Perry LSD’s Southway Elementary Student Walkthrough

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Perry LSD's Southway Elementary Student Walkthrough
Four elementary school students in the Perry Local School District toured the newly completed Southway Elementary School shortly before it opened for the 2024-2025 school year. While staff and teachers were still wrapping up their final preparations for the grand opening, during the Southway Elementary Student Walkthrough, the students visited numerous areas to give their initial impressions of the finished building.

Perry Local School District's Southway Elementary Student Walkthrough

Southway Elementary is one of three new schools opening this year in the Perry Local School District. Sixth graders Cami and Veda, fifth grader Ryder, and third grader Elley were invited to explore the building and react to discovering the new spaces while having fun along the way. As staff and teachers put the final touches on their areas before the grand opening, the students visited areas that included student dining, the media center, the music room, the gymnasium, an art room, and the playground.

"For people who like a lot of colors, it will be good for them."
Elley
Third Grade Student

Perry Local School District's Southway Elementary Student Walkthrough

A School With A Theme

Veda and Elley appreciated the vibrant colors throughout the building and recognized the consistent theme of industry and railroads. Train railroad track patterns line the hallway floors of the interior. Outside, patterns of cross bracings commonly found on bridges and large buildings adorn the red brick walls near the main entrance.

Access to sunlight increases student well-being and is found throughout the school, including the gymnasium. Abundant wood and natural light appealed to Ryder, “A bunch of windows in this school will help kids focus,” he said.

Southway Elementary Design Details

A School With A Theme

The Perry Community approved a bond levy in early 2020 to secure funds to update its educational facilities. This allowed the district to secure additional funds from the state through the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC), which agreed to provide additional funding for the project.

Cami, Veda, Ryder, and Elley were the first students to traverse Southway Elementary before it opened. They spent the morning walking the hallways, visiting the classrooms, sitting in chairs, and enjoying the playground. Elley summed up the day, “It was a really good experience.”

While Southway Elementary featured an industry and railroad motif, Watson Elementary had a design concept of the arts, and Lohr Elementary focused on the theme of agriculture. All three elementary schools completed construction and opened for the 2024-2025 school year.

"I think they'll like the school because it's super big, and open, and different than other elementaries."
Cami
Sixth Grade Student

Students Tour Southway Elementary
Marc Cebrian

Marc Cebrian

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Marc has over thirty years of media production experience with a wide variety of storytelling projects that include commercials, documentaries, and live events. He began his career in the feature film and television industry in Los Angeles, California. Naturally driven by a passion for the creative and analytical, he believes that people should be kind to one another, and strives to live by example.
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3D Printing in Architecture

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3D Printing in Architecture
3D printing is a technology with growing benefits and expanding applications in architectural design. Clients can more easily understand spatial relations when seeing a physical miniature. Moving furniture around or changing the angle of elements can be quickly communicated with printed models. 3D printing in architecture is a versatile tool in the design process.

3D Printing in Architecture

“Some architectural drawings can be difficult to read and understand,” commented Archie Liptow, an emerging professional at TDA, “3D printing takes architectural visualization one step further, bridging the gap between designers and clients.”

Embracing the use of flourishing technologies in the design process, TDA explores ways that new tools can be used alongside traditional sketching methods and computer-aided design (CAD) in architecture. One newer tool, 3D printing, has become an essential asset for many challenging visualization problems.

Archie has been experimenting with large and small-scale models. “This opens the door to a higher level of design experimentation. With this new tool, designers can quickly visualize their ideas and iterations before finalizing the design. 3D printing is also a powerful part of the communication process.”

Knowing how important communication is throughout the design phase, this is one more way that concepts can be explored and quickly adjusted based on tactile, real-world feedback.

Archie continued, “Scale models of furniture and building segments are being used with our clients to tie them into the design process by determining their needs early on. When a design is in progress, physical models are the most effective way to visualize and understand a building before construction.”

While not everyone can understand architectural drawings, models are permanent objects that can be easily understood, arranged, and displayed. It is one way our design teams find new solutions to spatial challenges.

