ThenDesign Architecture, Working Together with Core Values

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ThenDesign Architecture, Working Together with Core Values
"Core values are critical. They guide us in decision-making, problem-solving and even how we form relationships--both internally and externally," commented Chris Smith, president of TDA. Team members met in an interactive workshop to collaborate and define behaviors common to the values at TDA.

ThenDesign Architecture Values Workshop

“Decades ago, we founded a firm that was employee-centric and this came at the time when that was a radical idea,” commented Robert Fiala, founding partner of ThenDesign Architecture. “He continues, “Several years ago, our leadership team started exploring aspirational words that identify our core values. Today we are talking about what these words mean for our behavior, and how we live them out on a daily basis.”

As a firm that routinely works with school districts, their communities, and other public entities, collaborating with a diverse group of people is commonplace.

Our team of architects, interior designers, construction administrators, communications, and administration staff gathered on June 28th to participate in a workshop facilitated by Dr. Bethany Klynn, PhD., president of Insight Leadership Consulting. The session was designed to explore the behaviors attached to the shared values exemplified in our work. As an opportunity to engage with and learn from each other, the session provided an avenue to better identify our individual strengths and ways to work together.
“Core values are critical. They guide us in decision-making, problem-solving and how we form relationships - both internally and externally.”
-Chris Smith
President of TDA

Core Values are Important to Organizations

Dr. Klynn recognizes that defining and ascribing behaviors to core values is essential for many reasons. “I think core values are important to a company because they appear in so many ways. They appear from an individual’s behaviors, to how teams work together, to how you show up in front of clients, and why people are attracted to your business.”

“Sometimes, these traits identify why teams stay together for so long. They say, ‘This is just what really matters to me.'”

At the end of the session, Chris Smith, president of TDA, remarked, “All of us can see how we lived our core values today. We saw signs of leadership when people came up to speak, the creativity in our answers, and teamwork and collaboration as we developed ideas together. It is fascinating to hear the diversity of opinions on these topics, which strengthens what we do.”

Common values bind teams together in the office and also contribute to an active and fun working environment. Activities outside work also serve as an opportunity to show our values in action.
"Values matter most when they are in action."
Bethany Klynn, PhD
President of Insight Leadership Consulting

Core Values are Important to Individuals

Organizational values are important to cohesive teams but an individual’s personal values also contribute to their team. Many times our personal values connect with the organizations we work for. Bethany continues, “It is important to understand your personal core values and recognize they will change. Sometimes they shift at different stages of life or when you learn something new. They will drive how you make decisions and respond in certain situations.”

“It is important to live your values now, but it is important to pay attention to how they evolve over time.”

Ultimately, team members who exemplify common values accomplish more together and create a stronger team.

Robert Fiala has recognized this after years of building successful teams. “Values create community, and that is what we are doing here today. We are a village and community. One of the discussions that came up consistently was how all of us exemplify our principles without ever having to explain them to each other.”

“Today was about having a discussion and putting words to them.”

He was encouraged by the engagement, diversity of opinions, and the direction of the firm’s future. “It was great to see that what we created so many years ago is very much alive today.”

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

Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Communications

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Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Ryan is a communications specialist who is passionate about using digital media to further the goals of organizations and communities in Northeast Ohio. With a background in construction and a degree in architecture, he spent over a decade in a corporate video environment and brings a production mindset to videography, editing, photography and content marketing. He is passionate about supporting the arts, and can be found hiking in the Ohio parks system.

ThenDesign Architecture Attends Ohio School Board Association Capital Conference

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ThenDesign Architecture Attends Ohio School Board Association Capital Conference
The OSBA Capital Conference in 2022, brought together educators, board members and educational stakeholders to Columbus for networking and educational sessions.

Exhibition at the Ohio School Board Association (OSBA) 2022 Tradeshow

The Ohio School Board Association (OSBA) Capital Conference and Trade Show is a premier educational program that takes place in Columbus Ohio. Bringing together, superintendents, board members, treasurers and operations staff, the conference is focused on providing practical solutions to district challenges, a focus on academic achievement and supporting staff who issue critical support to all students in Ohio. Spread over 3 days, the conference offers opportunities for continuing education sessions, networking and information on new technologies and products to support schools districts.

This year, TDA was glad to support our educational partners and exhibit at the capital conference. We appreciate the many visitors who stopped by our booth to connect with our architectural staff and share stories from their districts over the last year.

While offering a variety of services, from master planning to facilities assessments, architectural design services and communications, we would love to continue the conversations, so feel free to reach out with further questions.

