Richmond Heights Upper School – A School in FlightThe Richmond Heights Upper School is an 88,000 sf educational facility located in the city of Richmond Heights, Ohio and serves 420 students in grades 7-12. Designed with the concept of “aviation” in mind, this modern school uses a mixture of curved metal panels and light brick to evoke feelings of lightness, movement, and flight.

Richmond Heights Upper School – A School in Flight

The Richmond Heights Upper School is an 88,000 sf educational facility located in the city of Richmond Heights, Ohio and serves 420 students in grades 7-12. Adjacent to the Cuyahoga County airport, the school was designed with the concept of “aviation” in mind. It uses a mixture of curved metal panels and light brick to evoke feelings of lightness, movement, and flight. It is home to School Board offices and a branch of the Cuyahoga County library , which is a major component for students and the local community. Technology and flexibility play a major role in the school’s design which is evident in the extended learning area and other student oriented spaces. The new school expands District athletic capabilities with two gymnasiums for the high school and middle school, along with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) focused areas such as a “Clean Makerspace ” and “Technology Commons.”

Superintendent Dr. Renee Willis, who led the project for the District feels this facility has the opportunity to transform the community. “It’s the crown jewel of this community and has become a catalyst for a renaissance in Richmond Heights, which is on its way to ‘bigger and better.’ The students, the community, and the library all rallied around this project and made it become a reality.”

This educational facility becomes a technological focal point for Richmond Heights students to further their education, collaborate with peers and receive training in many STEAM related programs.

“It’s the crown jewel of this community and has become a catalyst for a renaissance in Richmond Heights, which is on its way to ‘bigger and better.’”
Dr. Renee Willis
Superintendent at Richmond Heights Local Schools

Educational Visioning for the Richmond Heights Upper School

In January of 2018, the District and TDA hosted an Educational Visioning session with Richmond Heights Local Schools to explore the educational goals for the new school. Held in the gymnasium of the existing Richmond Heights High School, dozens of educators, designers and District administrators participated in a series of exercises which would serve as a foundation for the design of the new school. They identified the successes and challenges of existing facilities, documented goals for the new building and collaborated in an interactive exercise that allowed attendees to layout the new site and explore spatial relationships between the main components of the building.

James Cowan, the project manager for the Richmond Heights Upper School recalled: “First, we listened to the community and made sure we understood what was most important to them. In terms of spaces and usage but also in terms of safety and security.” Considering security in a building that had both “public” and “private” areas was paramount, “This was a huge component to consider from day one. We had to understand how to best separate public spaces like the gymnasium, Media Center and Student Dining from the more private academic oriented spaces.”

Many of these relationships were established in the Educational Visioning Session and many community meetings throughout the design process.

“Through an Educational Visioning Session and multiple community meetings, we listened to feedback and incorporated their concerns into the design. This was in terms of safety and how spaces should function, even at different times of day.”

Richmond Heights Upper School, Educational Visioning

“In this school, we provided a blend of modern and traditional spaces for the District to educate their students in.”
James Cowan
Project Manager

Design Concepts and Features of the Upper School

Since the school is located adjacent to the Cuyahoga County Airport, this provided the inspiration for building materials and design cues. Sweeping curved metal panels accent the exterior and create a feeling of lightness. This gives the sense that the structure could “take off” at any moment and roots it in the aviation aesthetic. This sense of dynamic movement is carried over into the interior using a central corridor which connects the major spaces in the building. This central spine is activated by full scale wall graphics and provides select views into more public spaces through glass curtain walls. Furniture in public spaces includes soft seating that compliments the modern environment.

A partnership between Richmond Heights Local School District and the county airport allows for additional academic programs that introduce high school students to the aviation industry. Space in the school is dedicated to teaching aviation by providing hands on experience with unmanned aerial vehicles and flight simulator equipment.

“Students are excited because they’re engaged in new programs,” said Dr. Willis, she is particularly excited about these new programs for students. “There’s no longer just traditional reading, writing, and arithmetic, you now have innovative electives that excite students. Our teachers are also connecting those electives to their core teachings.”

The architecture combined with new programs, elevates educational opportunities for students in the District.

One challenge that designers faced with this project was incorporating a significant 9′ elevation change from the north end of the site to the south. To prevent costly extensive sitework, the central corridor was constructed to slope across the building. This slope, being ADA compliant, eliminated the need for stairs at various points in the school and further emphasized the concept of movement throughout building.

The school responds to the site elevation changes and its contextual surroundings. Near an existing elementary school on the east side of the site, the Richmond Heights Upper School reduces to a single story so as not to tower over the shorter school . The circulation paths were designed so elementary school students could have access to the new upper school. It also takes advantage of existing traffic patterns, using existing roads for bus transportation and library access. Additionally, the schools’ new athletic facilities and locker rooms were carefully placed to allow students easy access to the existing track and field.

Richmond Heights Upper School, Classrooms and Building Details

“It’s surreal, because I remember stomping the streets, knocking on doors, speaking to homeowners’ associations, trying to sell a vision and now the vision has come to reality.”
Dr. Renee Willis
Superintendent at Richmond Heights Local Schools

Cuyahoga County Library

A unique feature of the new school is the inclusion of a branch of the Cuyahoga County Library. This public space provides opportunities for both community access and student collaboration. During design, the Richmond Heights Local School District, along with the Cuyahoga County Public Library provided input on the library’s design. The location of this 5,600 sf branch was carefully chosen, and allowed the library to have its own separate entrance while also connecting to the Upper School’s entrance lobby. The library features small group rooms for use by the community , including the YMCA’s Silver sneakers program, with technology-rich connectivity. Easy parking is provided for public access, even while school is in session.

At the “Unity in the Community Back-to-School Extravaganza,” an open house for the school, educators, students, vendors and community members all came to tour the facility, to learn more about the District, support local businesses and celebrate National Night Out, among other activities.

At the event, Superintendent Willis talked about her hopes for an impact on the broader region. “People in the community are excited about the school and hopefully other ideas come from this because I want it to be a city school collaborative.”

The school having been designed with a focus on technology, flexibility and collaboration presents many future opportunities for student and residents.

Richmond Heights Upper School, “Unity in the Community” and the Cuyahoga County Public Library

Designed with Flexibility in Mind

A hallmark of the Richmond Heights Upper School is flexibility. The student dining space is an excellent example of this. During the school day, the space is used for student dining, while in the evening, it can transform into a community space that can be rented out. This assembly space is outfitted with wall mounted mechanized seating for 210 people. A raised platform serves as a stage with lighting and acoustics to support both school or presentation functions.

Middle School academic spaces feature overhead doors that can open into an extended learning area. Educators can open their classrooms and combine with other educators to collaborate on large group projects.

The school’s “Technology Commons” provides a flexible environment for students to meet in smaller informal groups and use the learning stair for presentations. Connected to the Tech Commons is a “Makers Lab” that includes 3D printers, and other modern digital creation tools. These spaces further promote the concept of movement and activity since glass curtain walls allow visibility to the central corridor.

“How do we transform what was yesterday, into what see today…and what we want to see tomorrow?

James Cowan believes that flexible building design can help students incorporate technology to face challenges they will see in the future. “It is hard to respond to changes in technology since it moves so quickly, but we can definitely provide space for students to explore technology. In this school, we provided a blend of modern and traditional spaces for the District to educate their students in.”

James credits the wide variety of stakeholders and leadership from the District.

“This is partially a result of the input we had from stakeholders such as the school board, superintendent , community, students, educators, consultants and interior design teams. Everyone was asking themselves—‘How can we have a balanced, realistic approach for a unique school district like Richmond Heights Local Schools?’

Richmond Heights Upper School, STEAM focused “Clean Makerspace” and the new gymnasium facilities.

“There’s no longer just traditional reading, writing, and arithmetic, you now have innovative electives that excite students. Our teachers are also connecting those electives to their core teachings.”
Dr. Renee Willis
Superintendent at Richmond Heights Local Schools

Impacting the Community with the Richmond Heights Upper School

“A student’s experience is the most important part of school design, thinking about that is the “bread and butter” of an educational architect’s work.” reflected James on the design process. “There was a point in design where we presented an animation of the building before construction. A middle school student who wasn’t a part of Richmond Height’s Upper School yet, was brought in by the Superintendent to watch the animation. I won’t forget the look on his face, and he said ‘Wow, I can’t wait to see that building next year!’ and that really pumped me up. He is probably attending the new school now.”

The superintendent echoed the same sentiments in bringing that vision to the community during design.

“It’s surreal, because I remember stomping the streets, knocking on doors, speaking to homeowners’ associations, trying to sell a vision,” Dr. Willis commented standing in one of the extended learning areas in the new school, “and now the vision has come to reality.”

Good architectural design can positively impact a community in multiple ways.

“It’s not just about transforming an environment,” commented James, “the school can bring new energy.”

The motto at Richmond Heights Local Schools is: “It’s a new day for the Richmond Heights Way,” James reflects, “I feel like this building embodies that saying. ‘It’s a new day.’ We hope to transform the community with this new beacon for Richmond Heights.”