3D Printing in Architecture
ThenDesign Architecture Student Shadow Day

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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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Robert Fiala Honored with AIA Ohio’s 2024 Public Service Award

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Robert Fiala Honored with AIA Ohio's 2024 Public Service Award
ThenDesign Architecture's Robert Fiala, AIA, has been honored with the 2024 Ohio Public Service Award by the American Institute of Architects Ohio.

Robert Fiala Honored with AIA Ohio's 2024 Public Service Award

We are pleased to announce that TDA’s founding partner, Mayor Bob Fiala, has been honored with the 2024 Ohio Public Service Award by The American Institute of Architects (AIA Ohio). This esteemed award recognizes a member who has made a significant impact in their local community and the profession through public service, underscoring the influence of his contributions.

While also serving as the mayor of Willoughby, Ohio, Robert Fiala has been primarily involved with publicly funded projects. His emphasis on K-12 educational facilities and civic architecture has significantly impacted local communities during his 43-year career. He was previously honored by the AIA as a “Citizen Architect” in 2021.

The AIA Ohio website features Robert Fiala with a summary article and video tribute. His detailed award submission is also available to provide much more detail.

From the AIA Ohio website:

Robert Fiala, AIA, has had a long and impactful career as a public servant and architect, with a focus on enhancing communities through public service. As the Mayor of Willoughby, Ohio, since 2018, Fiala has spearheaded numerous initiatives aimed at improving the city’s environmental, cultural, and social landscape. He has led projects like the conservation of waterfronts along the Chagrin River and Lake Erie, restoring 1,400 feet of riverfront, and acquiring over 200 acres of land to protect natural resources and enhance public access.

Fiala has also played a pivotal role in the development of Willoughby’s downtown, focusing on arts, culture, and economic revitalization. Under his leadership, the city has created the Willoughby Arts Collaborative and launched an annual ArtsFest, which has become a major event celebrating art and community.

Beyond his work as mayor, Fiala’s career as an architect has been dedicated to public sector projects, particularly in education and civic spaces. As the founding Partner of ThenDesign Architecture, he has been applauded for his leadership in the profession and in business. His dedication to public service earned him the prestigious title of “Citizen Architect” from the AIA. This prestigious recognition is a testament to his numerous contributions to his community.

Our team appreciates his ongoing commitment and leadership in TDA and the communities he serves.

Robert Fiala AIA Public Service Award

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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Indian Valley Athletic Complex Competes for Excellence

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Indian Valley Athletic Complex Competes for Excellence
The student-athletes of Indian Valley Local Schools used to travel to other facilities for competition finals, but since the Indian Valley Athletic Complex opened, the championship-class stadium has hosted cross country invitationals, track meets, playoff games, and the middle school state qualifiers. The field house serves as a year-round training facility that offers flexible configurations to support all manner of boys' and girls' sports.

Indian Valley Athletic Complex Competes for Excellence

Former elementary school principal Dr. Ira Wentworth had a vision for the Indian Valley Local Schools when he became the superintendent in 2013. The experienced runner sought to enhance the student learning experience while bolstering the local athletics program. Dr. Wentworth understood the importance of a robust athletics facility and how a state-of-the-art stadium with synthetic turf and an eight-lane track could make the Indian Valley Athletic Complex a competitive hotspot supporting students and exciting the local community.

Surrounded by rolling green hills and beside a cornfield in Gnadenhutten, Ohio, the new $7 million 3,000-seat stadium and 17,000 SF field house host large track meets, cross country invitationals, playoff games, and the middle school track and field Inter-Valley Conference championship.

The eight-lane polyurethane track surrounds the pole vault runway in addition to the football field. The Braves’ home stadium also provides for discus throwing, shot putting, the high jump, and the long jump, which can be expanded to accommodate the triple jump.

“You can watch all seventeen track and field events going,” said Superintendent Dr. Ira Wentworth. “It’s amazing to see it now, considering the former home field was near an old mine that created drainage problems. There was standing water in the endzone after it rained. But now, we host championship events. That is very rewarding.”

