Designing, Crafting and Building Community: 30 Years of Design/Build in Landscape Architecture

Throughout the month of April, the Department of Landscape Architecture will be hosting an exhibition, Designing, Crafting and Building Community: 30 Years of Practicing a Design / Build Learning Model, in Gould Gallery. This multimedia exhibition reflects on three decades of teaching, learning and community service through the design / build program since it was embedded into the Department of Landscape Architecture’s Bachelor of Landscape Architecture program.

About the Design / Build Program

The program, developed in 1995 by Professor Daniel Winterbottom, is offered to undergraduate and graduate students in the Department of Landscape Architecture and related fields. As a learning model, the design / build program addresses issues of social justice, green building, ecological and sustainable design and supports students’ exploration of materials, forms and responsive design. Through the program, students develop skills in four main areas: the relationship between thinking and making, collaboration, communication skills and service to community.

“For over thirty years, our award-winning Design / Build program has provided hands-on, real world project learning for students,” says Interim Chair Julie Parrett. “Its enduring value of educating students while they support communities is a testament to Daniel’s vision, perseverance, and collaborative approach.”

Exterior view of the Gould Gallery from Gould Court

Brightly lit room with rocks on the ground and posters on the wall. Colorful light is coming through the windows

Wooden structure on a lake — Dals Langed, Sweden, 2018.

Group of students planning — Santa Ursula, Mexico, 1998.

Garden with path in the middle — Kline Galland Quint Family Sensory Garden, 2024.

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Exhibition Details

Designing, Crafting and Building Community engages visitors with an immersive mosaic of work. The exhibition illustrates the diversity of projects, community partners, student experiences and award-winning projects and includes voices of past and current participants, showcasing its evolution over three decades.

The exhibition will be on view March 30 through May 1, 2026 and is free and open to the public. Visitors are welcome Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

A reception for this exhibit will be held April 14 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.