influenced the student projects and provided valuable information to assist DNR in framing their needs and informing problem-solving approaches.  Key courses this partnership has engaged in includes:  LA 243 - Place Making Studio, LA 332 – Landscape Site Engineering, LA 447 – Juried Design Studio, IDES 442 – Interior Design Programming, IDES 452 – Interior Design Synthesis III, in addition to several master’s studies. 

Each year the partnership begins with DNR and MSU faculty working together in early summer to establish the projects for the upcoming school year.  Typically, DNR presents a draft list of project needs to MSU that most closely align with the school’s courses and learning outcomes.  DNR aims for projects where students can provide preliminary studies, early concepts and creative and innovative design ideas.  Next, we formalize expectations through a Cooperative Agreement, including a reasonable and nominal fee to cover student travel and production expenses.  At the start of each partnership project, DNR acts as a client group that provides a scope of work, staff meet with the students to set the stage, then meet again later at the project site.  Between kickoff and halfway through the assignment period, DNR staff join students in studio for a workshop, providing feedback on their early concepts, thoughts and ideas.  This step is always engaging and satisfying to both students and staff by exploring diverse alternative ideas and developing schematic design concepts.  Finally, DNR staff are invited to the student’s final project presentations and again, provide constructive feedback.  Some of the student’s solutions have been very creative and innovative! In several instances, when DNR is ready to fund project development, we’ve shared student projects with our design consultants as a tool to provide the project’s inspiration and vision.

Here is a sample of the impressive project collaborations in recent years:

DNR is pleased to report that the Sustainable Park Design and Planning Partnership is healthy and continues to enrich both agencies and their programs, as we complete our 13th consecutive year.