Scenes from the Ohio School Board Association (OSBA) Capital Conference

The ThenDesign Architecture Team
Columbus Convention Center, OSBA 2022
Ohio School Boards Association Capital Conference
Crowd outside the Main Auditorium at OSBA
The OSBA Tradeshow
The OSBA Tradeshow
OSBA Logo
Tradeshow at the Capital Conference
David Axner Speaking on the last Day of the Conference

The BEAT Brunswick Students Covering the Ohio School Board Association

In addition to the many keynote speakers and activities throughout the days, it was a pleasure to see The BEAT students from Brunswick City Schools in action generating media during the conference. In addition to interviewing speakers and dignitaries during the conference, they provided a window into the many activities that took place at the conference. The Beat which is a program dedicated to exposing to media operations such as writing news stories, on-air interviews, editing and shooting informational programs in Brunswick and Medina County.

The BEAT students Ohio School Board Association (OSBA) Capital Conference

"Facilities as a Catalyst for Change," Presentation with Wickliffe City Schools

This year, Wickliffe City School District Superintendent Joseph Spiccia, Director of Strategic Innovation Julie Ramos, Director of Operations and Human Resources Bradley Leyrer, and Claire Bank, RA spoke to conference attendees on how Wickliffe’s new PK-12 Campus is helping the district “reimagine education” in their district.

Superintendent Spiccia commented: “This facility project is a journey we have been on since 2017 and a rare opportunity we had to take. It is unusual to rebuild an entire campus while marrying that to the significant educational change in our district. We are just beginning to see the fruits of it.”

While a project of this size is challenging, the team showed how with good stakeholder engagement, a focus on incorporating staff and community feedback and good architectural design can serve as a catalyst for educational change.

For the district, this was a natural progression as they looked forward to best educating students and preparing them for their careers and lives after school.

To learn more about how these strategies could be employed your district and community, reach out to the Wickliffe team at their website.

The Wickliffe Team presenting "Facilities as a Catalyst for Change"

"This facility project is a journey we have been on since 2017 and a rare opportunity we had to take. It is unusual to rebuild an entire campus while marrying that to the significant educational change in our district. We are just beginning to see the fruits of it."
Mr. Joseph Spiccia
Superintendent of Wickliffe City Schools

To learn more about ThenDesign Architecture or the work at Wickliffe City Schools, feel free to reach out.

Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Communications

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Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Ryan is a communications specialist who is passionate about using digital media to further the goals of organizations and communities in Northeast Ohio. With a background in construction and a degree in architecture, he spent over a decade in corporate video production and brings this mindset to videography, editing, photography and content marketing. He is passionate about supporting the arts, and can be found hiking in the parks system.
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Fairport Harbor EVSD Participates in an Educational Visioning Session

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Fairport Harbor EVSD Members Participate In An Educational Visioning Session
Fairport Harbor EVSD administration members, educators, parents, and students attended an Educational Visioning Session hosted by ThenDesign Architecture.

Fairport Harbor EVSD – Educational Visioning Update

On June 6th, Fairport Harbor EVSD administration members, educators, village services, parents, and students gathered to attend an Educational Visioning Session hosted by ThenDesign Architecture. This all-day session focused on collaboration and brainstorming on designs for their new school, its impact on the community, and how it will improve student’s education in the District.

Superintendent Domenic Paola commented: “Today, we came together with members of the community and stakeholders in this project to begin the process of creating a vision for this school.”

With over 70 in attendance, everyone had a say in the design activities throughout the day. “Collaboration is how we make progress in Fairport Harbor. I often refer to it as the engine that drives us. Everything we have accomplished in the District is a result of it, and with Visioning today, that is definitely the case.”

The new 116,000 sf PreK-12 will be located on the existing Harding High School site. It will replace the two aging buildings in the District and provide a modern educational environment better positioned to accommodate personalized student needs and foster learning and collaboration.

Today, we came together with members of the community and stakeholders in this project to begin the process of creating a vision for this school.
Domenic Paolo
Superintendent of Fairport Harbor EVSD

Fairport Harbor Educational Visioning Process

The day was broken up into various exercises geared towards educating stakeholders on the challenges and successes of existing facilities and drawing out their feedback on design priorities. Attendees experimented with spatial relationships inside the building and attempted to organize the major building sections on the site.

Early in the day, principals from Fairport Harbor, Katie Rumbarger, the Harding High School Principal, and Heidi Elmore, the McKinley Elementary School Principal, covered limitations of the over 100-year-old buildings, then the Superintendent, followed by encouraging attendees to think differently about how different sized spaces can be better used for personalized learning. This stands in contrast to having the same-sized classrooms throughout. Programs such as art, technology, and robotics can all benefit from this.

Fairport Harbor EVSD Visioning Session
Students will have state-of-the-art facilities which will help individual students go farther in their education ... I wish I had those same opportunities with technology and specialized learning. Perhaps I would have gone farther, but now, I am determined to provide that for others."
William Lukshaw
School Board Board Member

Katie commented, “In our school District, we focus on personalized learning. We focus on what every student needs, and I feel like our spaces aren’t now adaptable for that.” Educators are looking forward to having different spaces to tailor their educational approach. “What we are doing in the classroom every day doesn’t fit our environment. So, by going through this process, we can personalize our spaces to fit the needs of our students.”