Project Design Challenges:

• Develop an efficient 7-12 facility that aesthetically ties into its immediate site, while taking cues from the surrounding site, such as an existing elementary school and residential areas.
• Incorporate a 9′ elevation change running north/south in the school without disrupting circulation on the interior.
• Develop a 5,600 sf branch of the Cuyahoga County Library inside the school, allowing it to be easily accessible to the public during school operation.
• Provide clear spatial separation between middle and upper schools and emphasize safety and security measures while also maintaining an open and dynamic interior environment.
• Utilize existing site circulation to service both the Upper School and Cuyahoga County Library.

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Richmond Heights Upper School – A School in FlightThe Richmond Heights Upper School is an 88,000 sf educational facility located in the city of Richmond Heights, Ohio and serves 420 students in grades 7-12. Designed with the concept of “aviation” in mind, this modern school uses a mixture of curved metal panels and light brick to evoke feelings of lightness, movement, and flight.

Richmond Heights Upper School – A School in Flight

The Richmond Heights Upper School is an 88,000 sf educational facility located in the city of Richmond Heights, Ohio and serves 420 students in grades 7-12. Adjacent to the Cuyahoga County airport, the school was designed with the concept of “aviation” in mind. It uses a mixture of curved metal panels and light brick to evoke feelings of lightness, movement, and flight. It is home to School Board offices and a branch of the Cuyahoga County library , which is a major component for students and the local community. Technology and flexibility play a major role in the school’s design which is evident in the extended learning area and other student oriented spaces. The new school expands District athletic capabilities with two gymnasiums for the high school and middle school, along with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) focused areas such as a “Clean Makerspace ” and “Technology Commons.”

Superintendent Dr. Renee Willis, who led the project for the District feels this facility has the opportunity to transform the community. “It’s the crown jewel of this community and has become a catalyst for a renaissance in Richmond Heights, which is on its way to ‘bigger and better.’ The students, the community, and the library all rallied around this project and made it become a reality.”

This educational facility becomes a technological focal point for Richmond Heights students to further their education, collaborate with peers and receive training in many STEAM related programs.

“It’s the crown jewel of this community and has become a catalyst for a renaissance in Richmond Heights, which is on its way to ‘bigger and better.’”
Dr. Renee Willis
Superintendent at Richmond Heights Local Schools

Educational Visioning for the Richmond Heights Upper School

In January of 2018, the District and TDA hosted an Educational Visioning session with Richmond Heights Local Schools to explore the educational goals for the new school. Held in the gymnasium of the existing Richmond Heights High School, dozens of educators, designers and District administrators participated in a series of exercises which would serve as a foundation for the design of the new school. They identified the successes and challenges of existing facilities, documented goals for the new building and collaborated in an interactive exercise that allowed attendees to layout the new site and explore spatial relationships between the main components of the building.

James Cowan, the project manager for the Richmond Heights Upper School recalled: “First, we listened to the community and made sure we understood what was most important to them. In terms of spaces and usage but also in terms of safety and security.” Considering security in a building that had both “public” and “private” areas was paramount, “This was a huge component to consider from day one. We had to understand how to best separate public spaces like the gymnasium, Media Center and Student Dining from the more private academic oriented spaces.”

Many of these relationships were established in the Educational Visioning Session and many community meetings throughout the design process.

“Through an Educational Visioning Session and multiple community meetings, we listened to feedback and incorporated their concerns into the design. This was in terms of safety and how spaces should function, even at different times of day.”

Richmond Heights Upper School, Educational Visioning

“In this school, we provided a blend of modern and traditional spaces for the District to educate their students in.”
James Cowan
Project Manager

Design Concepts and Features of the Upper School

Since the school is located adjacent to the Cuyahoga County Airport, this provided the inspiration for building materials and design cues. Sweeping curved metal panels accent the exterior and create a feeling of lightness. This gives the sense that the structure could “take off” at any moment and roots it in the aviation aesthetic. This sense of dynamic movement is carried over into the interior using a central corridor which connects the major spaces in the building. This central spine is activated by full scale wall graphics and provides select views into more public spaces through glass curtain walls. Furniture in public spaces includes soft seating that compliments the modern environment.

A partnership between Richmond Heights Local School District and the county airport allows for additional academic programs that introduce high school students to the aviation industry. Space in the school is dedicated to teaching aviation by providing hands on experience with unmanned aerial vehicles and flight simulator equipment.

“Students are excited because they’re engaged in new programs,” said Dr. Willis, she is particularly excited about these new programs for students. “There’s no longer just traditional reading, writing, and arithmetic, you now have innovative electives that excite students. Our teachers are also connecting those electives to their core teachings.”

The architecture combined with new programs, elevates educational opportunities for students in the District.

One challenge that designers faced with this project was incorporating a significant 9′ elevation change from the north end of the site to the south. To prevent costly extensive sitework, the central corridor was constructed to slope across the building. This slope, being ADA compliant, eliminated the need for stairs at various points in the school and further emphasized the concept of movement throughout building.

The school responds to the site elevation changes and its contextual surroundings. Near an existing elementary school on the east side of the site, the Richmond Heights Upper School reduces to a single story so as not to tower over the shorter school . The circulation paths were designed so elementary school students could have access to the new upper school. It also takes advantage of existing traffic patterns, using existing roads for bus transportation and library access. Additionally, the schools’ new athletic facilities and locker rooms were carefully placed to allow students easy access to the existing track and field.

Richmond Heights Upper School, Classrooms and Building Details

“It’s surreal, because I remember stomping the streets, knocking on doors, speaking to homeowners’ associations, trying to sell a vision and now the vision has come to reality.”
Dr. Renee Willis
Superintendent at Richmond Heights Local Schools

Cuyahoga County Library

A unique feature of the new school is the inclusion of a branch of the Cuyahoga County Library. This public space provides opportunities for both community access and student collaboration. During design, the Richmond Heights Local School District, along with the Cuyahoga County Public Library provided input on the library’s design. The location of this 5,600 sf branch was carefully chosen, and allowed the library to have its own separate entrance while also connecting to the Upper School’s entrance lobby. The library features small group rooms for use by the community , including the YMCA’s Silver sneakers program, with technology-rich connectivity. Easy parking is provided for public access, even while school is in session.

At the “Unity in the Community Back-to-School Extravaganza,” an open house for the school, educators, students, vendors and community members all came to tour the facility, to learn more about the District, support local businesses and celebrate National Night Out, among other activities.

At the event, Superintendent Willis talked about her hopes for an impact on the broader region. “People in the community are excited about the school and hopefully other ideas come from this because I want it to be a city school collaborative.”

The school having been designed with a focus on technology, flexibility and collaboration presents many future opportunities for student and residents.

Richmond Heights Upper School, “Unity in the Community” and the Cuyahoga County Public Library

Designed with Flexibility in Mind

A hallmark of the Richmond Heights Upper School is flexibility. The student dining space is an excellent example of this. During the school day, the space is used for student dining, while in the evening, it can transform into a community space that can be rented out. This assembly space is outfitted with wall mounted mechanized seating for 210 people. A raised platform serves as a stage with lighting and acoustics to support both school or presentation functions.

Middle School academic spaces feature overhead doors that can open into an extended learning area. Educators can open their classrooms and combine with other educators to collaborate on large group projects.

The school’s “Technology Commons” provides a flexible environment for students to meet in smaller informal groups and use the learning stair for presentations. Connected to the Tech Commons is a “Makers Lab” that includes 3D printers, and other modern digital creation tools. These spaces further promote the concept of movement and activity since glass curtain walls allow visibility to the central corridor.

“How do we transform what was yesterday, into what see today…and what we want to see tomorrow?

James Cowan believes that flexible building design can help students incorporate technology to face challenges they will see in the future. “It is hard to respond to changes in technology since it moves so quickly, but we can definitely provide space for students to explore technology. In this school, we provided a blend of modern and traditional spaces for the District to educate their students in.”

James credits the wide variety of stakeholders and leadership from the District.

“This is partially a result of the input we had from stakeholders such as the school board, superintendent , community, students, educators, consultants and interior design teams. Everyone was asking themselves—‘How can we have a balanced, realistic approach for a unique school district like Richmond Heights Local Schools?’

Richmond Heights Upper School, STEAM focused “Clean Makerspace” and the new gymnasium facilities.

“There’s no longer just traditional reading, writing, and arithmetic, you now have innovative electives that excite students. Our teachers are also connecting those electives to their core teachings.”
Dr. Renee Willis
Superintendent at Richmond Heights Local Schools

Impacting the Community with the Richmond Heights Upper School

“A student’s experience is the most important part of school design, thinking about that is the “bread and butter” of an educational architect’s work.” reflected James on the design process. “There was a point in design where we presented an animation of the building before construction. A middle school student who wasn’t a part of Richmond Height’s Upper School yet, was brought in by the Superintendent to watch the animation. I won’t forget the look on his face, and he said ‘Wow, I can’t wait to see that building next year!’ and that really pumped me up. He is probably attending the new school now.”

The superintendent echoed the same sentiments in bringing that vision to the community during design.