“We knew sports were really important to the local community,” said ThenDesign Architecture Project Manager Claire Bank, who shared a personal connection to the stadium project, “I’m also very passionate about running, so I understood the district’s desire for a fast competition track.” Design for the project was completed in the fall of 2019, with the first game in August 2020.

The stadium project was built by Beaver Constructors serving as the Construction Manager at Risk.

"I'm a track guy. So, laying out the field event locations at this complex is probably one of the most fun projects of my career."
Dr. Ira Wentworth
Superintendent

Indian Valley Athletic Complex Competes for Excellence

Flexible Spaces Year Round

Indian Valley Local Schools’ mission statement is: “Working together to personalize a rigorous standards-based learning experience.” The district’s principles are innovation, integrity, relationships, teamwork, and tradition. To honor a long-time community servant, a memorial Victory Bell for Indian Valley Board of Education Member “Uncle Larry” Holmes was installed in the D-zone facing the field house.

The field house serves as a year-round, multi-purpose building containing the concessions stand, ticket office, restrooms, weight room, and locker rooms. Movable sports netting maximizes the customization of the primary open area to accommodate inside baseball and softball practices.

In the adjoining space, an operable dividing wall provides further flexibility by opening into a single space or closing to have two. Lockers can be removed and stored in the nearby shed during winter so mats can be placed on the floor for wrestling season.

The same area is used for the girls’ track locker room in the spring. In the fall, it becomes the visiting football team’s locker room, creating a steady rotation of use from season to season.

The Indian Valley Field House Offers Flexible Spaces

A New Bond for a New Stadium

The planning for the Indian Valley Athletic Complex began in 2018 after Dr. Wentworth discovered that a $7 million district levy was scheduled to expire in 2019. He started an informational campaign proposing that a new $7 million bond to help construct the much-needed stadium could go into effect just as the 1995 bond ended. This would time the funding so that residents would not endure any increased financial impact.

“Once I heard the bond that built the new gymnasium at the high school was going to fall off the books, we got to work,” Dr. Wentworth said. “After the community understood their taxes were not going to increase, we received really excellent support.” He added, “It passed about 60% to 40%.”

Before design began, there was an effort to purchase the ideal land to build on, which would have the new athletics facility near Indian Valley High School. The owner of the neighboring manufacturing facility was approached and received the idea warmly, “He told the district he’d sell us whatever we needed,” recalled Dr. Wentworth. “Then, Claire worked her magic and designed a beautiful stadium complex.”

After the stadium opened, the parking lot was paved, a small storage building was built, and the two-bus garage was renovated. Community generosity and partnerships with local businesses have provided additional funding for the complex.

The New Stadium Hosts Championship Competitions

History Becomes Legacy

As part of the design process, a site survey of the 19-acre area was conducted before construction began, and the results were surprising. “There was some excitement,” Claire recalled the buzz this created for the school district. “During the archeological study, they found about 500 artifacts just during Phase One. We knew this was possible given the area, but what they found was pretty cool.”

Archeologists canvased the property, excavated, salvaged, and documented their findings, which included earth oven features, pottery, projectile points, stone tools, and modified flakes. The Columbus Dispatch covered the story on its website, and an informational display with graphics provided by Ohio Valley Archaeology Inc. (OVAI) greets visitors at the stadium’s main entrance. “We put the sign there with some interesting information so visitors could learn about the location’s historical significance,” Claire noted.

The geophysical survey and archaeology excavation processes were included in the construction timeline, and despite the historical findings, there was no scheduling impact on the project. Some of the items discovered are still on display at the school district building and available for instruction in the school’s local history class.

An Archeological Find

Bringing Communities Together

Before the Indian Valley Athletic Complex was built, their high school students had to travel ten miles for track and field practice. Full-field football practices were only available off-site. Now, students can safely and efficiently practice in the new stadium at their own high school.

The high-quality Indian Valley Athletic Complex is a much-desired host for many events. It was chosen as a neutral site for the OHSAA football playoff games and hosted a professional drum and bugle corps complimentary concert for the community. This unique experience allowed the marching band students to learn from experts, gaining an opportunity not possible before the stadium’s construction.

