What if students could help shape real cities?

At the University of Utah Asia Campus, that’s already happening.

This week, we opened our Urban Ecology Students Work Exhibition at Yeonsu District Office in Incheon—inviting the community to explore how student ideas can translate into real urban solutions.

These projects didn’t stay in the classroom.
Led by Professor Idil Ayral, students worked on real-world urban challenges—thinking through sustainability, public space, and how people actually experience cities. The exhibition brings those ideas to life through models, visual concepts, and design proposals that imagine what cities like Songdo could become.

What makes this exhibition especially meaningful is the collaboration behind it. From reimagining Songdo’s waterfront in “Songdo 2050” to designing a public park connected to a live development project in Utah through the Cottonwood Heights Sister Park Project, students worked at the intersection of local context and global partnership.

Some of these proposals are even being shared with stakeholders abroad—bridging the gap between academic work and real-world impact.

“This is what learning should look like,” said Gregory Hill, Chief Administrative Officer of the U Asia Campus. “Students engaging with real problems—and contributing ideas that matter.”

Professor Idil Ayral added, “Through this studio, students explored design approaches that address both sustainability and public value within real urban contexts. We hope this exhibition will serve as a platform to further collaboration among cities, local communities, and global partners.”

The exhibition is open to the public through March 27—a chance to see how the next generation of urban planners is already thinking ahead.

📍 Yeonsu District Office, Incheon (115 Woninjae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, South Korea)
🎟 Free admission