Shawnee Mission Northwest Students Bring New Life to Oak Park Mall Seating Areas

Shoppers at Oak Park Mall have a stylish new space to enhance their shopping experience thanks to the creativity of interior design students from Shawnee Mission Northwest. Under the guidance of interior design teacher Adena Woltering, the students partnered with Oak Park Mall to create a sitting area within the mall, complete with lighting, wall coverings, and furniture.

This assignment was a Real World Learning opportunity. As a Client Connected Project (CCP), students were able to gain professional experience in a real world setting. Oak Park Mall general manager, Karla Engel, was the client and she tasked the students with managing and overseeing the renovation.

“We presented the students with an opportunity to design something that was inviting and kind of a nice surprise for shoppers when they were coming out of Macy's and Nordstrom in terms of a seating area and some art and wall installations,” explained Engel

Engel met with the students throughout the process to offer feedback and guide the design based on the mall’s needs.

“We talked about things like durability, furniture and lighting, and making things appealing to a broad number of people,” said Engel. 

After each meeting, students revised their mood boards and designs to integrate Engel’s feedback. This collaborative process was new for some students and provided valuable experience. 

“I think that a skill that I didn't have before, that I got through this project is designing based on not my needs, but other people's needs and the community's needs,” shared Northwest senior, Annabelle Roberts. 

Northwest sophomore, Yesha Shah, also emphasized how much she learned beyond the classroom. Budget constraints and differing ideas pushed the group to compromise and think critically about both design and practicality. “I feel like at first I did kind of picture an idea,” said Shah. “But, then it was more of, oh, this is a group thing. It's a long process, but, in the end, we all figured it out. It was a group effort.”

Woltering said she was proud of how the students collaborated. “They all got along so well and listened to each other's ideas,” she noted. “It was great to see them pull together different concepts from their mood boards and combine them into a cohesive design.”

The finished spaces feature a neutral color palette with modern light fixtures and furniture, and an accent wall that showcases a large piece of artwork. Engel says Phase 2 of this project will incorporate student artwork. She would like for SMSD students to submit their work for review and two pieces will be selected for display in the seating areas. The art will also be for purchase. 

“So, as student artists want to pursue a career in art, or they're an emerging artist and they want to feature their artwork, they'll have that opportunity,” explained Engel. “It's sort of our next level of continuing these real world learning experiences across a broad range of careers and skills and interests.”

Through community partnerships like this and Real World Learning opportunities, SMSD students are able to take their education beyond the classroom and gain valuable hands-on learning for their future careers and endeavors. For Roberts and Shah, this project not only boosts their professional qualifications, but it’s a source of pride. They shared they are grateful to have helped design a space that will have a positive impact in their community. Click here to learn more about Real World Learning in the Shawnee Mission School District.