“It’s surreal, because I remember stomping the streets, knocking on doors, speaking to homeowners’ associations, trying to sell a vision,” Dr. Willis commented standing in one of the extended learning areas in the new school, “and now the vision has come to reality.”

Good architectural design can positively impact a community in multiple ways.

“It’s not just about transforming an environment,” commented James, “the school can bring new energy.”

The motto at Richmond Heights Local Schools is: “It’s a new day for the Richmond Heights Way,” James reflects, “I feel like this building embodies that saying. ‘It’s a new day.’ We hope to transform the community with this new beacon for Richmond Heights.”

Project Design Challenges:

• Develop an efficient 7-12 facility that aesthetically ties into its immediate site, while taking cues from the surrounding site, such as an existing elementary school and residential areas.
• Incorporate a 9′ elevation change running north/south in the school without disrupting circulation on the interior.
• Develop a 5,600 sf branch of the Cuyahoga County Library inside the school, allowing it to be easily accessible to the public during school operation.
• Provide clear spatial separation between middle and upper schools and emphasize safety and security measures while also maintaining an open and dynamic interior environment.
• Utilize existing site circulation to service both the Upper School and Cuyahoga County Library.

Let’s work together to make education better. Interested in speaking with us? Get in touch!

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North High School – Mind, Heart and BodyNorth High School in Eastlake Ohio is a 9-12 facility that embodies the educational ideals of the Willoughby-Eastlake City School District. Conceptually organized around the idea of unifying a student’s “mind,” “heart” and “body,” this unique structure brings “student centered” learning to its lake front community.

North High School, Eastlake Ohio

North High School in Eastlake Ohio is a 9-12 facility embodying the educational ideals of the Willoughby-Eastlake City School District. It promotes student/teacher collaboration and integrates advanced technology, enhancing education in the region. This 2-story, 187,000 sf facility serves its 1,100 students and houses a state-of-the-art performing arts center that seats 500 guests. A central “Student Union” acts as the main circulation hub which leads to a competition gymnasium, media center and dual academic collaboratives. Having been developed in parallel with its sister school Willoughby South, North High School is a 21st century learning facility that exemplifies the district’s goals of modernizing its curriculum and provides flexible spaces to support student centered learning.

Innovative Learning

Innovative student education is nothing new for the Willoughby-Eastlake City School District. Having renovated a training building on the former Eaton Corporate Campus in Willoughby Hills, they began experimenting with modern forms of student engagement and teaching. This educational initiative is known as the Willoughby-Eastlake School of Innovation.

The School of Innovation was a testing ground for the Willoughby-Eastlake City School District and they began implementing a “student centered learning model” with select students on a small scale.

Instead of the typical double loaded corridor which connected relatively small classrooms and focused on teachers lecturing students from the front of the room, this new educational model focused on “project-based learning,” where students were encouraged to collaborate with each other in small groups. With a more flexible open environment, educators were able to teach in a way that traditional educational facilities didn’t support.

As this program developed, the district began seeing successes in the form of student satisfaction and greater engagement in coursework. From these positive early results, they knew this “student centered” approach would be a good fit for their community.

The district then began to create a facilities plan that would address each school in their community, bringing this new model.

“Everything that’s happening in public education right now is very exciting… Good design really facilitates many different methods of learning.”
Abby Rainieri
Educational Design Lead

Educational Visioning

ThenDesign Architecture assisted the district by conducting an educational visioning session. This event brought together community members, district administration and students to define how they wanted to address education in their area. This session identified a vision for education and helped lay the groundwork for how future buildings would be designed.

After passing a bond issue to fund the project, the district decided to create three new buildings, Longfellow, a PreK-5 building, two new high schools (North High School and Willoughby South) and then renovate the rest of the existing schools.

This community-wide update changed the course of education in the district.

Abby Rainieri, Project Manager for North High School commented, “I think student centered learning is very effective at the high school level, because at this stage of education, every student is different. Whether their path takes them to higher education, or right into a career, these spaces are tailored to suit that direction.”

North High School

Located off Stevens boulevard, in Eastlake Ohio, the curved and sweeping exterior uses metal panels and brick to mimic the dynamic forms of Lake Erie in this lake front community.

North was conceptually organized around the idea of unifying a student’s “mind,” “heart” and “body.” A centralized “Student Union” is the entryway to the school, includes student dining, and serves as the “heart” of the building. This space was named after the historic “Union High School,” and is the largest collaborative space which leads to all other locations in the building. The gymnasium and performing arts spaces are the most active learning spaces and symbolize the “body” portion of the building, while the academic spaces symbolize the “mind.” These 3 components, mind, heart, and body are the organizing principals and serve as a “living diagram” for the building.

The academic spaces are divided into the STEM and Humanities programs. Each one is organized around an open collaborative space and likened to the right and left halves of the brain–two necessary elements of a functioning whole. Classrooms in each collaborative are connected to their hub by overhead doors which allow the common space to become an extension of the classroom. Architecturally, the STEM and Humanities hubs are linked by a circulation bridge which overlooks an outdoor “learning commons.”

The second floor of these hubs host small group rooms that are separated by glass walls with integrated technology. The glass provides a visual connection, while maintaining privacy to allow teachers the ability to work with individual students, or for groups of students to prepare and rehearse presentations in a more formal setting.

“Students are free to use the collaborative areas to suit their needs. They want to interact with their friends like at a coffee shop or in their house.”
Abby Rainieri
Educational Design Lead

Interior Finishes

Similar to the deep collaboration among district administrators, community members and designers, both the architectural and interior design teams blended together. Designs for interior circulation and educational program integrated with color schemes, interior textures and furniture.

Within the Humanities hub, warmer colors and soft surfaces were used to reflect a learning style that promotes conversation and idea sharing. In the STEM collaborative, building systems were exposed, harder textures were used along with cool colors. This way the architecture mimicked the science and math fields practiced there. In addition, both academic wings have access to a central learning courtyard where students gather to perform outdoor experiments.

Commenting on how the flexible spaces are used by students, Abby explained “What is rewarding is seeing students using those spaces in ways we didn’t foresee.” Students are free to use the areas to suit their needs and feel personally connected to them. “They figure out how to use spaces in their own unique way. They don’t want to sit in the rows all day. They want to interact with their friends like at a coffee shop or in their house.”

The school can be a beautiful and functional hub where students want to stay and work together.

“They might be sprawled out on a learning stair, or laying down on carpet, or leaning back on an ottoman, and that mimics how they naturally want to interact with each other and learn”

When students are free to explore and personalize the space, they take better care of it and make it their own.

“There are often two full classes in the collaborative areas. They may be stretching out and writing, sitting on the soft seating. The students are far more productive that way. As long as they are engaged, what difference does it make where they learn?”
Steve Thompson
Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools Superintendent

Performing Arts Center

Since both North and South High School were developed in parallel, they mirror each other in terms of academic program. However, South High School received expanded athletic facilities, while North High School enjoyed an expanded performing arts and music space. In the Willoughby-Eastlake City School District, students can choose which school they would like to attend based on interest.

Just off the main entrance of the school is an anteroom for the main auditorium. This community focused performance space can be accessed through its own separate entrance after hours, or opened during the school day, extending the student union.

The auditorium includes state-of-the-art lighting and acoustic treatment, seating up to 500 guests. Adjacent to backstage is a set construction lab, which is connected both to the exterior and interior by overhead doors. This way large “set pieces” can easily be moved from the construction bay to the stage by students.

North High School Fulfilling the Educational Goals for the District

With the district having identified and tested educational programs through the School of Innovation on a small scale, they were able to scale this program and develop an architectural solution that ensured it would benefit the broader student population.

For Abby, the design at North High School represents an opportunity to create flexible space where students are free to use spaces as they see fit. “I think you have to learn in the way that’s best for you, whether that’s being a visual or auditory or kinetic learner, you know the way works for you. These flexible spaces “level the playing field” and allow you to be successful regardless of your learning style.”

This project allows students to learn how they are most comfortable and prepares them for their future.

Abby is optimistic about the future of education, “Everything that’s happening in public education right now is very exciting. Good design supports education by creating different types of spaces, different types of furniture, allowing access to new technology, and making easy access to the outdoors. It really facilitates many different methods of learning.”

Project Design Challenges:

• Develop North and South High Schools in parallel so their program of requirements matches, but are designed specifically for their site.
• Incorporate the “student centered learning” principles gleaned from the Willoughby-Eastlake School of Innovation into the spacial layout of the high school.
• Organize the building layout around a series of “collaborative hubs” that serve the curriculum in the school.
• Align the architectural design, interior finishes and building color to support the coursework in that particular area.

Let’s work together to make education better. Interested in speaking with us? Get in touch!

Get our newsletter with insights, events and tips.

Facebook


Linkedin


Twitter


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Recent Posts:

North High School – Mind, Heart and BodyNorth High School in Eastlake Ohio is a 9-12 facility that embodies the educational ideals of the Willoughby-Eastlake City School District. Conceptually organized around the idea of unifying a student’s “mind,” “heart” and “body,” this unique structure brings “student centered” learning to its lake front community.

