How many community college campuses can boast being
exhibited at New York’s Museum of Modern Art? Parkland College can do just
that, thanks to an exhibit
on modern architecture curated by Arthur Drexler in 1979. But who was responsible for what was, if
you’ll excuse the pun, such a “groundbreaking” design?
Back in 1967, careful thought was put into selecting an
architect for Parkland’s permanent campus by its first president, Dr. William
Staerkel and the District 505 Board. From a field of thirty architects, they
unanimously chose Ernest J.
Kump, Jr., the foremost authority in community college design and known
internationally for his concept of “educational village.” Kump, with the help
of educational consultants, Davis MacConnell Ralston, Inc., proposed a design
which provided a homelike atmosphere, encouraged interaction among students and
faculty, and accommodated for future growth. From Educational Specifications for Parkland College from June 1968, “In
essence, Parkland College may be thought of as an envelope drawn around the
educational program it is to contain.” Construction
began in 1970, following Kump’s plan for seemingly separate but connected
buildings, sloped roofs, and careful attention to the natural surroundings of
the campus.
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Drawing by
Earnest J. Kump (1968). In the Regionalist style, Kump designed Parkland around
the topography of the site, using materials appropriate to the area.
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Kump’s
proposal for an interior walkway, 1968. Kump wanted there to be a seamless
transition between the interior and exterior of the building.
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In Kump’s design, and in Dr. Staerkel’s vision for the
campus, the Student Center was considered the “educational heart,” and so it
was literally placed in the center, open to each division of the college.
However, that design was intended for an estimated student body size of 4000,
and enrollment has far exceeded that count. So on April 16, 2012, with the same
shovel that broke ground for construction in 1970, ground was officially broken
on the new Student Services Center, opening Spring 2014. While the new building
redirects student activities away from the center, one thing remains the same:
students are still at the “educational heart” of Parkland.
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If you have a question about Parkland's history
that you'd like to see featured, email us at archives@parkland.edu.
To see some amazing mid-century architecture, check out Transformations in Modern Architecture,
the companion book from the 1979 exhibit, from the Parkland College Library.
These factoids about Parkland's history are so interesting. Thank you.
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