North Olmsted 6-12 Campus

The 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.

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!

Ryan Caswell

Communications

Get our newsletter with insights, events and tips.

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.