Scenes from the Fairport Harbor EVSD Visioning Session

Design Activities

Activities throughout the day were designed to build off one another, each informing the next activity in the layout of the new school. This information is invaluable to the architectural design process since it demonstrates the stakeholder priorities on spatial relationships, building massing, and space usage.

Heidi Elmore, Principal of McKinley Elementary, shared, “It was a great first step to get different people’s perspectives. This is a starting point but helpful to hear a variety of ideas and understand what is important to the different groups.”

Attendees were split up into tables of 8 and given the opportunity to organize the interior layout of the school. Using paper cutouts scaled in relation to each other and the new school, the groups discussed how the pieces could be arranged to best suit how they saw the school functioning. They then reported the decision to the group and took questions from designers. This activity was designed to spark conversation about how they saw spaces interacting in their PreK-12 school.

Another activity allowed the groups to arrange that spatial diagram in 3D. Using colored blocks representing the school program’s square footage, they try to fit their building on the site while maintaining the spatial relationships from the earlier activity. This was a challenge for many.

Also attending the meeting was the Village Mayor, chief of police, and fire chief, who provided input on safety and security issues, traffic flow, building a presence in a residential neighborhood, and the importance this project represented to the community.

Building Animation of the new PreK-12 School:

Next Steps After Educational Visioning

With Educational Visioning complete, the design team is compiling a summary of the day’s activities and outcome report to be viewed by the community. The outcomes of these activities help inform the new school’s design.

Many were optimistic about how this new building would help educators expand their current programs.

Bill Lukshaw, a Board of Education member deeply involved in the process, commented, “When I joined the Board, I wanted to make sure every student had the opportunity for a quality education. This new school building will further this mission.”

For students who are used to buildings over 100 years old, the upgraded environment and new technology will be a welcomed change.

“Students will have state-of-the-art facilities which will help individual students go farther in their education.” Reflecting on his time in school, Bill commented, “I wish I had those same opportunities with technology and specialized learning. Perhaps I would have gone farther, but now, I am determined to provide that for others.”

This summer, architects will begin the schematic design phase. During this phase, initial plans are developed, which can be used for cost estimation.

Later this fall, the team plans to engage with educators to better understand their individual needs for inclusion in the new plans.

View the report from the visioning session to better understand the findings of the group that day. 

Fairport Harbor EVSD Groundbreaking Ceremony

Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Communications

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Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Ryan is a communications specialist who is passionate about using digital media to further the goals of organizations and communities in Northeast Ohio. With a background in construction and a degree in architecture, he spent over a decade in corporate video production and brings this mindset to videography, editing, photography and content marketing. He is passionate about supporting the arts, and can be found hiking in the parks system.
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Internship Experiences: Eleanor Huntley

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Internship Experiences: Eleanor Huntley
Committed to helping educate architects of the future, ThenDesign Architecture (TDA) accepts architectural interns into our office each year. Eleanor Huntley spent her summer months as an architectural intern at TDA. Eleanor, who was initially interested in engineering, decided to study architecture since it provided an opportunity for creative problem solving and its potential to impact everyday life.

Eleanor Huntley - Architectural Intern

Committed to educating future architects, ThenDesign Architecture (TDA) accepts architectural interns into our office each year. Eleanor Huntley spent her summer months as an intern at TDA. Eleanor, who was initially interested in engineering, decided to study architecture since it provided opportunities for creative problem solving and to affect people’s everyday life. She is driven to explore educational design and improve each student’s experience while impacting their local community.

Reflecting on her time at TDA, Eleanor commented: “I learned to value the communication and collaboration between everyone in the process. There are a lot of people involved, from clients, to construction managers, to consultants and architects. Everyone needs to be satisfied with the project because each building will last for years to come.” Eleanor continues, “It’s very rewarding to feel like the work you are doing actually matters and contributes to society. Since TDA specializes in education and really focuses on the client, they have been very successful in this.”

"It's very rewarding to feel like the work you are doing actually matters and contributes to society ... It's very rewarding to feel like the work you are doing actually matters and contributes to society."
Eleanor Huntley
Architectural Intern

Questions for Eleanor Huntley

What is your typical day like?

For my internship, I worked with James Cowan, a project manager, and Jeff Henderson on the East Tech Culinary Program Renovation. They have both been wonderful, teaching me as we go, and to collaborate with on this project. We are in design development and when construction starts, I hope to come back to see more of that process.

Typically, each morning, I reorient myself on tasks for the day and begin working in Revit. The morning is when I can complete assignments from the previous days discussions. This could be adjusting classroom and furniture layouts, or producing new renderings. I do a lot of renderings! Then in the afternoon, we meet together and work through any changes we received from the client. Since this project is built in Revit, I update the model, produce new floor plans and send them to the client for any changes. The next day it begins all over again!

How was the internship different than you expected?

