What is the KCDC?

Located in the heart of downtown Kansas City, the Kansas City Design Center (KCDC) is a nationally-recognized, service-learning design program that operates as a 501(c)3 nonprofit partnership among local civic leaders, professional designers, and the architecture and planning programs at Kansas State University. 

Mission / Purpose

MISSION:
Our mission is to utilize the power of design across all scales to shape a more equitable, resilient, and economically vibrant Kansas City. Through collaboration between students, design professionals, community members, and civic institutions, we envision a future where design drives meaningful change in our community. We accomplish this through our shared values:


VALUES:

  • Education

  • Public Service

  • Design Excellence

  • Community Resilience

  • Fostering Belonging

  • Real-world Application

VISION:
Our vision is to provide a hands-on urban learning lab where residents, faculty, and design students collaborate to envision a future Kansas City shaped by community. We serve as a public forum offering participatory design opportunities, lectures, and collaborations with local organizations to enhance community quality of life through engagement and design innovation.
 

VIEW KCDC'S PROJECT IMPACT