This year, as in the past several years, College of Architecture and Design (CoAD) Master of Architecture Design Studio students together conceived and constructed their Design Build Studio course-end project.
There was something different about this year’s project. In partnership with the Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation, CoAD students created and built a platform for community events in this Detroit park as an example of CoAD’s commitment to project-based and community-engaged learning.
More than 60 Master of Architecture (M.Arch) students attended their summer course remotely until the final week of class when they met in person for the first time to build their final project, which kicked off on Saturday, July 12, and concluded on Saturday, July 19.
Professors Lee-Su Huang, associate professor of architecture; Liz Wardzinski, PhD, assistant professor of practice; and Katherine Goldberg, adjunct faculty, guided this year’s project.
As Interim Dean Lilian Crum said, “One of the remarkable aspects of this project was how, in just one week, students collaboratively applied their architectural skill sets to build a functional, unified structure.”
The Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation thinks it’s a boon for the community. Said Katrina Watkins, founder and CEO of Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation, “Liz Wardzinski and her students reached out to our organization. We’re in a historic neighborhood and were interested in the renderings or whatever concept they could bring to the table at that time to help improve the neighborhood. The students designed a platform that we are going to use for exercise because we’re in the park and it’ll be covered to have some shade from the sun. We envision it will become a permanent structure that, as we grow, we can expand upon their vision.
“I’m always amazed with the students and the concepts they come up with. With the experience that we’ve had with them developing the stage, we’re just blown away by the creativity they have.”
“I’m always amazed with the students and the concepts they come up with. With the experience that we’ve had with them developing the stage, we’re just blown away by the creativity they have.”
– Lilian Crum, Interim Dean, College of Architecture and Design
The ultimate intent of the project is to construct the platform and the pavilion, which was also designed by the Design Build Studio students.
Drawings were submitted to the City of Detroit and Bailey Park’s final response to the City’s questions were submitted the week of October 10. The permitting process often takes between six weeks and six months. But hopes are high for a quick approval, Wardzinski said.
M.Arch student, and board member of the nonprofit Architectural Salvage Warehouse of Detroit, Haley Beverlin, and fellow students Shelby Ray, Shane Weishuhn, Margaret Hansen, Bailey Dougherty, Aishwarya Patel, and Vincent Hansell have stayed engaged with the project even though, technically, Design Build Studio is complete and they’re not getting course credit. Wardzinski revels in the relationship she still has with her students. “It’s such a nice working relationship.” She explained, “I get to stay in contact with my students because they did the drawings. This relationship between academia and community is almost unheard of. Students aren’t obligated to do this; they’re just exceptional.”
Beverlin believes, “It’s because we’re committed to Bailey Park.”
While the students were asked only to build the platform, their design included the entire pavilion for the Bailey Park site. They built the whole platform, which will be reassembled on the Bailey Park site once the building permit is issued by the City of Detroit. Remaining on campus is the partial study assembly. The students designed and built the platform as well as designed a separate pavilion. The platform is considered Phase I of the project. The pavilion, which is to house an office, a classroom, and restrooms, is an entirely separate building project that will be completed as a part of Phase II. On October 25, Bailey Park held a Halloween fundraiser to cover the cost of Phase II.
“I hope this event shows what continued partnership between academia and non-profits can accomplish.”
– Haley Beverlin, M.Arch ‘25
Neighbors and friends enjoyed the entertainment, food vendors, the arts and crafts table set up and manned by the LTU student chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMAS), and posters and images of the design and plans for the park.
“The event was a wonderful day, filled with art, music, fun Halloween spirit, and even horseback rides! It was a great example on how everyone can come together and play a small role to make an impact,” said Beverlin. “The crafts that NOMAS did were a success, and it was very fun to see what everyone chose to add to the tiles! I hope this event shows what continued partnership between academia and nonprofits can accomplish.”
Wardzinski capsulized the entire experience when she said, “I’m so pleased with the way our LTU students came together with the community to contribute to a really fun event for kids in Detroit. I sat with them for a long time (as I painted and colored on my own) and it was delightful to hear the kids and their families get excited about their creative pieces. There will be a mosaic created out of the tiles the students painted. The mosaic was the brainchild of Haley Beverlin who worked really hard to gather all of the art pieces that will eventually become part of Phase II of the project.”
By
21000 West Ten Mile Road
Southfield, MI, 48075-1058
©2025 Lawrence Technological University. All Rights Reserved.
Use Your Cell Phone as a Document Camera in Zoom
From Computer
Log in and start your Zoom session with participants
From Phone
To use your cell phone as a makeshift document camera