North High School, Eastlake Ohio

North High School in Eastlake Ohio is a 9-12 facility embodying the educational ideals of the Willoughby-Eastlake City School District. It promotes student/teacher collaboration and integrates advanced technology, enhancing education in the region. This 2-story, 187,000 sf facility serves its 1,100 students and houses a state-of-the-art performing arts center that seats 500 guests. A central “Student Union” acts as the main circulation hub which leads to a competition gymnasium, media center and dual academic collaboratives. Having been developed in parallel with its sister school Willoughby South, North High School is a 21st century learning facility that exemplifies the district’s goals of modernizing its curriculum and provides flexible spaces to support student centered learning.

Innovative Learning

Innovative student education is nothing new for the Willoughby-Eastlake City School District. Having renovated a training building on the former Eaton Corporate Campus in Willoughby Hills, they began experimenting with modern forms of student engagement and teaching. This educational initiative is known as the Willoughby-Eastlake School of Innovation.

The School of Innovation was a testing ground for the Willoughby-Eastlake City School District and they began implementing a “student centered learning model” with select students on a small scale.

Instead of the typical double loaded corridor which connected relatively small classrooms and focused on teachers lecturing students from the front of the room, this new educational model focused on “project-based learning,” where students were encouraged to collaborate with each other in small groups. With a more flexible open environment, educators were able to teach in a way that traditional educational facilities didn’t support.

As this program developed, the district began seeing successes in the form of student satisfaction and greater engagement in coursework. From these positive early results, they knew this “student centered” approach would be a good fit for their community.

The district then began to create a facilities plan that would address each school in their community, bringing this new model.

“Everything that’s happening in public education right now is very exciting… Good design really facilitates many different methods of learning.”
Abby Rainieri
Educational Design Lead

Educational Visioning

ThenDesign Architecture assisted the district by conducting an educational visioning session. This event brought together community members, district administration and students to define how they wanted to address education in their area. This session identified a vision for education and helped lay the groundwork for how future buildings would be designed.

After passing a bond issue to fund the project, the district decided to create three new buildings, Longfellow, a PreK-5 building, two new high schools (North High School and Willoughby South) and then renovate the rest of the existing schools.

This community-wide update changed the course of education in the district.

Abby Rainieri, Project Manager for North High School commented, “I think student centered learning is very effective at the high school level, because at this stage of education, every student is different. Whether their path takes them to higher education, or right into a career, these spaces are tailored to suit that direction.”

North High School

Located off Stevens boulevard, in Eastlake Ohio, the curved and sweeping exterior uses metal panels and brick to mimic the dynamic forms of Lake Erie in this lake front community.

North was conceptually organized around the idea of unifying a student’s “mind,” “heart” and “body.” A centralized “Student Union” is the entryway to the school, includes student dining, and serves as the “heart” of the building. This space was named after the historic “Union High School,” and is the largest collaborative space which leads to all other locations in the building. The gymnasium and performing arts spaces are the most active learning spaces and symbolize the “body” portion of the building, while the academic spaces symbolize the “mind.” These 3 components, mind, heart, and body are the organizing principals and serve as a “living diagram” for the building.

The academic spaces are divided into the STEM and Humanities programs. Each one is organized around an open collaborative space and likened to the right and left halves of the brain–two necessary elements of a functioning whole. Classrooms in each collaborative are connected to their hub by overhead doors which allow the common space to become an extension of the classroom. Architecturally, the STEM and Humanities hubs are linked by a circulation bridge which overlooks an outdoor “learning commons.”

The second floor of these hubs host small group rooms that are separated by glass walls with integrated technology. The glass provides a visual connection, while maintaining privacy to allow teachers the ability to work with individual students, or for groups of students to prepare and rehearse presentations in a more formal setting.

“Students are free to use the collaborative areas to suit their needs. They want to interact with their friends like at a coffee shop or in their house.”
Abby Rainieri
Educational Design Lead

Interior Finishes

Similar to the deep collaboration among district administrators, community members and designers, both the architectural and interior design teams blended together. Designs for interior circulation and educational program integrated with color schemes, interior textures and furniture.

Within the Humanities hub, warmer colors and soft surfaces were used to reflect a learning style that promotes conversation and idea sharing. In the STEM collaborative, building systems were exposed, harder textures were used along with cool colors. This way the architecture mimicked the science and math fields practiced there. In addition, both academic wings have access to a central learning courtyard where students gather to perform outdoor experiments.

Commenting on how the flexible spaces are used by students, Abby explained “What is rewarding is seeing students using those spaces in ways we didn’t foresee.” Students are free to use the areas to suit their needs and feel personally connected to them. “They figure out how to use spaces in their own unique way. They don’t want to sit in the rows all day. They want to interact with their friends like at a coffee shop or in their house.”

The school can be a beautiful and functional hub where students want to stay and work together.

“They might be sprawled out on a learning stair, or laying down on carpet, or leaning back on an ottoman, and that mimics how they naturally want to interact with each other and learn”

When students are free to explore and personalize the space, they take better care of it and make it their own.

“There are often two full classes in the collaborative areas. They may be stretching out and writing, sitting on the soft seating. The students are far more productive that way. As long as they are engaged, what difference does it make where they learn?”
Steve Thompson
Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools Superintendent

Performing Arts Center

Since both North and South High School were developed in parallel, they mirror each other in terms of academic program. However, South High School received expanded athletic facilities, while North High School enjoyed an expanded performing arts and music space. In the Willoughby-Eastlake City School District, students can choose which school they would like to attend based on interest.

Just off the main entrance of the school is an anteroom for the main auditorium. This community focused performance space can be accessed through its own separate entrance after hours, or opened during the school day, extending the student union.

The auditorium includes state-of-the-art lighting and acoustic treatment, seating up to 500 guests. Adjacent to backstage is a set construction lab, which is connected both to the exterior and interior by overhead doors. This way large “set pieces” can easily be moved from the construction bay to the stage by students.

North High School Fulfilling the Educational Goals for the District

With the district having identified and tested educational programs through the School of Innovation on a small scale, they were able to scale this program and develop an architectural solution that ensured it would benefit the broader student population.

For Abby, the design at North High School represents an opportunity to create flexible space where students are free to use spaces as they see fit. “I think you have to learn in the way that’s best for you, whether that’s being a visual or auditory or kinetic learner, you know the way works for you. These flexible spaces “level the playing field” and allow you to be successful regardless of your learning style.”

This project allows students to learn how they are most comfortable and prepares them for their future.

Abby is optimistic about the future of education, “Everything that’s happening in public education right now is very exciting. Good design supports education by creating different types of spaces, different types of furniture, allowing access to new technology, and making easy access to the outdoors. It really facilitates many different methods of learning.”

Project Design Challenges:

• Develop North and South High Schools in parallel so their program of requirements matches, but are designed specifically for their site.
• Incorporate the “student centered learning” principles gleaned from the Willoughby-Eastlake School of Innovation into the spacial layout of the high school.
• Organize the building layout around a series of “collaborative hubs” that serve the curriculum in the school.
• Align the architectural design, interior finishes and building color to support the coursework in that particular area.

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North Olmsted 6-12 Campus – Fusing Modern and Historic StylesThe North Olmsted 6-12 campus hosts a beautiful 315,000 sf school, a 4,000 seat athletic stadium, Performing Arts Center and landscaping all complimenting this “Georgian Architecture styled” school. ThenDesign Architecture, working with the North Olmsted City School District created a new landmark in the historic Butternut Ridge Historic District.

North Olmsted 6-12 Campus

The North Olmsted 6-12 campus hosts a beautiful 315,000 sf facility, a 4,000 seat athletic stadium, Performing Arts Center and landscaping all complimenting this “Georgian Architecture styled” school. The campus hosts the high school and middle school under one roof while serving 2,200 students. It is located inside the one-and-a-half-mile long Butternut Ridge Historic District, which informs the school’s historic aesthetic. The exterior design complements a Branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library, located just across the street. Together they form an impressive new gateway into the City of North Olmsted. Proportion, symmetry and balance are hallmarks of the late 19th century Georgian Architecture and this aesthetic is fused to a modern interior that supports a collaborative “hub based” 21st century learning model. Opened for the 2018 academic year, this new facility capitalizes on the history of the community, while promoting the latest educational designs that will impact student’s education for decades to come.

Designed for the 21st Century

Before facility design commenced, the North Olmsted City School District had formed a clear plan for students’ education in the new facility. Their idea was inspired by a 21st century educational model that places students at the center of education, promotes small group work and collaboration between educators and students. A “hub concept” was used in educational spaces, where classrooms revolve around a shared collaborative space. Educators were encouraged to take advantage of the movable furniture, flexible classrooms, and embedded technology in the curriculum.

Both the high school and middle school are located under one roof but exist as separate entities. They each have their own entrances at opposite ends of the site, separate media centers, student dining and gym facilities. However, they share many common services such as the kitchen facilities and art and music spaces.

“This is not your grandfather’s school,” Superintendent Michael E. Zalar at the ribbon cutting ceremony and opening tour, “You don’t see traditional individual desks lined up in rows like you might have in the 19th or 20th centuries.” He continued, “These are truly classrooms built to foster flexibility and collaboration. People seemed to know that this campus was really designed for the future, not for the past.”

