Design students move their studio above tree line to protect fragile alpine ecosystems

DESIGN OUTSIDE STUDIO

The alpine tundra in Rocky Mountain National Park is a land of extremes. Strong winds, precipitation, and cold temperatures shape every living and non-living thing at such altitudes. And conditions can change any moment.

Design department chair Jeremy Shellhorn’s Design Outside Studio is also about extremes and embracing change – getting students outside of the campus setting, outside of typical ways of art/design making, and letting the power of place be the guide.

Last summer, students in the Design Outside (D.O.) Studio stepped into the alpine world to help National Park Service rangers develop strategies to encourage visitors to undestand and protect this unique, fragile, and awe-inspiring ecosystem.

Students in the Design Outside Studio collaborate with government agencies, community organizations, and others on real-world design projects that promote and enhance visitor experiences in parks and public lands.