For the past 15 years, graduate students in Jim Nicholls' Materials and Construction Assemblies II class have been assigned to create concrete castings in order to gain tangible construction experience. These castings have served many purposes over the years, from solar screens to bird habitats to rain diverters. The work of past students can still be seen around campus, as many have been integrated into campus garden landscapes.—Text and photos by Erin Lodi