The Middle School lobby is open, bringing in natural light from tall windows and features terrazzo flooring with an embedded school logo. The ceiling design is an abstract representation of eagles in flight–the school mascot. The entrance feeds the academic wing, gymnasium and student dining.

To support 21st century educational design, the middle school spaces are organized into 5 studios, two per grade level. Each studio houses 150 students, and consists of 4 general classrooms, 1 science lab, 2 small group rooms, teacher prep room with storage, central collaboration area with presentation platform and adjoining restroom facilities. The classrooms are fronted by overhead garage doors that open into a shared collaborative area which supports project-based learning and features charging stations, lockers and raised platform for presentations. Movable furniture is used throughout and large glass windows provide natural light that also spills into corridor spaces, creating a light and airy feel.

The collaborative areas allow educators the flexibility to organize their students around the smaller community of students.

“We couldn’t be more excited, this is going to be the grandest opening of the school year that the district has ever embarked upon. Students are just emotional.”
Michael E. Zalar
North Olmsted City Schools Superintendent

North Olmsted High School

The High School’s entrance features a secure vestibule, orange & black school colors and the school logo embedded in terrazzo, similar to the middle school. Acoustic panels dampen sound reverberation in the tall space and form abstract eagles’ wings above the entry.

The high school also employs a modern approach to educational design, but on a more sophisticated level. Educational spaces are designed around collaborative areas, featuring expandable labs on the first floor, while core classrooms are on the second floor. Collaborative areas are surrounded by classrooms and small group rooms with translucent panels that provide views to and from the corridor. Each space is technology rich and hosts flexible furniture, preparing students for collaborative teamwork after their school career. The interior uses classical elements such as niches, alcoves and columns providing a Georgian twist on the 21st century design flexibility.

The student center was also designed with collaborative work in mind, not just as a cafeteria. It is a hub that connects the gymnasium, performing art center, outdoor courtyard and other academic spaces. The multipurpose space includes high-top tables, moveable furniture, Wi-Fi and charging stations to accommodate student work throughout the day.

The two-story media center is located on a prominent corner of the site and while it still offers books, it focuses on digital media that incorporates comfortable seating, worktables, and group areas. Students can enjoy beverages and snacks with large windows providing light and visibility to interior corridors.

“You don’t see this stunning Georgian Architecture often and it’s a focal point of the historical district,” architect Zora Pavlovic “The superintendent and the whole district was very into collaboration and the 21st century learning model. Not every teacher has experience with it yet, but we are seeing more and more educators embrace this method.”

“You don’t see this stunning Georgian Architecture often and it’s a focal point of the historical district. So I am really thrilled with how it turned out for them”
Zora Pavlovic
Architect

The Building Site and Athletics

More than half of the 38.5 acres of the property is located in a flood zone which posed challenges for the 315,000 sf campus. A creek runs through the site and informed the decision to place the building towards Butternut Ridge road, giving the building more presence on the street. Then, this unique creek was expanded, deepened and worked into the overall landscape design. The creek beautifies the site, and also helps alleviate flooding issues for the nearby area. Trees and a pavilion were installed after the building to create a “park like” setting behind the school.

Bike racks line the perimeter of the building to encourage physical activity of students and staff as well as to support the building’s LEED Silver certification.

Athletic facilities onsite include the artificial turf field used as a football and soccer field which is ringed by a track. The stadium offers seating for 3,000 on the home team side while supporting 1,000 visitor seats. Heated locker rooms, restrooms and concession stands are located below the stands.

“I couldn’t have been more pleased with the response we received from the community…They really felt like the district did a great job working with the architects and that we really have something we can really be proud of here in North Olmsted for many, many years to come.”
Michael E. Zalar
North Olmsted City Schools Superintendent

North Olmsted Performing Arts Center

The new North Olmsted Performing Arts Center (PAC) has become a great source of pride for both North Olmsted Schools and its surrounding community. Connected to the main academic building, the new Performing Arts Center seats 850, has a separate, dedicated entrance, intended to feel unique as a performance theater for use by not only the school but also the community.

“I’m really excited about how the PAC turned out, we used classical elements on the exterior and the interior,” comment Mrs. Pavlovic. “I hear a lot of comments like, “It looks like Severance Hall!” or “We must be in a Playhouse District!” when you walk in. It does feel like that with rich fabrics, columns, and the colonnade. I attended their first musical which was “Beauty and the Beast,” it was just awesome. They did an amazing job and have a really good drama and music program. The community is very excited about it. I’m happy how it turned out for the North Olmsted district.”

North Olmsted performance of “Beauty and the Beast”


A group song in “Beauty and the Beast”


A presentation of “Beauty and the Beast”


“Beauty and the Beast” performed in the North Olmstead PAC

Placing significant emphasis on the arts, historic 1930 precast medallions were removed from the former High School before demolition and reinstalled in the PAC’s exterior. It was designed with imposing proscenium arch opening that evokes a feeling of a grandiose professional theater.

Fused into the interiors are a Georgian color palette, patterns, and classical elements such as niches, columns, intricate pilasters & cornices, coffered ceilings with glass bell jar lantern light fixtures. Theatrical comedy-tragedy masks are molded into a focal wall medallion and fused into the terrazzo floor motif of the theater lobby as a design highlight.

The North Olmsted 6-12 campus is a landmark in the community, with its Georgian Architectural aesthetic fusing both historic and modern design styles into one structure. The school won “Learning By Design’s” prestigious “Outstanding Project” in 2019 award and exemplifies the 21st century learning model. The North Olmsted 6-12 school will continue to impact student’s education in the district and serve the community for years to come.

“I couldn’t have been more pleased with the response we received from the community. People were literally blown away. They couldn’t say enough positive things about the new campus. It’s beautiful, they loved the colors, layout,” commented Superintendent Zalar. “The community really felt like the district did a great job working with the architects and that we have something we can really be proud of here in North Olmsted for many, many years to come.”

Project Design Challenges:

• Design and build a 320,000 sf building on a 38.5 acre site that is 2/3 floodplain, incorporating an onsite creek into the landscaping plan.
• Fuse historic and modern architectural styles into a single structure that can reflect the historic nature of the Butternut Ridge Run Historic District.
• Incorporate architectural elements that support a 21st century learning model for a school that serves 2,200 students.
• Design the Middle and High Schools to function as independent schools, that could also share vital building services.

Let’s work together to make education better. Interested in speaking with us? Get in touch!

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Recent Posts:

North Olmsted 6-12 Campus – Fusing Modern and Historic StylesThe North Olmsted 6-12 campus hosts a beautiful 315,000 sf school, a 4,000 seat athletic stadium, Performing Arts Center and landscaping all complimenting this “Georgian Architecture styled” school. ThenDesign Architecture, working with the North Olmsted City School District created a new landmark in the historic Butternut Ridge Historic District.

North Olmsted 6-12 Campus

The North Olmsted 6-12 campus hosts a beautiful 315,000 sf facility, a 4,000 seat athletic stadium, Performing Arts Center and landscaping all complimenting this “Georgian Architecture styled” school. The campus hosts the high school and middle school under one roof while serving 2,200 students. It is located inside the one-and-a-half-mile long Butternut Ridge Historic District, which informs the school’s historic aesthetic. The exterior design complements a Branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library, located just across the street. Together they form an impressive new gateway into the City of North Olmsted. Proportion, symmetry and balance are hallmarks of the late 19th century Georgian Architecture and this aesthetic is fused to a modern interior that supports a collaborative “hub based” 21st century learning model. Opened for the 2018 academic year, this new facility capitalizes on the history of the community, while promoting the latest educational designs that will impact student’s education for decades to come.

Designed for the 21st Century

Before facility design commenced, the North Olmsted City School District had formed a clear plan for students’ education in the new facility. Their idea was inspired by a 21st century educational model that places students at the center of education, promotes small group work and collaboration between educators and students. A “hub concept” was used in educational spaces, where classrooms revolve around a shared collaborative space. Educators were encouraged to take advantage of the movable furniture, flexible classrooms, and embedded technology in the curriculum.

Both the high school and middle school are located under one roof but exist as separate entities. They each have their own entrances at opposite ends of the site, separate media centers, student dining and gym facilities. However, they share many common services such as the kitchen facilities and art and music spaces.

“This is not your grandfather’s school,” Superintendent Michael E. Zalar at the ribbon cutting ceremony and opening tour, “You don’t see traditional individual desks lined up in rows like you might have in the 19th or 20th centuries.” He continued, “These are truly classrooms built to foster flexibility and collaboration. People seemed to know that this campus was really designed for the future, not for the past.”

The Middle School lobby is open, bringing in natural light from tall windows and features terrazzo flooring with an embedded school logo. The ceiling design is an abstract representation of eagles in flight–the school mascot. The entrance feeds the academic wing, gymnasium and student dining.

