The study analysed the cooperation between universities offering courses in landscape architecture, architecture and urban planning on the one hand, and local authorities on the other. The issue was examined in the context of public space design in rural areas, which is much less frequently addressed by theorists and practitioners than public space in cities, as indicated by the literature review. As the students’ projects concern the village of Cellettes in the Centre-Val de Loire region of central France, the authors reviewed the literature on the current framework for the development of public space in France. Particular attention was paid to issues related to the shaping of public space in villages, the changing expectations of rural residents, and the challenges faced by local authorities and designers. The article provides a multidimensional assessment of nineteen projects by fifth-semester landscape architecture students at the University of Agriculture in Krakow who were involved in the design of public spaces. The starting point for the projects was the assumptions presented in the form of two scenarios received from the mayor of Cellettes. The authors drew attention to the diversity of the projects, which may be valuable for authorities and residents in terms of functional and spatial decisions, as well as the choice of small-scale architecture, vegetation, and materials.