Pedagogy 2025

Abstract

Urban green spaces, particularly in low-income neighborhoods, are often scarce or ecologically inactive, existing as lawns or riverbanks dominated by invasive species. Responding to this condition, students at Marywood University engaged in a three-year community design-build initiative to reimagine vacant land in Scranton, Pennsylvania, as a living laboratory for environmental stewardship. Integrating research on local biodiversity and sustainable systems, the interdisciplinary team designed and fabricated installations including a hydroponic vertical planter wall, tiered accessible planters, and sculptural elements referencing the city’s industrial heritage. The initiative positions making as a method of inquiry, linking ecological restoration, design experimentation, and community engagement. Through this process, students applied discipline-specific expertise in the field while navigating the intersection of environmental, cultural, and social factors. Findings suggest that community design-build projects extend beyond aesthetic or functional aims to become acts of advocacy, educating the public, supporting native species, and cultivating a collective sense of place. Ultimately, this work demonstrates how hands-on, interdisciplinary collaboration can serve as a transformative pedagogical framework, one that unites environmental responsibility, creative practice, and civic engagement. By reframing design-build as a pedagogy of place, this project reveals how higher education can contribute meaningfully to both the sustainability and vitality of the communities it serves.