ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a collection of nine US-based academic case studies that reflect the spirit of the SEED process in developing public interest design projects with community partners. Projects share essential considerations defined within the SEED Evaluator, fundamentals which underscore a public interest design endeavor. These include inclusivity through intentional and culturally relevant engagement; an issue-based approach derived from community-identified concerns; and a requirement for evaluation of iterative processes and outputs. In the realm of academic projects, evaluation of shared knowledge through project co-creation outcomes is often apparent. Each case study addresses project-specific learning objectives; the primary social, economic and/or environmental issues addressed; the community-based challenge; pedagogical goals; project results; and learning outcomes. Featured projects include Design in Partnership With the Lama Foundation, Pleasant Street Pedestrian Project, A Social Approach to Design, Cooperative Education at the Detroit Collaborative Design Center, Com(m)a, The Farm Rover, On Site: Public Art and Design, South of California Avenue, and With Sacramento.