“The new stadium is a source of pride for the entire community, as evidenced by the compliments of our visiting competitors,” Dr. Wentworth said. “Athletics has always been a draw that brings our geographically diverse school district together, but the new complex has taken it to a new level.”

"The stadium has truly become an educational asset for our students."
Dr. Ira Wentworth
Superintendent
Marc Cebrian

Marc Cebrian

Communications

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Marc has over thirty years of media production experience with a wide variety of storytelling projects that include commercials, documentaries, and live events. He began his career in the feature film and television industry in Los Angeles, California. Naturally driven by a passion for the creative and analytical, he believes that people should be kind to one another, and strives to live by example.
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Lexington’s New 7-12 Facility Brings Two Schools Under One Roof

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Lexington's New 7-12 Facility Brings Two Schools Under One Roof
Lexington Local Schools wanted to consolidate their junior high and high schools into a modern educational facility. Lexington's new 7-12 facility brings two schools under one roof with two academic wings, a performing arts center, three gymnasiums, collaborative media centers, centralized student dining, and an athletics complex.

Lexington's New 7-12 Facility Brings Two Schools Under One Roof

Lexington Local Schools opened their new 7-12 grade educational facility, combining Lexington Junior High and Lexington High School under a single roof. The new $56 million school building opened as scheduled on September 6 for the 2022-2023 school year.

The school district and local community began a journey to consolidate and improve their scholastic programs after passing a bond issue in 2018. After extensive educational planning, they started designs for the new 200,000 SF Lexington 7-12 school. The modernized structure hosts grades 7-12 divided into two academic wings, 7-8 and 9-12. This state-of-the-art facility incorporates various student-centered design principles, including open collaborative and flexible spaces, alongside more traditional academic and classroom areas.

Lexington Local Schools’ passion for the arts and sports prioritized the need for a 750-seat performing arts center, three gymnasiums, and an athletics complex that provides academic and extracurricular opportunities for its 1,200 students.

Lexington's New 7-12 Facility

History Looks Forward

With pride in its rich history in education, the Lexington, Ohio, community maintained its aging schools with a series of construction and renovation projects over the decades in an effort to preserve the buildings. The Lexington Junior High School was part of the oldest building in the district, built in the 1890s, with a bulk of it added on in 1930. That construction assimilated the forty-year-old school and became the history department.

The high school was built in the 1960s, and renovations to the junior high school in 1970 were the last significant improvements. The school district has since recognized the need to take action as the infrastructure continued to age. Showing great respect for Lexington’s heritage, relics from the oldest structure were salvaged to incorporate into notable spaces of the new 7-12 school.

During the planning process, the existing high school site was identified as the best location for the new school, requiring the district and design team to plan their spatial plans efficiently. Considering the new construction would be 30 feet away from the existing structure, safety became a paramount consideration. The project became a real-time lesson in architecture for the students to watch from their classroom windows.

Lexington's New 7-12 Facility Under Construction & Completed

Visioning and Collaboration

In November 2018, district voters approved an 8.6-mill bond issue for $55.95 million for construction costs associated with the project. Working with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission through the Expedited Local Partnership Program (ELPP), the district would consolidate its five existing school buildings into two: a 7-12 school and a PreK-6 school. They began design for the 7-12 building first.

With funding secured, design began in earnest with educational visioning in 2019. The Lexington Local School District met with educators, community members, and local leaders to determine their educational priorities for their new facilities. While feedback came from various stakeholders, the district identified that following a “junior high school model” was a key priority.

This model organizes student education around curricular departments such as math, science, and English language arts. This contrasts with a “middle school model” where education is organized around small teams of educators from each core subject. Visioning combined with touring local schools allowed the administrators and designers to craft a layout that would suit the district’s educational needs.

Project Manager Scott Alleman commented, “It’s a traditional community, and they wanted to establish a forward-thinking model for education.” He continues, “They knew they didn’t simply want ‘double-loaded corridors,’ so we worked through various layouts. It became clear what strategies would work best.”

