Studio Information

Our team at the University of Kentucky College of Design desires to shape the future by using innovative, novel, and emerging technologies to design and build projects for our local community. This ambition only happens if we have engaged partners working strategically with us; we have found such a partner in Gate Precast. Famous with designers from around the world, Gate’s precast work has been some of the most significant (and published) in recent memory. Their partnership is made even more attractive by the fact that the College of Design is launching a community-based design studio in Winchester, Kentucky, a city in which Gate has a production facility.

We propose to utilize the Precast Institute Foundation’s curriculum development grant to undertake a four-year project in which our students explore every facet of designing and fabricating precast concrete. To that end, we will design and build projects for the community of Winchester that will work to enhance the city’s downtown and park system. In addition to the design + build aspiration, we further propose that we will become global thought leaders in designing using precast concrete. In order to achieve this, we will develop best practices, host lectures and symposia, integrate precast into our curriculum, and sponsor student and faculty travel to industry events.

With this grant, we will be able to make a significant impact on our small community and develop more innovative practices in design and construction by using precast concrete.