Memorial Junior High – An Adaptive Reuse Project

Written by

Memorial Junior High School - An Adaptive Reuse Project
Downtown Willoughby is home to many historic structures, some of them going back to the 1800’s. Memorial Junior High School is one such building. Built in 1925, ThenDesign Architecture is adaptively re-using this building for our future headquarters. Understand what goes into the decision between renovating a historic structure or building something brand new.

“As architects, we have a professional responsibility to design environmentally sensitive buildings.  We also believe strongly in investing in our community.  Rehabilitating a historic school building for our new headquarters provided the opportunity to accomplish both.” stated Chris Smith, president of ThenDesign Architecture.  Specializing in educational design, and having extensive experience in historic preservation, TDA is perfectly suited to rehabilitate a historic school.  The project involved an adaptive reuse of Memorial Junior High School which was originally constructed in the 1920’s into TDA’s new offices.  Not only did TDA’s designers have to address concerns around costs, working with the city, planning commission and community, but had to consider the fine line between respecting the historic nature of the building and designing a modern office space.

Tough Decisions

TDA has operated out of historic buildings near Downtown Willoughby, for most of their history. The first building was the St. John House, an old home which the firm moved into in 1991. Then as growth continued, moved to the Carrel Building (1885) in 1998, and now the decision to repurpose and move to Memorial Junior High School (1925) in 2021. The team has always appreciated these spaces and both the aesthetic and historic quality they bring to the fabric of the community.

Memorial, or “Building B,” as many affectionately call it, sat empty for years. It being reimagined, the target of an adaptive reuse project, to become TDA’s new headquarters.

Exterior Photos - ThenDesign Architecture

However, when construction commenced and progressed, community interest has skyrocketed as did public support for the project. We greatly appreciate the outpouring of comments we have received since the beginning of the project.

  • “Thank you, TDA Architecture! I went there for 9th Grade, and my father-in-law attended the old Willoughby Union High School in the building. Beautiful structure and so many memories!”
  • “I have respect for any company that takes on such a monumental task to preserve and repurpose a school that is an important part of our city’s history. Thank you!”
  • “I’m so grateful this lovely, memory-filled bit of Willoughby is being given another opportunity to be a contributor to this charming city. It breaks my heart to see one representation after the next of the design and workmanship of American days gone by torn down and replaced by structures that have no heart nor character. Thank you to all of you who’ve made this happen.”
  • “So nice to see the building is being repaired and will be occupied by people who appreciate the historical value of the building.”
  • “What a wonderful way to share your enthusiasm with all of us who care about Willoughby’s charming perseverance! This was such a special place for so many people — including my late dad and brother. Thank you for update!!”

Early on, our staff studied the building and thought deeply about how this existing school could be reimagined and used as a headquarters by an educationally focused architectural firm. This thinking informed the interior spaces, finishes and the construction details. While the construction and renovation process has been challenging, keeping this landmark in the city, reusing the structure, and extending its life through good design has brought many concrete opportunities and intangible benefits for our firm.

Construction Photos - ThenDesign Architecture

"There's something very special about educational designers being able to repurpose an historic school. This is something symbolic for our team for sure."
Chris Smith
President of TDA

Construction Updates

A tremendous amount of progress has been made since work commenced in early 2020. After an office wide “Visioning Session” in 2015, the architectural staff worked closely with our interior designers taking feedback from the staff and transforming that into architectural designs. Incorporating technology, expanding workspaces for the designers, adding flexible meeting rooms for collaborative work, and individualized spaces for solitary work, greatly impacts how we can perform educational, planning, and architectural work in the 21st century. Focusing on a concept of education within the building, designers left the structure and utilities exposed. This allows occupants to experience it as a “living architectural museum,” understanding both historic and modern construction techniques.

The “Architectural Studio” is a two-story open space that houses our design teams. This open area supports both collaborative and individual work with room for expansion. Additional offices support additional departments such as Construction Administration, Accounting, Human Resources and Communications. Each one plays a crucial role in educational public design and architecture.

Windows on the façade were upgraded and restored to their original design, featuring rounded half arches. They provide additional insulation against the elements and replace the dated glazing installed in the early 70’s. This brings the building back to its original aesthetic. Utilities such as water, electric and data have been upgraded to support the growing activities of the staff.

