USC Co-Lab Studio: Operationalising Institutional Co-Design

The Context

Universities and Councils often operate in silos, missing opportunities to leverage local student talent for public infrastructure. In the “Knowledge Precinct” of Sippy Downs, the Sunshine Coast Council sought to bridge this gap. The challenge was to move beyond theoretical student projects and deliver a rigorous, industry-standard design process for a high-profile public asset, the Sippy Downs Entry Statement. This required a structured interface between academic inquiry and the technical realities of municipal infrastructure delivery.

The Collaboration

This project established the Sunshine Coast Place Co-Lab, a tripartite partnership between Sunshine Coast Council, the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC), and POMO. Modelled on Vancouver’s “City Studio,” the initiative engaged students across urban planning, creative writing, and communication design. POMO served as the industry lead, translating Council’s strategic requirements into a pedagogical framework that allowed students to function as junior consultants rather than just learners.

Delivering the Co-Lab: The Implementation Process

POMO’s role was to enforce professional rigour within an academic setting. We structured the studio not as a class, but as a live consultancy project with strict deliverables and “real-world” constraints.

Methodological Framework: We implemented a bespoke “Place-Driven Design” curriculum, moving students from site analysis to concept generation. This included mandatory cultural immersion tours with Indigenous consultants to ensure First Nations narratives were embedded in the design logic from day one.
Technical Constraints & Reality Checking: Unlike standard student projects, designs were vetted against actual site constraints, including roadway safety standards and material durability. We facilitated mentorships with landscape architects and structural engineers to ground “blue sky” ideas in constructible reality.
Cross-Disciplinary Integration: We managed diverse student cohorts combining “storytellers” (creative writing) with “makers” (engineering/design) to mirror the actual workflow of a multi-disciplinary design firm.
The “Return Brief” Protocol: Students were required to produce a formal Return Brief and professional creative journals, documenting their decision-making process to a standard suitable for Council review.

The Impact

The Co-Lab proved that student-led design, when expertly managed, can drive major public infrastructure projects.

Tangible Built Outcome: The studio directly produced the concept for the Sippy Downs Entry Statement, which was subsequently developed and built by POMO (winning a 2022 AILA Award).
Capacity Building: The project delivered measurable professional development for the region’s emerging workforce, with students gaining credit for delivering industry-standard work.
Strategic Blueprint: The success of this pilot established a scalable model for University-Council collaboration, demonstrating how “Place Co-Labs” can de-risk creative procurement while fostering community ownership.

Social Sustainability Outcomes

Real-World Educational Experience: The project was a capstone university subject that gave students a unique opportunity to work on a real-world urban design project. This provided practical, industry-based experience in designing something to be built in a public space.
Professional Collaboration and Mentorship: Students worked collaboratively with a diverse team of industry professionals, including design consultants (POMO), artists, an Indigenous consultant, and a landscape architect from the council. This partnership provided direct mentorship and guidance on creating realistic, place-driven design concepts.
Cross-Disciplinary Skill Development: The studio brought together students from a wide range of courses, such as psychology, creative writing, urban planning, and game design. This cross-disciplinary approach proved valuable in fostering innovative thinking and collaborative problem-solving.
Cultural Education and Immersion: A key part of the process was a cultural immersion tour, which helped students understand the local Indigenous history of the area. This ensures that the design outcomes are culturally informed and respectful.
Community Placemaking: The ultimate goal of the student-led project was to design a gateway entrance for the Sippy Downs suburb as part of a council streetscape upgrade. This contributes directly to strengthening the local community’s identity and sense of place.