This is my first professional internship with an architecture firm. I had some experience as a senior in high school, but it was from the client’s perspective and the work was largely limited to my high school. At TDA, I am working directly on an architectural model.

I came to this internship expecting to do background work and maybe sit in a few meetings. I thought the project manager or principal architect would primarily work with the client. It was a huge surprise when I was given an important role. During my time, I attended a lot of meetings, corresponded with our clients, and they knew me by name. I was so excited when I got my first phone call!

What was memorable about your time at TDA?

I just really loved the environment and culture at TDA. The people are super genuine to one another. All the interns were great too. I loved working with them, and hanging out after work with them. It was a unique environment and culture compared to the other firms that I’ve shadowed.

The new office is especially exciting, it is such an open space. I was sitting at one of the collaborative tables, which was a little nerve wracking at first, but it was also nice to see everyone working. I think it encouraged in-person collaboration and made communication much easier. It was really exciting.

What lessons did you learn in this internship?

A value that all architects should have, and TDA does really well, is to communicate and collaborate with everyone in the project. There’s a lot of people involved whether it’s a client, construction manager, consultant or architect. Everyone needs to be satisfied when the project is finished because it’s something that will last for years to come. Each building is a product of many people’s input.

Also, education is always changing and flexibility needs to be a priority in new schools. I think since TDA specializes in education and really focuses on their clients, they have been very successful in their projects. That communication and attention is something I want to carry forward in my career.

This is my first professional internship with an architecture firm. I had a senior one in high school that lasted an entire year. Again, it was more on the client side, but I got to visit firms, shadow a whole bunch of different projects, but the primary work was in my high school. So this is the first one where I’m in the Revit model and I’m doing work for the client myself.

I’ve worked most closely with Jeff and James for this, and they’ve been wonderful to collaborate with and teach me as we go. I came into this internship in the beginning of the summer with the expectation that I’d be more on the “back door” or the “back end” of it. So it’s exciting to be really, really involved in the team. I got to come up with a couple ideas that we’re moving forward with. I designed the storefront and where windows can go, that the chefs were super excited for. So it was really rewarding for me to see my work be shown to the client and the client get excited about it. You know, so I loved that.

I think a value that all architects should have, I think TDA really does have, is that “communication and collaboration.” I mean, there’s a lot of people involved in a project, because this is something that’s likely going to last for years to come. Education’s always changing, so there needs to be flexibility for change. I think TDA by specializing in education and really focusing on the client, I think they’re really successful in that. And that’s something that should be taken, with not only myself, but with any architect I believe.

It’s very rewarding to feel like the work we’re doing actually does matter and is really contributing as opposed to just giving “the intern” busy work to maybe learn about the culture and the process, but not necessarily influence the project if that makes sense. I just really loved the environment at TDA, and the culture. I think the people are super genuine to one of another. The other interns were great and I loved working with them and hanging out with them. It’s the kind of environment and culture that I think makes TDA really unique compared to other firms that I’ve seen and shadowed and worked with a little bit, especially in the new office. I think makes things super exciting for everybody.

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

Eleanor Huntley

Eleanor Huntley

Architectural Intern

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Eleanor Huntley

Eleanor Huntley

Eleanor Huntley spent her summer months as an architectural intern at TDA. Eleanor, who was initially interested in engineering, decided to study architecture since it provided an opportunity for creative problem solving and affect people's everyday life.

Internship Experiences: Sophia Blatnik

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Internship Experiences: Sophia Blatnik
Committed to helping educate architects of the future, ThenDesign Architecture (TDA) accepts interns into our office each year. Sophia Blatnik spent the summer as an architectural intern for TDA. Having a natural desire to get involved in public architecture, she was most interested to see how educational design could positively affect a community.

Sophia Blatnik - Architectural Intern

Sophia Blatnik spent the summer as an architectural intern for ThenDesign Architecture (TDA). Having a natural desire to get involved in public architecture, she was most interested to see how educational design could positively affect a community. She found that by integrating 3D visualization techniques into communication, it helps stakeholders better understand many complex architectural ideas. 

"ThenDesign Architecture does a great job thinking about what the future holds for students and then designs buildings to allow for their growth.
Sophia Blatnik
Architectural Intern

Questions for Sophia Blatnik

What is your typical day like?
When I get in, I get my desk ready and refresh my memory on yesterday’s tasks. Each time I have a meeting, I make a lot of notes and what I need to work on. That keeps me on track. Before I leave for the day, I note what needs to happen first thing in the morning. So it refreshes my memory. I work through my assigned tasks and if I have any questions, I either find information on the server, or someone in the studio can help. It is such an open space, it fosters creativity.

Who have you worked with the most during your internship?
I worked with so many people, but the majority of my time, I worked with Claire. She has been an amazing mentor and has put so much trust in me. I really appreciate this because it is my first internship. I have been on many different projects and have gotten a wide range of architectural experiences, from schools to aquatic centers. 