An expanded “Flex Café” space provides the flexibility for large or small team meetings, video production and recording, design charettes, along with on-site client meetings that can take place safely when socially distancing.

While the space is nearing completion, the decision to renovate wasn’t an easy one. The team wrestled with whether to use this historic structure in their plans. Ultimately, Chris summed it up well, “Why would we do a renovation rather than just build a new office, especially in this area? Right now, it actually costs us more to renovate the building than it would have to build new, but I think it shows our commitment to the community and to Willoughby…Just because something is new doesn’t mean it’s better.”

Seeing the final renovated space come together, the impact of the reuse is striking.

The decision to renovate an old structure versus build new is a huge decision and one that we have helped many other communities face.

Construction Details - ThenDesign Architecture

Renovate or Adaptive Reuse versus New Construction?

In our K-12 educational design practice, we often collaborate with school districts who are facing the same question we did: “Should we renovate our existing facilities or construct a brand-new building?” This is a difficult question and one that’s not easily answered. However, facilities assessments are one of the many tools we have developed to help districts with this question.

The myriad of considerations are dizzying, but there are a number of overall points to consider.

Bob Orovets, a project architect with TDA, explains there are often three considerations in school design when deciding between renovation or new construction: “The decision sometimes comes down to cost, sometimes it’s the availability of land and sometimes it’s about timing.” He continues: “Often, the cost to retrofit and maintain a building exceeds that of a brand-new building. However, if you want to build a new building, its usually hard to find a piece of land big enough for a school and if you can, the question is, “Is it in the right spot to meet the neighborhood’s needs?”

In addition, architectural technologies have advanced drastically in the last 60 years. Systems for heating and cooling are now high tech, insulation in the walls and windows are much better with new construction and the longevity of roofing membranes is more durable using todays construction methods. Since many schools in Ohio were built in the 50’s and 60’s, environmental factors didn’t play as much of a role and the masonry walls weren’t built with energy efficiency in mind. These structures often lacked heating or cooling systems, so a portion of our renovation work consists of simply installing air conditioning systems into these historic structures. While this can be done successfully, aging building envelopes often leak conditioned air more readily. So, while cost savings happen through retrofitting, maintenance over the years can outweigh savings.

When it comes to both land and timing considerations though, it is a challenge to satisfy both of those at once. Bob recounts, “A lot of times we do schools on the same property, possibly in one corner of the site, so the existing school can operate and then when the new building is done, you can switch over because the school owns the land, and the new building is now finished. Then, the old school is demolished, and you can build sports facilities on this later.” Renovations to a school would mean moving students to an alternate facility to continue their education and if delays happen, it puts educators in a bind. He continues, “So sometimes it’s money-driven, sometimes it’s land-driven, and sometimes its timing-driven. If you are buying land for a new building, be prepared for a wait. It takes time to acquire enough parcels of land and consolidate them into larger portions. You might have to go through rezoning to get the school in a certain area and this could take years.” When it comes to educational design, finding a partner who has done it before is key. Bob, having been through many adaptive reuse, as well as new construction projects sums it up well: “It’s true that nothing’s easy!”

Architectural Character in the City of Willoughby - ThenDesign Architecture

"The project is a significant investment in our city, keeps a great group of professionals in our community and allows for future growth of this expanding design firm. This is a great adaptive reuse of a building that had no other practical use."
Robert Fiala
Mayor of the City of Willoughby,

Benefits of Rehabilitation, Renovations and Adaptive Reuse

Even though the renovation work at Memorial Junior High School has been challenging, there are several benefits.

Adaptively reusing a historic structure, breathes new life into a “place” in the community. Not only is it more environmentally friendly since there is less waste from demolition, it will potentially attract new activities to an area where they weren’t present before. For Memorial, we seek to extend the activity and energy from the downtown environment further south past Wes Point Park. For this area, it’s just a continuation of our efforts in developing and reenergizing this part of Willoughby.

