The University Design Center collaborates closely with businesses and corporations across the nation, engaging in research, design, and space planning endeavors. Our faculty members and students leverage their expertise and enthusiasm to address real-world design challenges, benefiting both our community partners and the broader design community.
We believe that the impact of design transcends mere physical space; it encompasses a spectrum of value, influencing our lives, behaviors, and interactions while delivering tangible benefits in energy efficiency, human comfort, wellness, and financial assessment. Our services encompass pre-design (often called programming and/or research) and schematic design phases, delivering solutions that are practical, memorable, and impactful for our clients.
While the Pre-Design phase and Schematic design phases are intensive, we prioritize comprehensive exploration during these phases, ensuring that our community partners have a rich array of options to consider.
However, it's important to note that we do not provide services beyond the Schematic Design phase. For Design Development, Construction Documentation, and implementation, you need engage the services of registered architects and/or engineers, once a Schematic Design has been selected. This ensures that projects progress smoothly through the subsequent stages of development and execution.
Click HERE to learn about our services.
“Holy Family Parish is very happy with the results of the collaboration with BSU and School of Interior Design Program. The BSU team helped us to reimagine our space and provided several concrete options to enhance its design and functionality. The students were well-prepared and professional. The instructor, Sarah M. Angne Alfaro, Ph.D., WELL AP, provided excellent support to the students and helped to guide the process of developing a working plan. We now have several plans available to us as we move forward in our discussions on the potential of reopening a Catholic school in LaPorte.”
Madalyn M. Jozaitis
Holy Family Parish
LaPorte, IN
“It was a great pleasure to work with Sarah Angne Alfaro and Sara Rokosz on our projection for the future of our foyer, etc. It definitely was a rewarding experience and exceeded my expectations. I want to complement you and Sara Rokosz for operating with tact, consideration, thoughtfulness and excellence. Also, you kept to the schedule. I never had to worry about timing, it all went according to the preplanned dates. The design suggestions have excited the folks here at the church. Come back later to see the finished product.
I believe Sara has a great future in her career and pray for her great success.”
Rick Bowen
Pastor @ Victory Temple
"I had the pleasure of working with several University Design Center students and their faculty this past academic year. This collaborative process to re-imagine an existing K-12 middle school building into a Theater and Dance educational facility brought together students, faculty, stakeholders and design professionals. The process provided students an opportunity to work through a programming phase of a renovation project. The process confirmed how important the development of programming is to design decision making, and meeting the client’s needs now and beyond. The analysis, research and excellent final product is a testimonial to the quality of students and faculty we have at Ball State University."
James W. Lowe, PE
Associate Vice President
Facilities Planning and Management
"Working with the College of Architecture and Planning students as part of the University Design Center was a highlight for myself and the faculty of theatre and dance in 2019-2020. The students and their faculty mentors were dedicated, invested, and committed to being true partners in the collaborative process. They took great pains to understand the historic spatial challenges we face in theatre and dance. The final designs that were presented showed a level of inventiveness, specificity, design integrity, and creativity that was at a level I would normally expect from seasoned professionals. I would highly recommend this program, faculty, and students to anyone."
Bill Jenkins
Chair and Professor
Department of Theatre and Dance
Ball State University