Learning at the Threshold proposes a civic space for learning and support in downtown Bakersfield that addresses the psychological and social barriers first-generation and working class students face when navigating higher education. Located adjacent to Mill Creek Park, the project positions learning between institutional systems and everyday public life, where support can be encountered informally rather than formally sought.
The design is organized by a continuous, inhabitable boundary derived from site geometries that acts as a spatial threshold, integrating seating, learning, and circulation while framing a central civic forum. By transforming the boundary into a place of occupation, the project creates a porous civic space where learning and support unfold through daily life.