Speaking about the rehabilitation project, Mayor Fiala of the City of Willoughby and founding partner of TDA who supports continued preservation of the downtown area, commented: “Memorial Junior High School was built in the 1920s. The building was purchased by TDA and is now being renovated. The project is a significant investment in our City, keeps a great group of professionals in our community and allows for future growth of this expanding design firm. This is a great adaptive reuse of a building that had no other practical use.

Buildings like Memorial are part of the historic and cultural fabric community. The construction materials match other surrounding historic buildings creating a cohesive “story” of the City. Since Memorial Junior High School was often photographed, the history of this building will be told well into the future. Many of Willoughby’s residents attended this school going back to the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, and appreciate the investment in. They view this adaptive reuse project as a way to keep a landmark in Willoughby well into the future.”

While those benefits may seem intangible, the impact on the architects designing future schools, in an historic school holds special significance for the designers. Chris concludes: “Just because something is new doesn’t mean it’s better. In a sense there is an obligation, a responsibility as an architect to be responsible environmentally and responsible towards our community, to retain that history if possible. And let us be honest, there’s something very special about educational designers being able to repurpose an historic school. This is something symbolic for our team for sure.”

Construction Details - ThenDesign Architecture

Key Takeaways:

  • When considering whether to renovate versus build a new structure, three major considerations are, cost, land availability and timing.
  • With historic structures that are rooted in a community, intangible factors, such as aesthetic value, environmental context and placemaking may provide reasons to maintain the building through rehabilitation or adaptive reuse.
  • "Adaptive reuse," or changing a structure intended use, is more environmentally friendly than demolishing and rebuilding. It uses fewer resources but could cost more in maintenance over the years.
  • Reimagining an existing structure has the potential to reenergize a neighborhood or community and bring added activity and attention to a locality or city.

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

Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Communications

Get our newsletter with insights, events and tips.

Facebook Linkedin Twitter Instagram

Recent Posts:

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.
See more Posts

North Royalton High School Renovation and STEM Wing Addition

Written by

North Royalton High School Renovation and STEM Wing Addition
The North Royalton High School renovation and STEM Wing addition project modernized the school's building systems, spaces, and infrastructure across the 260,000sf facility, better preparing it for the demands of modern education. Take a look at what went into the design of the facility.

The North Royalton High School renovation and STEM Wing addition project modernized the school’s building systems, spaces, and infrastructure across the 260,000sf facility, better preparing it for the demands of modern education. A central component of this capital improvement included a 100,000sf STEM addition which added a new gymnasium, technologically advanced classrooms, flexible collaborative spaces, and additional circulation space. The addition, which is LEED Silver rated, also creates a new student hub that connects student dining and the media center which are renovated existing spaces, integrating the new and the old spaces on the ground level. This open interior space also provides a second-floor pathway connecting the new structure to the existing areas. The district can now consolidate classes into centralized “hubs,” enabling better student and educator collaboration.

New STEM Wing Interior

The STEM Wing addition sits at the front of the existing high school and adds 20 classrooms, various collaborative hub areas, a new auxiliary gym, an extended student dining area and new “maker spaces,” or digital shop rooms that host 3D printers and other fabrication equipment.

Conceived as a physical bridge between the “old and new,” this new construction project becomes a central circulation hub which literally joins the new and old structures. There was previously a “choke point” on the ground level for students trying to get from one second floor to the other, since there were no second-floor connections between the existing wings of the building. At the center of the space is an extended student dining area, lockers, charging ports for educational devices and a large collaborative stair. Located adjacent to the renovated media center and main student dining areas, these spaces are now connected allowing for much better flow.

Prior to the new wing’s completion, classes for science, math and the humanities were scattered throughout the school making collaboration between both educators and students difficult. With the new space, these related fields have been reorganized. Classrooms for a particular field are now consolidated around “hubs,” or extended learning areas that can be used for work outside the classroom and oriented towards small group interactions and teaching opportunities.

Overall geometry in the interior was inspired by natural circulation, as the new wing features a series of circular curves repeated throughout the building which helps students flow from class to class, eliminating tight choke points and emphasizing the school’s modern aesthetic.

Interior Spaces

Public Corridor

In addition to classroom and collaboration spaces, the North Royalton High School renovation project adds a new axillary gym which sits at the head of a corridor that now connects to the larger competition gym and the school’s performing arts center. This connecting hallway becomes an “interior public corridor” that can be closed off from the rest of the school when hosting large public events and activities. A media hub is connected to this corridor and furthers opportunities for adult education.

