THIS MUST BE THE PLACE

ST PAUL TRADE SCHOOL

CELEBRATING IDENTITY & HISTORY
FAMILY CENTERED
COMMUNITY CENTERED & CIVIC AMENITIES
YEAR ROUND APPEAL
LOCAL BIOGENIC MATERIALS

Celebrating Identity & History
This project aims to create a dstinctive sense of place for St Paul’s downtown. the site is comprised of four Lanterns, or beacons. Lanterns have cultural significance for many of St Paul’s residents from different backgrounds. Lanterns can be seen as a gateway, or used for wayfinding. they are used for celebrations or for marking the new year. they may symbolize good luck, health, or spirituality. The goal is for the lanterns to not only be a gateway to the city, but to encourage people to gather within their warm glow.

Family Centered
The activites and spaces in the community center and trade school are family centric. Throughout the year there is a large amount of lounge & gathering space for families to play, learn, and share community. the community garden, amphitheater pond, and ice skating rink provide outdoor space for families to learn and recreate throughout the entire year.

Community Centered & Civic Amenities
The lanterns contain a workshop, teaching kitchen, classrooms, lounge/Cafe, and event space. the surrounding site features a community garden, an amphitheater for outdoor learning, a meditation garden, a walking path through native plantings, and a detention pond that doubles as an ice rink in the winter. The interiors are warm and bright and open, creating an inviting gathering space for residents.

Year Round outdoor appeal
minnesota residents get through the hard winters with fun activities and warm indoor environments. the ice rink will be a fun place to enjoy the outdoors in the winter, and in the warmer months it becomes a beautiful water feature and habitat for local flora and fauna.

Local Biogenic Materials
built using local stone, wood, and straw, this project aims to use biogenic materials to set an example in the building industry and to familiarize residents with the benefits of using plants in the built environment.