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College of Design

Partnering Learning and Community Engagement (PLaCE) Program

Partnering Learning and Community Engagement (PLaCE) program landscape sketch

Enhancing the quality and character of Iowa’s landscapes and communities

Inspired by its land-grant mission, Iowa State University continues to invest its intellectual and organizational capital in support of the sustained development of its home state. As a result of this ongoing investment, the Iowa State University College of Design initiated the Project for Partnering Landscape and Community Enhancement (PLaCE) program.

The PLaCE program aims to enhance and promote the quality and character of Iowa’s communities and landscapes. This goal is rooted in support of economic competitiveness as well as proper planning, development, and stewardship. Unique, dramatic enhancements to the communities and landscapes of Iowa are viewed as ways to attract and retain a new group of talented and energetic citizens, a resource very much in demand for the state’s future. The College of Design engages with communities in collaborative efforts to understand, envision and promote a fundamental enhancement of their physical environment.   

Iowa State University Extension Community and Economic Development and the College of Design’s Institute for Design Research and Outreach (IDRO) invite Iowa communities and nonprofit organizations to submit applications for project ideas that might provide quality learning experiences for our students, faculty, and staff.

The College of Design’s role

During a typical semester, four to eight classes within the College of Design will conduct projects off campus as a part of students’ learning experiences. Graduate students will often take on external projects to complete their professional report or thesis for graduation. The PLaCE process is designed to offer Iowans improved access to the college’s off-campus outreach and extension services.

Student Involvement

Design students are often a font of creative ideas and expressions. College of Design community outreach and extension projects frequently involve students as a means both to enhance their education at Iowa State University and to benefit participating communities and organizations. In exchange for the college’s involvement in developing conceptual and visual products to enhance decision making in communities and organizations, applicants will be asked to contribute human and financial resources to facilitate the students’ educational process.

Criteria for review and recommendations for action include:

  • The compatibility of the project with the educational goals of students and faculty
  • The potential impact of the outreach project in supporting local community development and decision making.
  • The potential of the applicant to defray the project’s expenses
  • The level of need indicated
  • The level of community support for the project
  • The probability that the project will not create competition for design practitioners
  • The potential for follow-up by local Iowa State University Extension personnel

Decisions to proceed with a project or program will be at the discretion of individual or groups of faculty members and extension specialists. Applicants will be contacted by e-mail or mail within five weeks of receipt of application.

Ariel view of Monroe, Iowa city park

PLaCE Program Application

Most PLaCE projects operate within the university’s academic calendar. Applicants are urged to apply by November 1 and April 1 for priority consideration of applications. Each application will be reviewed, and successful proposals will be referred to appropriate faculty for action. Applicants may then be contacted by faculty members and/or students for further information.

Past Projects

  • Roland, Iowa city map

    Roland, IA Comprehensive Plan

    CRP 432 students were tasked with updating the comprehensive plan for the City of Roland. This involved activities such as conducting data collection, leading community engagement sessions, meeting with city officials and stakeholders, updating land use maps, and proposing strategic growth initiatives. Throughout the project, students created a comprehensive profile of the community, analyzed survey data, and designed plans for downtown economic revitalization, enhanced trail connectivity, and new residential development zones.

  • Prairie View, Iowa city map

    Prairie View Industrial Center a Visioning Plan

    The CRP 432 course involved students collaborating with Alliant Energy and the Ames Economic Development Commission to craft a visioning plan for the Prairie View Industrial Center (PVIC) in Ames, Iowa. Engaging with professionals and community members, students integrated their insights into the planning process through research, focus groups, and open house sessions. The resulting recommendations for the PVIC site prioritize innovative workspace designs, green spaces, and community integration, aiming to enhance work-life balance and establish a cutting-edge hub for both work and community engagement.

  • Historic preservation map of Elk Horn and Kimballton

    City of Adel: Downtown Plan 2020-2040

    The project outlined the development of a downtown plan for Adel, Iowa, a city experiencing rapid growth with a quaint downtown area. Collaborating with local officials and Confluence, a planning firm, the focus was on revitalizing Adel’s downtown. Students applied their program-acquired skills to analyze and plan for Adel’s downtown, resulting in the finalized plan. Informed by local expertise and a dedication to preserving Adel’s history and nature, the plan strategically envisions and guides the downtown’s development as a cultural, social, and economic center.