Exterior

The existing high school was largely split into two large masses which appeared to be separate buildings. This caused confusion with the building’s entrance, leading to challenging traffic flow. To solve this, the new addition was designed to sit at the front of the site giving the school more visual presence from the site entrance and better representing the district.

Brickwork that was similar to the existing building visually blended the new construction with the two existing building masses. The patterns and rhythm of window openings from the original building were carried over, then stretched and morphed to highlight the central spaces and provide more daylight in the interior. Entrances were emphasized by incorporating more glass along with dynamic brick patterning.

Educational Visioning with the North Royalton Community

Before the school project broke ground, the North Royalton City Schools had been developing their vision for education and how to best move their schools forward in the coming decades.

As they worked to pass a bond issue to fund their plan, including the renovations to the high school, ThenDesign Architecture partnered with NRCS, to assist them in building community support for this project. Jointly, we hosted an Educational Visioning Session which involved community members, educators, students, and administrators all working together, involving these stakeholders in the layout and design of the high school. As a result of the groundwork laid by the district and these engagement efforts, the bond issue passed, and the project design fully commenced. Throughout the project’s early design phases, community support was very positive as participants rallied around the district’s vision, initial designs, and educational philosophy for their community.

The North Royalton High School renovation and STEM Wing addition project modernizes the building and will serve the district’s educational goals for decades into the future.

Project Design Challenges:

  • Renovate a high school built in the 1950’s whose last addition was completed in the 1980's.
  • Build a new 100,000SF addition to replace the 1950’s portion of the building, which will be demolished towards the end of construction.
  • Create a second-floor connection between the original school building built in the 1950’s to the 1976 and 1988 addition, alleviating circulation problems in the school.
  • Blend the new construction aesthetically into the existing building, so there is visual continuity in this structure as well as between the school and its surrounding context.
  • Reorganize classrooms for math, science, language arts and the humanities which were currently spread around the building.

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

Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Get our newsletter with insights, events and tips.

Facebook Linkedin Twitter Instagram

Recent Posts:

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.
See more Posts

Memorial Junior High School – Evolution of an Historic Building

Written by

Memorial Junior High School - Evolution of an Historic Building
Historic buildings often have very storied pasts. What might have started as one type of building may eventually evolve into something very different. When dealing with these structures, architects can find imaginative and creative ways to repurpose them. Memorial Junior High School in Willoughby, Ohio is one example of the evolution of an historic building.

Space to Work, Collaborate, Mentor and Lead

Memorial Junior High School in downtown Willoughby is the future home of ThenDesign Architecture. We are rehabilitating this structure, modernizing the spaces and technology, restoring damaged surfaces and finishes, intending to move our offices here and experiencing firsthand the evolution of an historic building.

Public architecture is rich with opportunities to collaborate with stakeholders. At the start of most of our projects, we advocate for “Educational Visioning Sessions.” These collaborative events bring together a variety of stakeholders including, educators, students, administrators from the school district, architects and the community to imagine what their new building could be. To kick off our own rehabilitation project, we did the same.

The Historic 1923 Building

According to the initial plans of Memorial Junior High School drafted in 1923 by architect Franz C. Warner, a popular educational designer in Cleveland, the building was relatively simple in design. This 2-story symmetrical building resembles an arrow in its floor plan. Four classrooms are located on the first floor, one being a “Domestic Science,” space, another dedicated for “Manual Training” and another 2 generic rooms were situated at the front of the building. These rooms were all connected by a corridor which led to the boys and girl’s locker rooms, along with the main gym. Through the years, this gym served as a lunchroom, a large gathering space and athletic space. The second floor largely replicated the first, with 4 classrooms, a small library and space for additional student lockers.

Future additions were designed at the ends of the building, but these were never completed in the original structure.

Since beginning the project, we have received dozens of stories from people in the community who recount stories of their time in this building. The school made an impact in the lives of the students who traversed its halls, first as a Junior High School, then a high school annex and finally a career center.

