Social Service Agency Workplace Expansion
Clues (Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio)
With approximately half of Minnesota’s Hispanic/Latine population under the age of 21 and the senior Hispanic/Latine population projected to increase more than 700% by 2025, CLUES (Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio) is at the epicenter of community growth. An expansion increases CLUES programming space to meet future demand, while enhancing the services and classes already provided.
Through interactive workshops, BWBR and CLUES laid the framework for a design that puts a modern spin on existing spaces and gently draws inspiration from traditional Latine arts and cultural gathering spaces. Vibrant colors and an abstract sun pattern, reminiscent of papel picado, bring the CLUES brand to life and invite the outside community in.
Like the CLUES programs themselves, the expansion is technology-enriched and designed to flex between services and age ranges. A teen technology center, multi-purpose classrooms and meeting spaces, small areas for micro-businesses, and Aging Well Services (relocated from the West Saint Paul campus) provide community members access to educational and skill building opportunities. Other healthful resources include a teaching and demonstration kitchen that doubles as Aging Well Services space, a pre-K center, and an art classroom.
Project Highlights
Team
Additional Team Members
Stephanie McDaniel
Principal
Don Thomas (retired)
Principal
Erin McKiel
Project Manager
Project Specs
Size:
19,300 sq. ft.
Components:
Educational Enrichment Academy; Teen Tech Center; new Career and Skill Training Center with six flexible classrooms (including an art classroom and two new technology classrooms for all ages) that open up to create a meeting space for up to 120 people; new home for CLUES’ Latine elders; Center for Cultural Creativity and Artistic Development; commercial teaching kitchen
Completion:
2019