To support 21st century educational design, the middle school spaces are organized into 5 studios, two per grade level. Each studio houses 150 students, and consists of 4 general classrooms, 1 science lab, 2 small group rooms, teacher prep room with storage, central collaboration area with presentation platform and adjoining restroom facilities. The classrooms are fronted by overhead garage doors that open into a shared collaborative area which supports project-based learning and features charging stations, lockers and raised platform for presentations. Movable furniture is used throughout and large glass windows provide natural light that also spills into corridor spaces, creating a light and airy feel.

The collaborative areas allow educators the flexibility to organize their students around the smaller community of students.

“We couldn’t be more excited, this is going to be the grandest opening of the school year that the district has ever embarked upon. Students are just emotional.”
Michael E. Zalar
North Olmsted City Schools Superintendent

North Olmsted High School

The High School’s entrance features a secure vestibule, orange & black school colors and the school logo embedded in terrazzo, similar to the middle school. Acoustic panels dampen sound reverberation in the tall space and form abstract eagles’ wings above the entry.

The high school also employs a modern approach to educational design, but on a more sophisticated level. Educational spaces are designed around collaborative areas, featuring expandable labs on the first floor, while core classrooms are on the second floor. Collaborative areas are surrounded by classrooms and small group rooms with translucent panels that provide views to and from the corridor. Each space is technology rich and hosts flexible furniture, preparing students for collaborative teamwork after their school career. The interior uses classical elements such as niches, alcoves and columns providing a Georgian twist on the 21st century design flexibility.

The student center was also designed with collaborative work in mind, not just as a cafeteria. It is a hub that connects the gymnasium, performing art center, outdoor courtyard and other academic spaces. The multipurpose space includes high-top tables, moveable furniture, Wi-Fi and charging stations to accommodate student work throughout the day.

The two-story media center is located on a prominent corner of the site and while it still offers books, it focuses on digital media that incorporates comfortable seating, worktables, and group areas. Students can enjoy beverages and snacks with large windows providing light and visibility to interior corridors.

“You don’t see this stunning Georgian Architecture often and it’s a focal point of the historical district,” architect Zora Pavlovic “The superintendent and the whole district was very into collaboration and the 21st century learning model. Not every teacher has experience with it yet, but we are seeing more and more educators embrace this method.”

“You don’t see this stunning Georgian Architecture often and it’s a focal point of the historical district. So I am really thrilled with how it turned out for them”
Zora Pavlovic
Architect

The Building Site and Athletics

More than half of the 38.5 acres of the property is located in a flood zone which posed challenges for the 315,000 sf campus. A creek runs through the site and informed the decision to place the building towards Butternut Ridge road, giving the building more presence on the street. Then, this unique creek was expanded, deepened and worked into the overall landscape design. The creek beautifies the site, and also helps alleviate flooding issues for the nearby area. Trees and a pavilion were installed after the building to create a “park like” setting behind the school.

Bike racks line the perimeter of the building to encourage physical activity of students and staff as well as to support the building’s LEED Silver certification.

Athletic facilities onsite include the artificial turf field used as a football and soccer field which is ringed by a track. The stadium offers seating for 3,000 on the home team side while supporting 1,000 visitor seats. Heated locker rooms, restrooms and concession stands are located below the stands.

“I couldn’t have been more pleased with the response we received from the community…They really felt like the district did a great job working with the architects and that we really have something we can really be proud of here in North Olmsted for many, many years to come.”
Michael E. Zalar
North Olmsted City Schools Superintendent

North Olmsted Performing Arts Center

The new North Olmsted Performing Arts Center (PAC) has become a great source of pride for both North Olmsted Schools and its surrounding community. Connected to the main academic building, the new Performing Arts Center seats 850, has a separate, dedicated entrance, intended to feel unique as a performance theater for use by not only the school but also the community.

“I’m really excited about how the PAC turned out, we used classical elements on the exterior and the interior,” comment Mrs. Pavlovic. “I hear a lot of comments like, “It looks like Severance Hall!” or “We must be in a Playhouse District!” when you walk in. It does feel like that with rich fabrics, columns, and the colonnade. I attended their first musical which was “Beauty and the Beast,” it was just awesome. They did an amazing job and have a really good drama and music program. The community is very excited about it. I’m happy how it turned out for the North Olmsted district.”

North Olmsted performance of “Beauty and the Beast”


A group song in “Beauty and the Beast”


A presentation of “Beauty and the Beast”


“Beauty and the Beast” performed in the North Olmstead PAC

Placing significant emphasis on the arts, historic 1930 precast medallions were removed from the former High School before demolition and reinstalled in the PAC’s exterior. It was designed with imposing proscenium arch opening that evokes a feeling of a grandiose professional theater.

Fused into the interiors are a Georgian color palette, patterns, and classical elements such as niches, columns, intricate pilasters & cornices, coffered ceilings with glass bell jar lantern light fixtures. Theatrical comedy-tragedy masks are molded into a focal wall medallion and fused into the terrazzo floor motif of the theater lobby as a design highlight.

The North Olmsted 6-12 campus is a landmark in the community, with its Georgian Architectural aesthetic fusing both historic and modern design styles into one structure. The school won “Learning By Design’s” prestigious “Outstanding Project” in 2019 award and exemplifies the 21st century learning model. The North Olmsted 6-12 school will continue to impact student’s education in the district and serve the community for years to come.

“I couldn’t have been more pleased with the response we received from the community. People were literally blown away. They couldn’t say enough positive things about the new campus. It’s beautiful, they loved the colors, layout,” commented Superintendent Zalar. “The community really felt like the district did a great job working with the architects and that we have something we can really be proud of here in North Olmsted for many, many years to come.”

Project Design Challenges:

• Design and build a 320,000 sf building on a 38.5 acre site that is 2/3 floodplain, incorporating an onsite creek into the landscaping plan.
• Fuse historic and modern architectural styles into a single structure that can reflect the historic nature of the Butternut Ridge Run Historic District.
• Incorporate architectural elements that support a 21st century learning model for a school that serves 2,200 students.
• Design the Middle and High Schools to function as independent schools, that could also share vital building services.

Let’s work together to make education better. Interested in speaking with us? Get in touch!

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Brush High School – A Dynamic Renovation ProjectThe South Euclid Lyndhurst School District had a clear vision for how to adapt their historic Brush High School and renovate it for the demands of a modern educational environment. The result, is a large school built in 1927, being modernized through strategic renovations to serve the community for years to come.

Brush High School – A Dynamic Renovation Project

The Brush High School Renovation Project provides a dramatic update to this beautiful, historic school in Lyndhurst, Ohio. It brings an architectural refresh, new spaces and services to this iconic structure in a neighborhood setting. This $8.5 million dollar renovation addresses 45,000 sf of the almost 300,000 sf building, redeveloping its media center, student dining, athletic facilities and innovation lab, restores unused classrooms and infuses a new graphic approach throughout the building’s corridors and shared spaces. These improvements allow the South Euclid Lyndhurst School District to better utilize this historic school for years to come.

Brush High School was originally built in 1927, having undergone multiple additions as the community has expanded. At the population’s height in the 1970s and 1980s, the school served over 3,000 students. More recently, the district developed a strategic plan that outlined a goal of becoming a “destination community,” and to update all their learning facilities by 2023. TDA partnered with the district to turn this vision into reality, further developing the plans for Brush High School, focusing on education and athletic spaces.

Major Improvements

A highlight of this construction project was to reorganize the athletic spaces. In order to better utilize the Korb Field, new locker rooms for football, track and soccer were added adjacent to the stadium by raising the existing gymnasium one floor and inserting the locker facilities beneath it. This solution allowed the new locker facilities to be used by the gymnasium above and the sports field just outside. Teams could then enter and exit these facilities directly from an outdoor public plaza, instead of needing to use locker rooms on the other side of the school. With this new configuration, both home and traveling teams could more easily engage with the new facilities, streamlining future athletic events. While it was a structural challenge to raise the gym, the floor was refinished and the space expanded, becoming the new auxiliary gym/multipurpose space for the school.

Student Dining was another major area addressed. First, the serving and point of sale areas were separated, allowing for a more modern and efficient approach. This eliminated heavy traffic during lunch periods and organized the cafeteria around an “a la carte” model. Second, large bay windows were added to the east elevation and energy efficient LED’s were installed to create a much brighter and healthier indoor environment. Third, the upper level of the cafeteria was redesigned to include modern, soft, bench seating that overlooked the sports field. This café style space served students during the day but then served the community at other times, since it provided excellent views of athletic events and could become a hub for future community events.

The Media Center was completely redesigned, having been transformed into a vibrant, multileveled space that serves as a school library and an inviting area for independent or collaborate work. Now, ADA accessible, it dramatically reorganizes the books into a more sophisticated and approachable manner, having eliminated the wall mounted shelving. The upper level has comfortable seating for individual work, while the lower section houses physical media and large tables for group work. In addition, 3 separate meeting rooms with technology hook-ups can be used by educators or students for presentations or research work. A reclaimed space adjacent to the media center is a new “tech repair center.” This becomes a learning resource for students to perform repairs on laptops and other educational technology.