What did you learn that surprised you the most during your internship?
I saw how “forward thinking” architects need to be when designing schools. TDA is always looking to the future, since educational architecture will be used by future generations. It was surprising to see how much thinking goes into how students will be affected in each space. You really need to think about how they feel and whether they will be inspired in that room. I really wasn’t expecting that part of design.

What was the most memorable time of your internship?
The interns were charged with coming up with a “patio lunch” idea and we took charge of that! We had everyone come up with a theme and ideas for food. We all decided  on the foods and figured out what else we needed to bring in for a successful “community gathering.” Everyone chose a “Mamma Mia” theme which is what we were hoping for. It was exciting to design all aspects of this event, even if it was just a patio lunch. That was a lot of fun!

So I’ve been trying to figure out what field of architecture I want to go into. I know that I want to do something with the community, which is why schools really interest me and especially working here, I’ve loved seeing the impact that it has on the community members with designing for the community.

In school, when we’re designing, we’re not designing for an actual client it’s hypothetical. So we don’t have those conversations that I’ve learned coming here that go on between not only the architects and the client, but also the engineers and a bunch of different other members of the team. So it’s been really cool to see the background process of how that all works.

So I wanted an experience over the summer to get an idea of what’s actually happening in the real world rather than just at school. So I didn’t know exactly what I was walking into. I was hoping I was going to get to do some design work, but I wasn’t sure and they did mention that they want the interns here to get a full scope, whatever projects that they’re interested in or to get an idea of many steps of the process. That’s something that I was hoping would happen at an internship, but definitely has exceeded my expectations with how much I’ve been able to see of the process.

TDA has done a great job of thinking of what the future will hold for these generations that they’re designing for and allowing for that growth that will happen in society and in these future generations to really incorporate that growth. So I have really appreciated the environment of this firm. I know all of the interns we’ve gotten so close, we’ve actually hung out outside of work and especially coming out of COVID-19 where there was so much isolation. It was really nice to have this community feel and these people that I’ve grown so close with and feel accepted and pushed to grow as a designer and as a person that has been the biggest takeaway for me.

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

Sophia Blatnik

Sophia Blatnik

Architectural Intern

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Sophia Blatnik

Sophia Blatnik

Sophia Blatnik spent the summer as an architectural intern for ThenDesign Architecture (TDA). Having a natural desire to get involved in public architecture, she was most interested to see how educational design could affect a community for the good.

Meet the Designers: Cynthia Haight

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Meet the Designers: Cynthia Haight
Meet Cynthia, she brings a high level of sophistication and creativity to her role, has a keen eye for detail and passion for educational design.

Cynthia Haight - Interior Designer

Cynthia Haight works as an interior designer for ThenDesign Architecture (TDA) and is driven to provide the best educational environment for students, she integrates, color, texture and detail in all of her projects. Having a background in psychology, Cynthia integrates this understanding into each space she works on to better create comfortable environments that allow users to succeed.

"The design of schools is important. We have to give our youth a place where they can truly learn and give their teachers a place that is easy to teach in."
Cynthia Haight
Interior Designer

Questions for Cynthia Haight

Why did you become an interior designer?
After working in the field of Psychology and then raising my children, I wanted to try something new, something creative. I have had a passion for dance, music, and art. Interior Design addressed my desire to be creative while remaining practical as well. It is not just about aesthetics but also about solving problems and making a building work for the end-users.

What’s your favorite part of a project you’re working on. Why?
My favorite part of a current project is considering the needs of the special education kindergarten students who will be using the building; making the spaces bright and happy as well as considering the effect of the finishes in terms of all the senses. These renovated spaces will also respect the history and original design of the building.

What will be the biggest changes in education interior design (or interior design in general) in the next few years?
School districts are approaching education from a different direction, one that involves learning though engagement and collaboration. This requires a different approach from designers as well in terms of space planning and furniture types. Our design must support the activities in the spaces.

I feel very strongly about how an interior should be laid out.

What I really like about TDA, is the type of work we do, educational design. I’m very idealistic, but my thought has always been, if we do our job well, and we create spaces where teachers and students can thrive, we can affect the future in a positive way. The students can truly learn, and they will take that with them throughout their lives.

Interior design has a big impact on people. It can affect them in positive or negative ways. And when we design the interiors to make them attractive, to make them comfortable, to make them a pleasant place to exist in, it’s going to help the end-users of the building.

Color is very subjective and people’s reaction to color has a lot to do with their life experience. We try to make elementary schools, more playful and high schools, a little more sophisticated, the occasional higher education project, even more so. But to provide enough color so that it’s stimulating without being overwhelming, is a balance just as it is with clutter and detail. You can’t have too much, but you need a little bit to create some interest.

We have attended the “Visioning Sessions” as well, and it’s wonderful to hear what not only the teachers and the students, but also the, the citizens of the community have to say. After the visioning, when we start meeting with the owners, we start asking them what they need exactly, how, precisely, they teach. And we present ideas that have worked in the past, and we’ll present images and layouts so that they can get an idea of some of the options that are possible. Then we’re able to get a better idea of what they truly need.