With that in mind, great care was taken to preserve this local landmark in Willoughby, as the historic building goes through its next evolution in our area.

Staff Visioning

In 2017, TDA conducted a visioning session with our staff to identify the best ways to utilize the new space. Held at the Paradigm Center, a professional development center at Mentor Public Schools, key design team members prepared presentations and activities to engage the staff on how we can use our new building. This opportunity allowed us to put our “visioning sessions” into practice in a personal way. The day long activity engaged our staff to identify the challenges and opportunities in the new space.

We engaged our staff with a variety of questions, like “How do we want to gather?” “How do we want to share?,” “How do we want to communicate?,” How do we want to produce?,” “How do we want to focus?” and “How do we want to organize?” All this was to draw out feedback on how the new space could be used as a modern architectural office.

Throughout the day, we created lists of existing challenges, needs and requests. Then as an exercise, drew solutions on site and floor plans to address these points.

While we may never get the jacuzzi, on staff chef, weekly DJ, fireplaces, video games or a bank of lava lamps but it never hurts to dream.

However, a key question in engagement was “How do we want to work?.” This question touched on many aspects of the interior of the space and three key points became apparent.

Identifying Building Challenges

First, redesigning the building to support flexible spaces was key. Our design teams work on a variety of projects and each has their own schedules, needs, meetings and stakeholders. So, having a building layout that supports spontaneous meetings and demonstrations was important. Many designers appreciated their dedicated workspaces, but in collaborative design, there isn’t always a need for privacy. So, to support this, we created a variety of spaces that could be used for private individual work or repurposed for open team meetings.

Second, technology plays a huge role in our architectural efforts. Computer infrastructure stores CAD drawings, project imagery and administrative documents which need to be accessible at all times. High powered computers render animations, exporting video productions and graphical presentations. These need to be accessed both locally and remotely. With this in mind, preparing a building that was designed circa 1923, to accept all the modern, internet connected devices is a huge challenge. Since faster and more comprehensive technology was needed, extra time was spent developing a connectivity plan. Ethernet cable runs, the number and placement of Wi-Fi hotspots, conference room connectivity and signal transmission through old construction materials was closely considered. Seamlessly retrofitting technology in the school was a big part of the project and these needs certainly weren’t considered in the 20’s when the building was constructed.

Third, even though the architecture industry is moving towards being paperless, modern architects still have to print and lay out large format multipage documents for review. We still have a large need for storage and spaces to layout these documents and mark them up. (Anyone who has seen our current space understands how important that is!) In addition to this, over half of our staff wanted to find ways to move around during the day. Anyone working in a modern office can attest to fatigue from sitting all day. In order to satisfy this, the over 20,000 sqft building allows for large areas for document review, outdoor spaces, stairs for exercise, a materials library and plenty of open space in the studio allows designers to move freely, reviewing hardcopy work in designated areas while focusing on digital work at their desks.

Having identified the challenges with our current space, we could better understand how to respond to the changing nature of architectural work in our new office.

The Evolution of an Historic Building

In order to incorporate these challenges and opportunities, we developed interior spaces to satisfy each need.

Reception: The new entryway is designed to display a modern space to greet clients and showcase our work. Adjacent to it is a proper mail room for incoming and outgoing drawings and communications. With over a dozen projects running concurrently, we regularly send document packages, RFQ’s, printed boards and other time sensitive materials. Dedicated spaces for these two functions makes for a much better first impression!

Architectural Studio: The largest space in the building is designed as an architectural studio. Located in the former gymnasium, we removed a large portion of the ceiling, making it a 2-story space and allowing for visual connection between the two floors. It is where the majority of architects, interior designers and planners have their desk spaces. It can be creatively reconfigured to accommodate either social distancing or to fit a more employees as needs dictate.

Mezzanine: On the second floor, it hosts additional designers along with separate work areas or “caves” located at the back of the space. Designed with private work in mind, they provide a flexible space for conference calls or where isolation and focus is required.

Flex Café: This large space is the result of combining two historic classrooms together. This flexible open area allows staff to gather as a creative team in discussions, design charrettes, large scale teaching activities or areas for team meetings, demonstrations and training. It also provides a different venue for a flexible work area to move around, when you need to get away from your desk.