The timing of design completion in December 2022 coincided with the COVID-19 global pandemic. The last two phases, including Design Development (DD) and Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) / Construction Documents (CD), were finished during the early months of the global shutdown and were conducted almost 100% virtually.

Lexington's New 7-12 Facility Visioning Session & School in Use

Advancing Lexington's Arts and Athletics Programs

“The district was adamant that academics were the number one focus,” Scott recalled. “They pride themselves on athletics and the arts.”

In addition to the new 7-12 school building, Lexington Local Schools commissioned a $3 million athletics complex with baseball and softball fields, two practice soccer fields, a concession building, bleachers, press boxes, dugouts, mesh backstops, and scoreboards.

The enhanced ball fields are located at the base of a steep 15′ grade and anchored by a concessions and storage building centered between them, on an axis with the school. Each field features mesh backdrops, beautiful new scoreboards with field backstops, and fencing highlighted in the school’s purple and gold colors.

The ADA-accessible athletics complex offers a streamlined and engaging visitor experience. It is connected to the junior high school parking lot via a stairway and processional ramp, providing breathtaking field views. These “collegiate-level” fields visible from the junior high school’s second floor provide added athletic opportunities to the school’s sports program.

During the educational visioning session, many in the community voiced enthusiastic support for Lexington’s arts and athletics programs. Lexington’s 7-12 school features three expanded gymnasiums: a high school competition gym, an auxiliary gym, and a junior high school gym. The competition gym has a seating capacity of 2,400 and a mezzanine that can be used for wrestling practices and other activities.

The crown jewel of the 7-12 school is the 750-seat performing arts center, which serves as a notable focal point and joins the student dining space. “This is one of the spaces that gets me really excited, especially when you are up on the stage looking out at all those chairs,” Scott said.

Lexington's 7-12 Performing Arts Center & Athletics Facilities

Dramatic Centralized Student Dining

An elongated student dining collaborative joins the northern high school portion to the southern junior high with a flooring material that transitions between the separate academic spaces. A view of the courtyard from this two-story area creates a dramatic visitor entrance.

Up to 400 students per lunch period are supported in this centralized space. It also serves as a lobby for the performing arts center and gymnasiums, allowing the school administrators to program the dining area to support different functions, creating greater flexibility. Lexington 7-12’s student dining was designed to create a logical buffer separating the academic-focused and public areas from each other.

While both academic wings are organized around collaborative spaces with media centers, the high school wing features a two-story open, collaborative space. Math and science are on the second floor, and English, world languages, and social studies are on the first.

Since opening in September 2022, the Lexington 7-12 school has established a modernized educational facility that supports the local community and its students.

Lexington's 7-12 Dining Area & Courtyard
Marc Cebrian

Marc Cebrian

Communications

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Marc Cebrian

Marc has over thirty years of media production experience with a wide variety of storytelling projects that include commercials, documentaries, and live events. He began his career in the feature film and television industry in Los Angeles, California. Naturally driven by a passion for the creative and analytical, he believes that people should be kind to one another, and strives to live by example.
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TDA Hosts a Student Shadow Day

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TDA Hosts a Student Shadow Day
During the summer school break, ThenDesign Architecture hosted a Student Shadow Day, inviting high school and college students interested in the design fields to participate in learning sessions and hands-on activities. The group spent the day shadowing TDA teams, engaging with designers who offered insights and career advice.

TDA Hosts a Student Shadow Day

ThenDesign Architecture’s summer Student Shadow Day provided a unique opportunity for local high school and college students interested in the architecture, interior design, and construction administration fields. The staff hosted nearly twenty students, with around one-third of the attendees still in high school and the remainder attending college. For some, it was their first time in an architecture office.

“We were genuinely thrilled about the event and couldn’t wait to share our passion for architecture, interior design, and construction administration with the students,” commented Dr. Christina Moran, the Director of People Operations at TDA. Christina helped organize the event alongside several staff members to create a schedule of interactive discussions and learning sessions to provide valuable insights and experiences to these potential designers.