A New Entrance for Navigation

In order to provide greater security and easier navigation, a new front entry was developed to serve as the primary entrance for the school. In the original building, the entry could have been easily overlooked, a simple set of double doors under a low overhang, which led directly into an academic hallway. This arrangement presented a variety of challenges for security and wayfinding. The new entry is a small tower, offset from the historic facade and drawing design elements from the main building. Proportionally and aesthetically, it resonates with the existing architecture without detracting. It incorporates a secure vestibule and visitor entrance where students and parents can easily sign in before admittance.

Along with the rearranged entrance, the new site design creates a visitor parking lot by the entry, with 13 new parking spaces and 3 ADA spaces. This lot is adjacent to a new entry loop staircase which connects a main lower parking lot with the public plaza, featuring Brush High School engraved values, “Educate, Inspire, Empower.”

Corridors and Graphics

Since the Brush High School is such a large structure, addressing the many long corridors was another main component of the renovation. Due to the changing nature of education, few physical lockers are needed for students. As a result of the renovation, approximately 1/3 of the lockers were eliminated, widening the hallways by four feet in some areas. While some of this space was absorbed into new renovations, in other areas, the extra four feet was used for trophy and display cabinetry, art installations and colorful collaborative seating. The display space further underscores the graphic approach used throughout the school.

New wall graphics and furniture installations were integrated throughout, emphasizing school colors and updating the existing artwork and color palette. New signage was added in the lobby and ties the older historic building to the new renovations.

Additionally, the industrial arts program was refreshed. The old “shop classroom” was remade into a modern “innovation lab,” for the engineering program. Since it was an underutilized space, the existing hardwood floors were refinished and now features 3D printers, band saws and other tools which are shared by the robotics lab next door. Interior windows allow for natural light to spill into the corridor and allow students to look in during classes.

We met with the district and went through their core values and strategic plan through 2023. We wanted the project to not only improve the buildings, but announce to their core values.
Adam Parris

Brush High School’s Renovation

Towards the end of construction, Adam Parris, the architect on the project commented, “The district had a lot of ideas about how to use that building and they set the roadmap for us to follow. In many instances the spaces turned out better than we envisioned and I found a lot of joy in reusing the existing spaces, while refurbishing the existing materials. It’s one thing to do a “renovation project” and just knock down part of the building, then rebuild it. It’s a completely different task to reuse something that’s existed for a hundred years.”

At the outset of the project, the district had a clear vision for how to adapt historic Brush High School and renovate it for the demands of a modern educational environment. The result is a large school built in 1927, that has been modernized through strategic renovations that will serve the community for years to come.

Project Design Challenges:

• Renovate 45,000 sf of a 300,000 sf building, revitalize key spaces and install major technological systems on an almost 100 year-old building.
• Develop and construct a new formal entrance that incorporates a secure vestibule and visitor entrance, without detracting for the historic aesthetic of the school.
• Raise the gymnasium to the second floor, while building athletic facilities including locker rooms beneath that can serve the sports field and auxiliary gym.
• Design new wall graphics and wayfinding throughout that unifies the historic art and design styles with the new renovation.
• Eliminate lockers throughout the school while repurposing the space to engage students and provide rest spaces in the new areas.

Let’s work together to make education better. Interested in speaking with us? Get in touch!

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Brush High School – A Dynamic Renovation ProjectThe South Euclid Lyndhurst School District had a clear vision for how to adapt their historic Brush High School and renovate it for the demands of a modern educational environment. The result, is a large school built in 1927, being modernized through strategic renovations to serve the community for years to come.

Brush High School – A Dynamic Renovation Project

The Brush High School Renovation Project provides a dramatic update to this beautiful, historic school in Lyndhurst, Ohio. It brings an architectural refresh, new spaces and services to this iconic structure in a neighborhood setting. This $8.5 million dollar renovation addresses 45,000 sf of the almost 300,000 sf building, redeveloping its media center, student dining, athletic facilities and innovation lab, restores unused classrooms and infuses a new graphic approach throughout the building’s corridors and shared spaces. These improvements allow the South Euclid Lyndhurst School District to better utilize this historic school for years to come.

Brush High School was originally built in 1927, having undergone multiple additions as the community has expanded. At the population’s height in the 1970s and 1980s, the school served over 3,000 students. More recently, the district developed a strategic plan that outlined a goal of becoming a “destination community,” and to update all their learning facilities by 2023. TDA partnered with the district to turn this vision into reality, further developing the plans for Brush High School, focusing on education and athletic spaces.

Major Improvements

A highlight of this construction project was to reorganize the athletic spaces. In order to better utilize the Korb Field, new locker rooms for football, track and soccer were added adjacent to the stadium by raising the existing gymnasium one floor and inserting the locker facilities beneath it. This solution allowed the new locker facilities to be used by the gymnasium above and the sports field just outside. Teams could then enter and exit these facilities directly from an outdoor public plaza, instead of needing to use locker rooms on the other side of the school. With this new configuration, both home and traveling teams could more easily engage with the new facilities, streamlining future athletic events. While it was a structural challenge to raise the gym, the floor was refinished and the space expanded, becoming the new auxiliary gym/multipurpose space for the school.

Student Dining was another major area addressed. First, the serving and point of sale areas were separated, allowing for a more modern and efficient approach. This eliminated heavy traffic during lunch periods and organized the cafeteria around an “a la carte” model. Second, large bay windows were added to the east elevation and energy efficient LED’s were installed to create a much brighter and healthier indoor environment. Third, the upper level of the cafeteria was redesigned to include modern, soft, bench seating that overlooked the sports field. This café style space served students during the day but then served the community at other times, since it provided excellent views of athletic events and could become a hub for future community events.

The Media Center was completely redesigned, having been transformed into a vibrant, multileveled space that serves as a school library and an inviting area for independent or collaborate work. Now, ADA accessible, it dramatically reorganizes the books into a more sophisticated and approachable manner, having eliminated the wall mounted shelving. The upper level has comfortable seating for individual work, while the lower section houses physical media and large tables for group work. In addition, 3 separate meeting rooms with technology hook-ups can be used by educators or students for presentations or research work. A reclaimed space adjacent to the media center is a new “tech repair center.” This becomes a learning resource for students to perform repairs on laptops and other educational technology.

A New Entrance for Navigation

In order to provide greater security and easier navigation, a new front entry was developed to serve as the primary entrance for the school. In the original building, the entry could have been easily overlooked, a simple set of double doors under a low overhang, which led directly into an academic hallway. This arrangement presented a variety of challenges for security and wayfinding. The new entry is a small tower, offset from the historic facade and drawing design elements from the main building. Proportionally and aesthetically, it resonates with the existing architecture without detracting. It incorporates a secure vestibule and visitor entrance where students and parents can easily sign in before admittance.

Along with the rearranged entrance, the new site design creates a visitor parking lot by the entry, with 13 new parking spaces and 3 ADA spaces. This lot is adjacent to a new entry loop staircase which connects a main lower parking lot with the public plaza, featuring Brush High School engraved values, “Educate, Inspire, Empower.”

Corridors and Graphics

Since the Brush High School is such a large structure, addressing the many long corridors was another main component of the renovation. Due to the changing nature of education, few physical lockers are needed for students. As a result of the renovation, approximately 1/3 of the lockers were eliminated, widening the hallways by four feet in some areas. While some of this space was absorbed into new renovations, in other areas, the extra four feet was used for trophy and display cabinetry, art installations and colorful collaborative seating. The display space further underscores the graphic approach used throughout the school.

New wall graphics and furniture installations were integrated throughout, emphasizing school colors and updating the existing artwork and color palette. New signage was added in the lobby and ties the older historic building to the new renovations.

Additionally, the industrial arts program was refreshed. The old “shop classroom” was remade into a modern “innovation lab,” for the engineering program. Since it was an underutilized space, the existing hardwood floors were refinished and now features 3D printers, band saws and other tools which are shared by the robotics lab next door. Interior windows allow for natural light to spill into the corridor and allow students to look in during classes.

We met with the district and went through their core values and strategic plan through 2023. We wanted the project to not only improve the buildings, but announce to their core values.
Adam Parris

Brush High School’s Renovation

Towards the end of construction, Adam Parris, the architect on the project commented, “The district had a lot of ideas about how to use that building and they set the roadmap for us to follow. In many instances the spaces turned out better than we envisioned and I found a lot of joy in reusing the existing spaces, while refurbishing the existing materials. It’s one thing to do a “renovation project” and just knock down part of the building, then rebuild it. It’s a completely different task to reuse something that’s existed for a hundred years.”

At the outset of the project, the district had a clear vision for how to adapt historic Brush High School and renovate it for the demands of a modern educational environment. The result is a large school built in 1927, that has been modernized through strategic renovations that will serve the community for years to come.

Project Design Challenges:

• Renovate 45,000 sf of a 300,000 sf building, revitalize key spaces and install major technological systems on an almost 100 year-old building.
• Develop and construct a new formal entrance that incorporates a secure vestibule and visitor entrance, without detracting for the historic aesthetic of the school.
• Raise the gymnasium to the second floor, while building athletic facilities including locker rooms beneath that can serve the sports field and auxiliary gym.
• Design new wall graphics and wayfinding throughout that unifies the historic art and design styles with the new renovation.
• Eliminate lockers throughout the school while repurposing the space to engage students and provide rest spaces in the new areas.

