In order to serve their at-risk student population, St. Paul Public Schools worked with Wold on the design of the Gordon Parks High School, an alternative learning center (ALC). Located conveniently along the light rail line and University Avenue in St. Paul, the facility attracts potential students through an alternative environment to traditional schooling as a means of completing their high school education.
The site was chosen to not only take advantage of pedestrian opportunities and allow access to public transit, but also to provide a facility that would be beneficial to the St. Paul community as a whole. The brownfield site was cleaned up in-situ, and the exterior spaces developed to include small recreational spaces and personal agricultural plots, as well as bike racks and actual green space along the avenue.
The sloping radiused glass along the entry emulates the car dealership showrooms once prevalent along the avenue, and attracts potential students and showcases the learning environment and activities visible within. Science lab settings place an emphasis on daylighting to connect the labs with the outdoors, and circulation spaces include small personalized learning spaces to accommodate pull-out and independent instruction. The flexible design of the building has allowed the facility to easily adjust as needed over the past decade of operation and use.