Centrally located in the heart of Kansas City, the Penn Valley campus is home to a variety of students, welcoming students by bike, foot, auto or city bus routes. The new outdoor learning environment acts as a “front door” to campus, encouraging students of the commuter campus to stick around and connect with peers while enjoying the outdoors. Built-in seating and shade offer space for students to work on schoolwork or wait for their ride after class. The entire project was designed, built and led by our team of emerging professionals and involved key feedback from MCC students, impacting the final design. Sun-studies and weather analyses were conducted to determine positioning on the site, as well as the selection of appropriate materials allowing the learning environment to endure for years to come. The final design is a modern, outdoor gathering area for students to connect before or after class.