Students who met with TDA through local career fairs, previously interviewed for a position, or were in association with a partnering school district were among the pool of attendees. Christina said, “Their enthusiasm was palpable, and seeing their eager responses to the invites heightened our excitement for the day.”

After everyone arrived, TDA partner Robert Fiala summarized the firm’s history and gave an overview of what has made the company successful.

“The unique value of Student Shadow Day lies in the opportunity it offers students: a chance to step into an architect's office, witness our work, understand our methods, and be immersed in the culture of design through a hands-on learning experience."
Robert Fiala, AIA
Partner

TDA Hosts a Student Shadow Day

Designing Schools From Inside a School

The students found the building tour particularly interesting because TDA’s offices are located in the renovated Memorial Junior High School in Willoughby, Ohio. This historic school was originally constructed in the 1920s, and many original features, such as the lockers and original doors, are still intact. Christina said, “The students enjoyed that our teams design schools and much of our work is done from inside a former school building.”

A question-and-answer session on architecture, interior design, and construction administration and a one-on-one speed networking activity drew out the energy of the group and allowed them to quickly introduce themselves to each other, emphasizing the importance of building professional relationships with their peers.

The interiors team led an artistic activity where students created their own palette of materials, including fabrics, flooring, paint colors, surfaces, and wall coverings, and presented their choices to the group, fostering a sense of collaboration and creativity.

“TDA is mindful of the surrounding community and those we serve. The Student Shadow Day event is a thread between our work, our mission, and who we are as people."
Dr. Christina Moran

Students Interact with the Design Teams

Imparting Core Values

“The Student Shadow Day aligns with our core values of leadership, teamwork, and creativity,” noted Christina. “Whether they come to work at TDA or not, we hope to inspire the next generation of designers by infusing them with a sense of serving the community. We know they will go on to do great things in the world and feel honored to be a part of their early professional experience.”

By the end of the day, students were engaging boldly, exploring their curiosity, and asking honest questions, which always makes for better conversations.

Reflecting after the event, Christina recalls, “Seeing them leave with a little more confidence, ready to embark on their design career journey, is gratifying. It would be amazing for TDA to be a part of their story.”

“Student Shadow Day is a chance for us to share our story of architecture and design and ignite students’ passion for pursuing this as a career choice."
Robert Fiala, AIA
Partner
ThenDesign Architecture Student Shadow Day

You can find out what our interns say about us here. 

Let’s work together to make education better. If you would like more information on our open positions or internship programs, please visit our Careers page.

Marc Cebrian

Marc Cebrian

Communications

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Marc Cebrian

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Marc has over thirty years of media production experience with a wide variety of storytelling projects that include commercials, documentaries, and live events. He began his career in the feature film and television industry in Los Angeles, California. Naturally driven by a passion for the creative and analytical, he believes that people should be kind to one another, and strives to live by example.
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Meet the Designers: Nicole Monaco

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Meet the Designers: Nicole Monaco
Interior designer Nicole Monaco of ThenDesign Architecture enjoys the challenge of creative problem-solving. Nicole's high school interest in costume design led her to the interior design field. She values the importance of functional, comfortable learning spaces and finds her impact on student well-being very rewarding.

Nicole Monaco — Interior Designer

Nicole Monaco is an interior designer at ThenDesign Architecture (TDA) who finds inspiration for educational design through collaboration with the school district, teachers, and students. She enjoys designing functional, aesthetically pleasing spaces that promote well-being and improve student success.

"By collaborating closely with the superintendent and school district, we can create designs that set the students up for their best chance of success."
Nicole Monaco
Interior Designer

Questions for Nicole Monaco

When did your interest in interior design begin?

I took a sewing and fashion class in high school and really enjoyed it. My teacher encouraged me to continue designing and even created more classes for me to take. I designed the costumes for the school plays. When I attended college, I had an interest in business and marketing, so I transitioned from Fashion Design to Fashion Merchandising.

After my first semester, I realized I missed my creative side and ultimately moved into interior design and never looked back.

What modern aspect of interior design can help improve a classroom?