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Brunswick Middle School – Brunswick, OhioThe Brunswick Middle School is a 21st century learning facility designed to serve grades 6-8 in the Brunswick City School District. This LEED Silver, 243,000 SF building houses 1,660 students and replaces three aging middle schools. Learn more about what went into this project below.

The Brunswick Middle School is a 21st century learning facility designed to serve grades 6-8 in the Brunswick City School District. This 243,000 SF building houses 1,660 students and replaces three aging middle schools, two of which were previously on the site. A design concept for the building was to create a network of 18 “learning pods,” connected to a “central hub” of shared spaces. This LEED Silver project includes four classrooms per pod, with six pods dedicated per grade. The “central hub” consists of student dining, a media center and “Project Lead the Way,” STEM classrooms. Adjacent to the hub are two gyms, and an auditorium with music rooms. A stadium and athletic field is also connected to the hub on the east side of the property.

Under a tight design and construction deadline, the district, architects, and construction professionals worked closely to keep the project moving forward and on budget, despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Brunswick Educational Visioning Session

Early in the building’s design, Brunswick City School District had a clear vision for implementing a modern and collaborative educational curriculum. They wanted teachers to have the freedom to create customized lesson plans for each student, instead of following a standardized plan. This flexible approach directly impacted the architecture and new educational spaces were needed. The community was engaged through an “educational visioning session” early in the design process. Over 100 attended this session and stakeholders engaged on school program analysis, building layout and elevation designs. Through this, stakeholders saw how architecture could support their curriculum goals.

Site Influence

A major design hurdle was dealing with the 34’ grade change distributed among three existing plateaus at different elevations on the site. Designers used these plateaus to situate the major elements of the facility. Parking was located on the top plateau which gradually sloped to the middle plateau where an exterior bridge connected the sidewalk to the building’s main entry and interior “connecting hub.” This hub fed circulation to the athletics field and stadium on the lowest plateau.

Two existing middle schools, Visintainer and Edwards Middle Schools, were on the site and had to remain operational throughout construction. When it was completed, the team only had three months to demolish these and build the parking lot for the new facility in order to open for the 2020-2021 school year.

The entrance bridge is a striking feature of the Brunswick Middle School. It created a large public entrance, allowed for exterior windows on the “Project Lead the Way” STEM classrooms and carved out a unique exterior plaza below. This became an extension of student dining and hosts a large collaborative stair for outdoor gatherings, performances, and classes.

Brunswick Middle School Interior Design

Student dining serves as the “connecting hub,” located on the middle plateau of the site. Its interior design colorfully displays Brunswick’s signature blue and networks together the “learning pods” and other major interior spaces.

Since the district intended small groups of students and teachers to work together, each of the eighteen “learning pods,” consist of a central collaborative space surrounded by four classrooms. While each classroom serves a specific subject, the collaborative area is a flexible, extended learning area that houses technology, white boards, student lockers and educational furniture for its small group of students. Six pods are dedicated to each grade in the Brunswick Middle School. Architectural and interior designers paid careful attention to the lighting in these collaborative spaces. To enhance lighting and the overall aesthetic, special ceiling soffits and lighting fixtures add texture to the ceiling, ensuring plenty of light for group activities.

Auditorium and Gymnasium

To expand the music program, the district included a new performing arts center in the Brunswick Middle School. The auditorium seats 700 people and is connected to several large music rooms for vocal, orchestra and instrumental practice. One semester of music is a district requirement for Brunswick students and an important part of their education.

The Media Center, while still containing physical books, was designed to accommodate modern, digital media. It includes a small “maker’s space” and a dedicated green screen recording studio.

The Brunswick Middle School now has a full gymnasium and auxiliary gym which will support their expanding sports program. An eight-lane track, synthetic turf sports field and stadium are situated at the rear of the site. These new facilities will become an important venue for future athletic events in the district.

Project Design Challenges:

• Develop an architectural solution on a complicated site, that incorporated a 34′ vertical grade across 3 plateaus to accommodate parking, athletics, the school building and district wide bus storage and maintenance facility.
• On a tight design and construction schedule, build a new structure adjacent to the two existing middle schools, Visintainer and Edwards Middle Schools, demolishing them before the school year begins.
• Design architecture that supports the district’s educational vision, allowing teachers more flexibility in their spaces to help them develop individualized lesson plans and student schedules.
• Ensure excellent lighting to support educational activities. This included both artificial and natural lighting solutions where possible.

Let’s work together to make education better. Interested in speaking with us? Get in touch!

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Brunswick Middle School – Brunswick, OhioThe Brunswick Middle School is a 21st century learning facility designed to serve grades 6-8 in the Brunswick City School District. This LEED Silver, 243,000 SF building houses 1,660 students and replaces three aging middle schools. Learn more about what went into this project below.

The Brunswick Middle School is a 21st century learning facility designed to serve grades 6-8 in the Brunswick City School District. This 243,000 SF building houses 1,660 students and replaces three aging middle schools, two of which were previously on the site. A design concept for the building was to create a network of 18 “learning pods,” connected to a “central hub” of shared spaces. This LEED Silver project includes four classrooms per pod, with six pods dedicated per grade. The “central hub” consists of student dining, a media center and “Project Lead the Way,” STEM classrooms. Adjacent to the hub are two gyms, and an auditorium with music rooms. A stadium and athletic field is also connected to the hub on the east side of the property.

Under a tight design and construction deadline, the district, architects, and construction professionals worked closely to keep the project moving forward and on budget, despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Brunswick Educational Visioning Session

Early in the building’s design, Brunswick City School District had a clear vision for implementing a modern and collaborative educational curriculum. They wanted teachers to have the freedom to create customized lesson plans for each student, instead of following a standardized plan. This flexible approach directly impacted the architecture and new educational spaces were needed. The community was engaged through an “educational visioning session” early in the design process. Over 100 attended this session and stakeholders engaged on school program analysis, building layout and elevation designs. Through this, stakeholders saw how architecture could support their curriculum goals.

Site Influence

A major design hurdle was dealing with the 34’ grade change distributed among three existing plateaus at different elevations on the site. Designers used these plateaus to situate the major elements of the facility. Parking was located on the top plateau which gradually sloped to the middle plateau where an exterior bridge connected the sidewalk to the building’s main entry and interior “connecting hub.” This hub fed circulation to the athletics field and stadium on the lowest plateau.

Two existing middle schools, Visintainer and Edwards Middle Schools, were on the site and had to remain operational throughout construction. When it was completed, the team only had three months to demolish these and build the parking lot for the new facility in order to open for the 2020-2021 school year.

The entrance bridge is a striking feature of the Brunswick Middle School. It created a large public entrance, allowed for exterior windows on the “Project Lead the Way” STEM classrooms and carved out a unique exterior plaza below. This became an extension of student dining and hosts a large collaborative stair for outdoor gatherings, performances, and classes.

Brunswick Middle School Interior Design

Student dining serves as the “connecting hub,” located on the middle plateau of the site. Its interior design colorfully displays Brunswick’s signature blue and networks together the “learning pods” and other major interior spaces.

Since the district intended small groups of students and teachers to work together, each of the eighteen “learning pods,” consist of a central collaborative space surrounded by four classrooms. While each classroom serves a specific subject, the collaborative area is a flexible, extended learning area that houses technology, white boards, student lockers and educational furniture for its small group of students. Six pods are dedicated to each grade in the Brunswick Middle School. Architectural and interior designers paid careful attention to the lighting in these collaborative spaces. To enhance lighting and the overall aesthetic, special ceiling soffits and lighting fixtures add texture to the ceiling, ensuring plenty of light for group activities.

Auditorium and Gymnasium

To expand the music program, the district included a new performing arts center in the Brunswick Middle School. The auditorium seats 700 people and is connected to several large music rooms for vocal, orchestra and instrumental practice. One semester of music is a district requirement for Brunswick students and an important part of their education.

The Media Center, while still containing physical books, was designed to accommodate modern, digital media. It includes a small “maker’s space” and a dedicated green screen recording studio.

The Brunswick Middle School now has a full gymnasium and auxiliary gym which will support their expanding sports program. An eight-lane track, synthetic turf sports field and stadium are situated at the rear of the site. These new facilities will become an important venue for future athletic events in the district.

Project Design Challenges:

• Develop an architectural solution on a complicated site, that incorporated a 34′ vertical grade across 3 plateaus to accommodate parking, athletics, the school building and district wide bus storage and maintenance facility.
• On a tight design and construction schedule, build a new structure adjacent to the two existing middle schools, Visintainer and Edwards Middle Schools, demolishing them before the school year begins.
• Design architecture that supports the district’s educational vision, allowing teachers more flexibility in their spaces to help them develop individualized lesson plans and student schedules.
• Ensure excellent lighting to support educational activities. This included both artificial and natural lighting solutions where possible.

Let’s work together to make education better. Interested in speaking with us? Get in touch!

Get our newsletter with insights, events and tips.

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