We have to do an enormous amount of research and we have to put together specifications that meet with the needs of the building. If we are doing our job, right, we should be able to take the small budget and make it look spectacular. It shouldn’t look cheap. It shouldn’t be all gray or beige. It should be an exciting, fun place to be.

The design of schools is important, it’s important. We have to give our youth a place where they can truly learn and give their teachers a place that is easy to teach in.

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

Cynthia Haight

Cynthia Haight

Interior Designer

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Cynthia Haight

Cynthia Haight

Cynthia Haight works as an interior designer for ThenDesign Architecture (TDA). Driven to provide the best educational environment for students, she integrates, color, texture and detail in all of her projects. Having a background in psychology, Cynthia integrates this understanding into each space she works on to better create comfortable environments that allow users to succeed.

ThenDesign Architecture Relocates to Memorial Junior High School

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ThenDesign Architecture Relocates to Memorial Junior High for New Offices in Willoughby
With the completion of the renovation project, ThenDesign Architecture moves to their new home in Downtown Willoughby.

ThenDesign Architecture Relocates to Memorial Junior High in Willoughby

In 2017, ThenDesign Architecture undertook the challenging task of breathing new life into the historic Memorial Junior High in downtown Willoughby. Committed to the economic development of the Willoughby community, Bob Fiala, the founding partner of TDA and Executive Chairman and Chris Smith, the President and CEO, decided to reimagine the former school and develop it to become the new headquarters for an “education focused,” architectural firm. In early 2021, ThenDesign Architecture relocates to Memorial Junior High in Willoughby Ohio for their new offices.

Interior Photos - ThenDesign Architecture
"There is nothing more valuable than seeing everybody together in the same building at the same time. This is where true collaboration begins, and where it exists."
Robert Fiala
Founding Partner and Executive Chairman of ThenDesign Architecture

Economic Development in Willoughby

“This is a story about economic development.” said Bob Fiala, of TDA. While Bob is not involved in the “day to day” operations of the firm, due to his role as Mayor of the City of Willoughby, he is passionate about giving back to the larger community. Having always been located in Willoughby, with a legacy reaching back to 1951, Bob has been intricately involved in TDA’s development over the years. “It’s the story of a “home grown” firm, that was founded in the city, grew in the city and made a significant investment in the city. This whole organization is about economic development, and it’s happening right here.”

Currently, with over $300 million dollars in educational construction across Northeast Ohio, an historic school seemed like the best home to design the new educational facilities of the future. “We are heavily vested in the educational marketplace, schools, sports facilities and performing arts centers,” commented Chris Smith. “Designing from an historic school made so much sense for us. In fact, Jeff Henderson, a lead designer on the project actually went to school here years ago.”

TDA Staff developed spaces inside the historic building based on usage.
School projects are very public, and we developed an engagement process with educators, administrators and the community. We wanted to carry that same idea forward in our new space.
Jeff Henderson
Architect

Defining Space Usage for Memorial Junior High School

The design process to reimagine the historic school was parallel to the process TDA uses to engage its clients when designing their new facilities.

“We began with a series of questions to our entire staff. How do we want to work? How do we want to collaborate? How do we want to feast? How do we want to celebrate?,” explained Educational Design Lead, Abby Rainieri. “We engaged the staff through a “Visioning Session,” to gather feedback from the staff on how to use the space.”

Spaces in the building were then organized into 4 distinct groups, each one encouraged collaboration and productivity in different ways. “You have public space, private space, working alone and working together. Those are the four types of spaces on the axis. We really found that through that division, all the spaces we needed fell into one of those four quadrants,” explained Abby.

Lake County Development Council's, first "In-Person Meeting" - ThenDesign Architecture
“TDA was always successful but now they have moved from success to significance. We're very proud of them and pleased to have them downtown."
David Anderson
Former Mayor of the City of Willoughby

ThenDesign Architecture Relocates to Memorial in Willoughby

The finished project has surfaced fond memories from Memorial Junior High School alumni, who attended at the school years ago. It has been received well by county leadership, business owners and community members. In late June, Lake County Development Council held their first in-person meeting, hosted at TDA’s new building.

At the event, former Mayor Dave Anderson commented: “We are so proud of TDA. They were a big part of downtown in the Carrel building, and will continue to be with this building here.” With his experience working to develop Willoughby’s downtown during his tenure, those comments were particularly impactful. “TDA was always successful but now they have moved from success to significance. We’re very proud of them and pleased to have them downtown.”

Memorial Junior High School, Prior to Renovation - ThenDesign Architecture

Acquiring Memorial Junior High School

“Back when the Willoughby/Eastlake School system moved their Vocational Tech Center, they had no further need of these two buildings,” explained Mr. Anderson. “As mayor at the time, I knew Willoughby faced a significant challenge.”