Interior designers can greatly impact the classroom through our selection of furniture. In the past, furniture wasn’t made to move. It was heavy and bulky and served a single purpose. Now, furniture is designed to be multi-functional and flexible. The flexibility of lightweight furniture allows for classrooms and collaborative spaces to be rearranged daily to best suit the needs of the student and to emphasize the curriculum.

By using a mindful selection of furniture, interior designers are giving teachers more creative freedom to educate their students.

What is the importance of Wayfinding?

When I was in grade school, we were in a rectangular box, and the classrooms lined the perimeter. All you had to do was walk from one room to the next, knowing where you were. However, with today’s educational campuses, wayfinding has become a more critical design choice. Signage has become more of a design experience instead of a utilitarian need.

Designing the wayfinding to be more intuitive will help the occupants feel more comfortable and confident moving through the space and promote furthering their enjoyment.

My name is Nicole Monaco, and I am an interior designer with ThenDesign Architecture. I received my Bachelor of Arts from Kent State University, and I also have my masters in business from Ursuline.

I have been at TDA for four years now doing educational design. And luckily in my background, I’ve had a chance to explore different options, from residential to restaurants and health care. And ultimately, I feel like educational design is what I enjoy doing the most, just because the children are our future. And I think designing spaces that inspire them might help put them in a different direction or change their path. And it might inspire them to get into the architecture interior design field.

I enjoy interior design because it allows me to use my creativity and problem-solving, and I think it’s just fun coming in and being able to do a different design every day.

When people think of interior designers, typically, they just think of paint, flooring, and furniture. But in these large spaces, it goes a lot deeper than that. We’re actually involved in the drawings, so we help lay out the spaces. We think of the building more holistically and as an end-user approach. So, even just looking at color theory and seeing how different colors relate to other people’s emotions and maybe how they’ll make them feel in the space, different tactile experiences like the texture of the furniture, or how the floor navigates through the space. And is it helpful, or does it hinder?

And I think always doing research and staying up to date on the trends that kind of parallel with educational design I think are very important. It’s a lot more than just your paints, finishes, and fabrics.

I think that interior design and the process here at TDA is very collaborative. Interior designers and architects will sit together and kind of look at how the different spaces should be adjacent and how they function next to one another. So, a lot of the input that we give the architects helps us in the long run when we go to put casework and furniture and finishes in the building. Those classrooms and collaborative spaces will be laid out in the most functional way.

I think one of the most important aspects of the design process is when we work with the school districts and the superintendents. By collaborating with what the district wants to accomplish in the future and what the design needs to do, I think we set the students up for their best chance for success.

We are able to help create environments that can help foster their growth and their educational planning delivery.

As a dedicated partner to Wickliffe City Schools, ThenDesign Architecture is pleased to announce that The Campus of Wickliffe has been selected for an Outstanding Project Award by Learning by Design Magazine’s Spring 2024 Educational Facilities Design Awards Showcase. The Campus of Wickliffe has been recognized as a benchmark facility for incorporating next-generation learning space design and planning methodologies.

To view the publication award page, click on this link.

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

Nicole Monaco

Nicole Monaco

Interior Designer

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Nicole Monaco

Nicole Monaco

Nicole Monaco is an interior designer who enjoys the challenge of creative problem-solving. After exploring design in the residential, hospitality, and healthcare industries, she ultimately found her passion in educational design. She values the importance of functional, comfortable learning spaces and finds her impact on student well-being very rewarding. Nicole's high school interest in costume design led her to the interior design field.

Oberlin ES 2023 Healthy Buildings Winner Presentation

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Oberlin ES 2023 Healthy Buildings Winner Presentation
Oberlin Elementary School has been honored as the Cleveland 2030 District's 2023 Healthy Buildings Winner. This recognition emphasizes the thought leadership of sustainable energy in educational design. Superintendent Dr. David Hall and ThenDesign Architecture Project Manager Brad Gellert shared their insights regarding the school's environmental achievements during the Healthy Buildings Winner Presentation.

