An integral part of the Center's mission is to provide community outreach and service activities to neighborhoods and other organizations while offering students invaluable immersive learning experiences. As the only State-supported school of design in Indiana, our College has long felt an obligation to support communities and organizations throughout Indiana.  We also believe that our students learn best by working on real projects, alongside real professionals, on real problems that affect real people. 

CAP:IC faculty, staff, and students are available to assist in research and community projects.  While we are known for our visioning and community engagement work, we are also available to serve as project staff in partnership with non-profit, community, and local government organizations.  This differs from serving in a consulting role, where you hire us and we return with an answer.  If you need professional design consulting services, we recommend hiring a design professional.  See the American Insitute of Architects, and American Society of Landscape Architects, or the American Planning Association for design professionals that can help.  CAP:IC does not typically respond to Requests for Proposals (RFPs) that are also distributed to professional firms. 

Assistance from CAP:IC is customized to the particular need of the neighborhood, community, or organization and varies in terms of duration, resources, and project deliverables. Where possible, CAP:IC also partners community projects with other local resources and organizations. 

  • participating on boards, design juries, and task forces
  • academic design studios and classes undertaking a community design or planning issue as a class project
  • community design charrettes that quickly analyze a design issue and develop a series of alternative visions
  • community education, visioning exercises, workshops, and trainings
  • research activities, including demographic research and best-practice research
  • field-work, including building exterior building condition and land use inventories
  • geographic information and mapping needs
  • grant-supported research or studies
  • community initiative support.

There are some requests that typically do not fall within our mission, including:

  • architectural services, including detailed building plans, structural evaluation, landscape plans, etc.
  • legal documents, codes and ordinances without a substantial research or community engagement component
  • market or economic studies
  • finished drawings, working drawings, or construction drawings.

CAP:IC projects are typically externally funded by a partnering organization or through a grant source. While affordable, CAP:IC must recover costs associated with most projects and can work with neighborhoods and organizations on funding strategies.

To discuss how CAP:IC might assist your neighborhood, community, or organization, contact Justin Ferguson.

Our Past Projects include:

  • Reconnecting to Our Waterways
  • Mid-North Quality of Life Plan
  • General Motors Plant Reuse Data Inventory
  • Emerson Heights Design Charrette
  • East Washington Street Vision Plan
  • Transit-Oriented Development: Next Generation Neighborhoods Transit Exhibit
  • Morris Street Streetscape Feasibility Study
  • Smart Growth District
  • Downtown Green Amenities Inventory
  • Indy Land Bank Website
  • INRC Neighborhood Organizer's Workbook
  • Clermont Design Charrette
  • Western Gateway Initiative Design Charrette
  • SEND Fab for Less on New Jersey Street
  • FOCUS Website
  • Speedway SpeedZone Design Charrette
  • Historic Meridian Park Beautification Blueprint
  • Great Indy Neighborhoods Initiative (GINI)
  • Regional Center Urban Design Guidelines
  • Indianapolis Gateways Study
  • United Northwest Area (UNWA) Neighborhood Plan
  • Irvington Neighborhood Plan
  • Herron Reuse Study
  • Indianapolis Cultural Districts Initiative
  • Tinker Street (16th Street) Design Charrette
  • Abandoned Housing Inventory
  • TenEast Main Street Design Charrette
  • Central State Reuse Study
  • Regional Center Plan 2020