When the Willoughby/Eastlake school system had to divest itself of property, they had two options, either put the property, which was in the heart of Willoughby’s downtown up for auction, or transfer it to another government entity.

Knowing this, the School District decided to transfer two vacant properties to the City of Willoughby who then appraised the properties and took proposals from developers for both Buildings A and B, while retaining the property which is now Wes Point Park. ThenDesign Architecture purchased the site known as “Building B” to renovate and relocate their offices to.

Since then, the building has become a hub of architectural activity, designed for project work and group collaboration, it includes flexible areas for team meetings and other creative work.

"Welcome Back" Staff Event - ThenDesign Architecture
"It’s an awesome day here for all of us at TDA."
Chris Smith
President and CEO of ThenDesign Architecture

ThenDesign Welcomes Staff Back to the New Relocated Office

In early June 2021, the building was officially opened, and administrative and architectural staff were welcomed back after 16 months of remote work during the Covid-19 pandemic. Both Chris Smith and Bob Fiala participated in a ceremonial ribbon cutting and activities at this “Welcome Back” event.
Speaking at the Ribbon Cutting, Chris addressed the staff, “It’s an awesome day here for all of us at TDA. This whole idea and concept was Bob’s idea. And I don’t think there’s anybody more committed to their community, that I know of. This is both gratifying for him, not only as a new home TDA, but also, as a major reinvestment in our community.”

Understanding the significance of this building in the local community, ThenDesign Architecture looks forward to hosting a community focused “Ribbon Cutting Event.” This is tentatively planned for the end of 2021 and all of those who are interested in seeing the finished space, are encouraged to see the reimagined Memorial Junior High School.

In the meantime, we would love to hear from you. If you are an alumni and have memories from the space, we would love to hear about your experiences.

Mayor Fiala recognized the challenges of both the construction project and the stresses of remote work during the Covid-19 pandemic but looks forward to what will be done at the new office. “There is nothing more valuable than seeing everybody together in the same building at the same time. This is where true collaboration begins, and where it exists.”

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

Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Communications

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Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Ryan is a communications specialist who is passionate about using digital media to further the goals of organizations and communities in Northeast Ohio. With a background in construction and a degree in architecture, he spent over a decade in corporate video production and brings this mindset to videography, editing, photography and content marketing. He is passionate about supporting the arts, and can be found hiking in the parks system.
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One Key Characteristic Needed by all Architects in Educational Design

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One Key Characteristic Needed by all Architects in Educational Design
Educational design is a rigorous process that involves dedication, technical ability and skill. Developing successful school facilities takes years of work, between district representatives, architects construction professionals and the community. A vast array of talents are used in this type of work, but one key characteristic is needed for any architect in educational design.

One Key Characteristic

“One of the first questions, I ask a potential new employees is, “Why do you like this type of work?” We already know everyone likes collaboration and autonomy, but I want them to dig deeper than that.” says Angela Staedt, PHR, SHRM-CP, Human Resources Director at TDA. Educational design is a rigorous process that involves dedication, technical ability and skill. Developing successful school facilities takes years of work, between district representatives, architects construction professionals and the community. A vast array of talents are used in these projects, but one key characteristic needed for any architect in educational design.

Angie continues, “You can have the most amazing talent in the world and be technically impressive, but if you don’t have curiosity that fuels dedication, then you may not be a good fit in this industry.”

This characteristic informs everything we do as creative professionals and allows us to drive forward despite challenges. We accomplish more than we think because of it. And it is the defining characteristic of our best educators and administrators, so there is no surprise it’s in our architects too.

“Those people who deeply think about this characteristic and explore how it impacts them, they will succeed here. Working collaboratively and autonomously is great,” Angie answers, “but those who are passionate towards education, architecture and communities–they will succeed.”

TDA and What We Do

ThenDesign Architecture (TDA) is an architecture, planning and construction firm, located in downtown Willoughby, operating out of the renovated Junior High School building. During our over 60-year history, we have worked with over 120 passionate school districts in Northeast Ohio, partnering with them to develop unique, innovative, architectural designs that improve the education for the students and communities. Our work is characterized through facilities planning, new construction, building renovation and much more. Our staff is as unique as the districts we serve, and each one brings perspectives and experiences that complement the districts we work with. However, even though we are a diverse team, the one characteristic, passion, fuels all our educational designs.

Join our team!

ThenDesign Architecture is looking for collaborative, innovative team members for a variety of roles including Architects, Revit Modelers, IT Managers, Interior Designers, BIM/Revit Managers. Apply today!

Contact Angie at hr@thendesign.com.

"Passion" - A Key Characteristic

The meaning of the word “passion” has morphed significantly over the years, with it more recently surging in popularity. It is characterized as an “intense enthusiasm for something.” However, even though it now takes a much more positive tone, originally it was derived from the Latin root word “to suffer.”