Oberlin ES 2023 Healthy Buildings Winner Presentation

As a beacon of sustainable energy in educational design, Oberlin Elementary School has been honored as the Cleveland 2030 District’s 2023 Healthy Buildings Winner. This recognition emphasizes the unique and innovative sustainable energy practices of the project.

Oberlin City School District Superintendent Dr. David Hall and ThenDesign Architecture Project Manager Brad Gellert were invited to share their insights in a discussion about the school’s exceptional environmental achievements. The online presentation of the Building Education Series: Exemplary Renovation and New Construction Projects examined the philosophies and design practices that led to the school’s honorable recognition.

Dr. Hall explained the importance of environmental awareness as a driving force in the collaboration between the school district and the city, with sustainability initiatives being a priority for the local community. Brad Gellert gave an overview of the steps leading to the construction and completion of the project and highlighted the energy-saving features that illustrate the benefits of conscientious architecture.

"Sustainability in Oberlin is definitely a priority for the school and our community."
Dr. David Hall
Superintendent

Oberlin ES 2023 Healthy Buildings Winner Presentation

Exceptional Environmental Sustainability

Oberlin Elementary School is a collaborative project designed to continuously support the school district and surrounding community by incorporating environmental sustainability initiatives that can adapt to future needs. The project reflected the school’s International Baccalaureate curriculum and included several forward-thinking design elements.

One of the school’s stand-out features is a real-time environmental dashboard that monitors energy consumption so students can understand better how the building’s energy use affects the environment. This dashboard was funded by a grant from the Ohio Environmental Education Fund in partnership with Oberlin College.

Other sustainable initiatives offering firsthand learning opportunities include electric vehicle charging stations funded by grants from the Environmental Protection Agency and the implementation of a solar array supported by Oberlin College’s Green EDGE Fund, which provides about 79% of the building’s electrical needs.

Sustainability and collaborative learning are the hallmarks of this new educational facility and display how elementary schools can embody conservation principles.

Oberlin Elementary School in Action

Conscientious School Design

The 17.8 million dollar facility is a testament to the power of community collaboration, bringing together residents, staff, the city government, the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, Oberlin College, Greenspace Construction Services, and ThenDesign Architecture.

The school boasts a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) Lab, an extended gymnasium space, open and flexible classrooms, advanced environmental controls, and an emotional sensory room, which sets it apart from traditional school designs.

Other low-cost sustainability measures included enhanced insulation in the building’s envelope, orienting the building so its longest side faces north, and adding larger windows to that façade. This minimizes heat gain and the need for increased cooling.

"Bringing daylight into the spaces connects to nature, making a much more pleasant environment for students."
Brad Gellert
Project Manager

Oberlin Elementary School Presentation Slides

Oberlin Elementary School's Innovative Features

Other Oberlin Elementary School environmental features include:

  • The new school’s location supports community density and development by utilizing an existing site.
  • Electric vehicle charging stations benefit staff, visitors, and local residents by supporting the city’s sustainability goal of becoming a net zero community.
  • Two solar energy installations comprised of a rooftop 12,000 kWh array and 335,000 kWh ground-mounted system provide approximately 79% of the school’s annual electricity needs.
  • To the greatest extent possible, recycled materials were utilized in building construction, and those materials were extracted and manufactured within 100 miles of the project site.
  • The indoor air quality of this building has been improved through the use of low-emitting materials that contain no or low amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

The commitment to sustainability and curricular integration of these elements makes Oberlin Elementary School a model for innovative school design.

“To create positive change in the world, you must work collaboratively with others,” said Brad Gellert. He added, “Spending years assisting the district with this project is personal. We are proud to be part of that collaboration and know they will enjoy the building for many years to come.”

If you would like to watch the entire Cleveland 2030 District presentation, click here.

Kelly Legan

Kelly Legan

Communications

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Kelly Legan

Kelly Legan

Kelly has been an unwavering part of the TDA team for over 20 years. She embarked on her professional journey as a member of the Interior Design team and later transitioned to Communications, driven by her newfound passion for graphics and writing. This diverse experience has equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of the design process. Kelly's personal and professional interest in wellness is a driving force in her life.
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