A study garden to love full well

Across any amount of time that they attend, each K-State student has the opportunity to make an impact on the university.

Katie Chandler's just happens to be a physical one.

For the past two years, Chandler, a graduating fifth-year Master of Architecture student from Kansas City, has helped shape a major outdoor renovation project in the heart of campus near Hale Library.

Set to open this fall, Chandler's vision for a new Coffman Commons Patio will give a makeover to one of the campus' most visited, but perhaps underutilized, spots.

"Spending time in nature and outside is critical for students' well-being," Chandler said. "Throughout this process, I've been glad to be part of a project that will transform this space into an outdoor hub that supports student well-being, celebrates tradition and strengthens community connection."

From student vision to campus reality

During development of the Campus Master Plan, university officials explored new opportunities for the physical spaces around campus, and welcomed student input throughout the process.

In coordination with the Office of the President, K-State's Student Governing Association hosted a student competition in 2024, soliciting proposals for a new or improved outdoor space, with the university contributing $250,000 toward completing the winning proposal.

As an architecture student, Chandler has focused on the design of buildings. Still, she felt compelled to enter the contest, figuring it could be a fun opportunity to apply her design skills in an outdoor context.

"It gave me a chance to be creative outside of my regular studio work," Chandler said. "It wasn't necessarily a contest that was 'low' stakes, but more so 'different' stakes, and it pushed me outside of my comfort zone in a way that forced me to be creative."

The original focus of Chandler's proposal had been to create a new "study garden" concept in the Quad between Hale Library and Willard and Waters Halls. That initial concept could then inform further development at other outdoor areas around campus.

But after initiating the project with K-State Facilities, the focus shifted to Coffman Commons — an underutilized green space south of Hale Library in greater need of improvement.

This area sees plenty of traffic from current students and library-goers, as well as prospective students and their families on the regular campus tour route. Additionally, it is close to several of K-State's student support services and future Campus Master Plan projects.

To guide the implementation of Chandler's proposal, K-State Campus Planning and Project Management selected Schwab Eaton, a Manhattan-based engineering and design firm, to lead the project from design to ribbon-cutting. The firm, in turn, hired Chandler as an intern to work alongside the landscape architects heading the project.

A third spot to love full well

In her classes, Chandler — who has a minor in well-being — learned the mental health benefits of “third places”, places for enjoyment outside of regular home and work, or school, environments.

"Outdoor areas are great examples of that, especially on a college campus when the weather is nice," Chandler said. "You might see people hanging out on blankets, tossing a frisbee or studying at a table. With the Coffman Commons Patio, we have a great opportunity to provide a variety of these spaces so that students can choose the way they experience the outdoors."

In both her original proposal and the final plan she helped develop, Chandler prioritized providing people a comfortable, beautiful outdoor space to enjoy.

 

Taking inspiration from the Campus Master Plan engagement events, Chandler and the Schwab Eaton team collected feedback from passersby at the Hale Library Sunflower Entrance. They refined the design accordingly, ensuring that the final project plan would create another "third space," or spot, to love full well.

The paved patio area will feature ample accessible seating and a central sculpture display, surrounded by garden-like landscaping and illuminated in the evening.

"The Coffman Commons Patio is meant to be a relaxing, outdoor space — complete with plenty of seating options — that K-State students, staff and faculty can use throughout the day," Chandler said. "The idea is that they can support student well-being through promoting outdoor engagement on the K-State campus."

Leaving her mark

Chad Schwartz, professor of architecture, said the project gave Chandler a rare opportunity to experience nearly every stage of the design process — from concept development to implementation.

"Like a good internship, this process has allowed Katie to not only generate the design framework of a project, but to also interact with all of the people and entities that are required to take a conceptual design and turn it into a reality," Schwartz said. "She has had the opportunity to understand what it takes to transform ideas into reality and how a design evolves along that journey.

"Unlike an internship, however, Katie has independently taken on this challenge," he continued, "demonstrating and developing leadership skills and intellectual drive that will serve her incredibly well as she now graduates and moves out into the professional world of architecture."

Work on the Coffman Commons Patio is set to begin this summer, with a ribbon-cutting tentatively scheduled for September 2026.

Beyond this initial phase, plans for future improvements in the Coffman Commons area include improvements to the lawn, terraced seating and a bike and scooter parking area, as university funding allows. Additionally, Chandler also proposed a central spot on the patio where student art and work could be displayed, carrying on the spirit of a student-driven space.

Although Chandler is graduating this spring and won't get to enjoy the space as a student, she's proud to have the opportunity to give back to the campus and looks forward to seeing the vision come to life.

"Ever since my design was selected, I've been excited to bring to life some of these ideas and improve campus for all of the generations of students that will love this place like I did," Chandler said.

"Not many people get the chance to say they left this kind of physical impact on campus, and I'm proud to have played a role in it."