A group of students from the University of Iowa College of Engineering Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering course Project Design and Management in Civil Engineering collaborated this spring semester with the Living Lab Working Group to re-imagine the Biology Building's Sciences Library Courtyard as a vibrant, outdoor living lab.
Building Bridges on Campus
The partnership brought together the course's systems-thinking approach with the Living Labs Working Group’s goal of transforming underutilized campus spaces into immersive, educational environments that benefit both the campus and the broader community. The student group spent the semester developing design ideas that support environmental awareness, cross-disciplinary research, and well-being.
Living Labs are defined as outdoor spaces that embrace campus grounds and community networks as platforms for teaching and research outside of traditional classrooms. These spaces support experiential learning while promoting mental health and environmental stewardship.
The students’ final project focused on developing ideas for the Biology Courtyard—a centrally located but underused green space outside of the Biology Building, Phillips Hall, and Sciences Library. Guided by stakeholder feedback and UI Design Standards, the team developed recommendations to enhance the courtyard’s educational value and ecological function. Their concepts incorporate features such as:
- Interpretive signage to support curricular use across disciplines.
- Plantings and shade features that align with UI’s sustainability goals.
- Accessible pathways for inclusive engagement
- Stormwater management tools and strategies
- Gathering spaces for classes, research, and reflection
"Our environmental engineering students gained valuable experience through their partnership with the Living Labs Working Group," said Craig Just, Donald E. Bently Professor in Engineering and Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering. "The Biology Courtyard project provided a meaningful opportunity to contribute to efforts that support Iowa’s people, infrastructure, and environment."
The Designs
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The Living Lab Working Group, which coordinates and supports living lab efforts across campus, will incorporate these recommendations into broader planning and stakeholder engagement around the Biology Courtyard’s future. The project is now featured on the UI Living Labs website at living.lab.uiowa.edu/explore-living-labs/biology-courtyard.
“This collaboration demonstrates the power of student ideas in shaping our campus as a space for innovation, well-being, and community-connected learning,” said Brinda Shetty, a leading member of the Living Lab Working Group. “The students brought creativity and care to a design process rooted in listening, sustainability, and inclusion.”
The student work builds on momentum outlined in the University of Iowa Living Labs Progress Report, which highlights over a year of cross-campus collaboration to identify, activate, and support living lab spaces. The report documents partnerships with more than 25 campus units and outlines strategies for integrating outdoor learning into university systems, infrastructure, and curriculum. The Biology Courtyard project exemplifies these efforts by demonstrating how student-led design, stakeholder input, and interdisciplinary thinking can bring living lab principles to life. The full report is available at living.lab.uiowa.edu/progressreport.
To learn more about Living Labs at the University of Iowa, visit https://living.lab.uiowa.edu.