This somewhat paradoxical meaning makes sense when we understand that our “passion,” that enthusiastic drive, is what helps us make sacrifices to push forward a good cause.

Author Brad Stulberg, describes this condition in his book “The Passion Paradox,” Using the lens of high-performance athletes, he explains that our challenge is to balance a burning desire to achieve, with “overwhelming our sense of balance.” He believes that “Passion isn’t a one-time thing. It is an ongoing practice,” in other words, we are constantly balancing the extremes of drive and sacrifice. That paradox is present in passionate people. Their desire to advance their cause, bleeds into everything they do. “Your passion should not come from the outside. It should come from within.”

This one key characteristic, passion, is a key indicator of success in architecture, especially around educational design. Whether a project manager, or intern, passion is what allows us to succeed.
"Many times we find that once architects start working on educational design, they discover their passion for this work. It's about giving to the generations of young people who will experience their architecture."
Chris Smith
President

What Does our Staff Say?

“This isn’t just something I believe, it isn’t something that comes from an HR book, but everyone from the administrative team to our designers have shared this common thread.” From her unique position in HR, Angie recognizes this characteristic in every team member she works with. “It’s coming from our staff who regularly work together as a team. They drive towards the same goal and develop close relationships with one another as well as our clients.

“Passion” is one key characteristic needed by all architects in educational design.

Claire Bank, RA – Project Manager

  • “I wanted to be in a field that benefited the community, designing buildings that benefited its users. Schools are ingrained in their community and have always served as hubs in some form. Now we are seeing more community aspects woven into them…A lot of people don’t realize how passionate I am about education. I taught Architecture at Kent State for a period of time and I’m also involved in the ACE Mentor Program. I am always trying to find other ways, besides designing schools, to weave education into my work. Maybe it’s genetic, my parents were educators, but I try to weave education into my career as much as possible.”

Ken Monsman, RA, NCARB, CCM, LEED AP BD+ C – Construction Administrator

  • “There is nothing like seeing students using the spaces we designed at their school. Sitting in class during academic time, using the collaborative areas during lunch and after working in little groups on projects. The space is very flexible and useful for them. Architecture has a profound impact on people. Whether you are experiencing the building as visitor or you use it regularly. It’s very exciting to have a big influence on students by designing their schools. It’s very fulfilling and I’m grateful to have made the decision to join TDA. It has been a good experience for me, there are great people, good management and great projects.”

Cynthia Haight – Interior Designer

  • “The design of schools is more important today than ever. We have to give our youth a place where they can truly learn and provide their teachers a place that is easy to teach in. That’s the only reason why I feel so passionate about this type of design, it’s fantastic.”

Adam Parris, RA – Project Manager

  • “When we are given a design problem by a client and solve it, we are appreciated by them. However, you don’t see all the people that are benefited by that space afterwards. In my mind, the best praise you can give to a project is someone who walks in the building, enjoys their time there and walks out feeling like they’ve done what they came to do, and want to come back. Seeing people enjoying the space drives me to continue designing.”

Mackenzie Kicher – Architectural Intern

  • “Being at TDA was the first time I was exposed to educational design. You most likely went through school but rarely thought about how it works, there’s just so much to it. Designing a science lab is completely different than designing a room for preschoolers or kindergartners. As a student, there is only so much that school can teach you, you just need to get into an office and see how it works. The experiences I have had, I didn’t even know I needed them to be a good architect. Now going back into school, I feel much more passionate about these spaces and confident since I learned them firsthand.”
"Working collaboratively and autonomously is great, but those who are passionate towards education, architecture and communities - they will succeed."
Angela Staedt, PHR, SHRM-CP
Human Resources Director

Developing this one key Characteristic - Passion

“Staff stay at TDA because they enjoy the people they work with almost as much as what they do every day. One common factor people love it here, is that they realize they are doing something for a much bigger cause creating purpose.” Angie has heard the same comments from many designers at TDA, “It’s something bigger than what they could do alone, it makes a difference in a community for decades, so our work is meaningful.”

If you have a passion or curiosity for educational design, our team would love to connect with you. Passion is a characteristic that can be developed over time but often comes from within. We have found that even if someone isn’t familiar with educational design, once exposed to it, their own passion is ignited and they see the tangible difference they can make in education.

“So this is a continual process, as we develop new skills we can take inspiration from others who have tried things a little differently. Those who drive design forward, and who are passionate about what they do, there is limitless possibility.”

If you are passionate for architecture, and improving the education in communities, both now and for decades to come, we want to hear from you. We are looking for passionate individuals, so visit our Careers page and see how we can work together.

Reach out, and let’s develop a future centered around the passion for good educational design.

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

Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Communications

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Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Ryan is a communications specialist who is passionate about using digital media to further the goals of organizations and communities in Northeast Ohio. With a background in construction and a degree in architecture, he spent over a decade in corporate video production and brings this mindset to videography, editing, photography and content marketing. He is passionate about supporting the arts, and can be found hiking in the parks system.