Kaehr Conference Room: This conference room is our largest and where client meetings and conference calls are held. Located on the front of the building, this technologically advanced room is equipped with the A/V gear needed to broadcast our larger internal teams and connect them to our clients offsite.

While these plans may evolve in terms of color or texture up until we move in, these spaces depict how the Memorial Junior High School continues to show the evolution of an historic building. We look forward to moving into the space showing its completion next year.

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

Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Communications

Get our newsletter with insights, events and tips.

Facebook Linkedin Twitter Instagram

Recent Posts:

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.

Garrett Morgan High School – Cleveland Ohio

Written by

Garrett Morgan High School - Cleveland Ohio
ThenDesign Architecture is proud to be a part of the Garrett Morgan High School building project. This academic facility is located along Detroit Ave. near downtown Cleveland and will serve students in the district for decades to come.

The Garrett Morgan High School (GMHS) is an academic building designed in an urban context, with a curriculum that focuses both on the humanities and technology. Situated on a 5 acre site, this 133,000 sqft building carried a budget of $35 million and is located along the Cleveland Memorial Shoreway, adjacent to Lake Erie, near downtown Cleveland. Occupying a highly sought after site, GMHS boasts incredible views of downtown Cleveland, in addition to its flexible technologically advanced classroom spaces.

The project, located in the Gordan Square Landmark District, was a collaboration between many stakeholders including the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Ward 15’s Councilman Matt Zone, the Cleveland Landmarks and Planning Commission, the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization and residents of the local community. Throughout the design process, these stakeholders were regularly consulted in a variety of engagement events to identify design goals and encourage collaboration.

Exterior Views:

Located in a tight urban context, the building seeks to reflect the urban fabric it’s located in and the energy of the street activity in its façade and spacial arrangements. Student dining and music spaces are located along Detroit avenue (a commercially zoned environment), which historically hosted restaurant and music venues. The schools’ main entrance is also located along Detroit Ave., adjacent to the main circulation bridge which is raised, allowing easy access from the parking lot to the rest of the urban context.

Interior Spaces:

Collaborative spaces include a Media Center that supports large gatherings, offering stunning views of downtown Cleveland, this also hosts a large collaborative stair. Recognizing it’s location in a commercial sector, glazing is emphasized throughout the building. The school offers key views to interior activity spaces and also to exterior landmarks. During the engagement process, a potential collaboration with community partners in the Gordan Square Arts District was identified which could allow students to use existing auditoriums on Detroit Ave. Due to this potential partnership, the district decided against building a dedicated auditorium space.

Architectural Details:

Since there was no space for outdoor athletics, the site hosts a walking path along it’s perimeter, (identified by unique pavers) and features distance markings to provide some outdoor activity spaces. In addition, it connects outdoor patio spaces to support bus stops regularly used by the student body and community.

In order to learn more about the unique design process for this project, get in touch with us, or view the short film. 

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

Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Get our newsletter with insights, events and tips.

Facebook Linkedin Twitter Instagram

Recent Posts:

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.
See more Posts

Project: To Reimagine Memorial Junior High School

Written by

Memorial Junior High School Project
ThenDesign Architecture is taking on the project to reimagine Memorial Junior High School. It will become the home for our new offices. This historic building has stood in the community for almost 100 years. In order to maintain the unique historic nature of Willoughby, TDA decided to repurpose this old school building instead of demolishing it. We invite you to view the progress.

ThenDesign Architecture is excited to undertake the project to reimagine Memorial Junior High School. 

Willoughby Ohio has rich historic roots. Structures downtown date back to the 1800’s with many members of the community being life-long residents.

ThenDesign Architecture (TDA), has operated out of Willoughby Ohio for the past 68 years. Located in the Carrel building downtown, TDA is a leader in K-12 school design, having partnered with over 120 districts throughout Ohio. We specialize in architecture, planning and interior design.

Our two partners, Bob Fiala and Chris Smith, have assembled a group of 50 creatives across 7 countries.

In order to maintain the unique historic nature of the city, TDA took on the project to reimagine Memorial Junior High School. This historic building has stood in the community for almost 100 years. Rather than demolish it, TDA, decided to repurpose this old school building. Ultimately it will become the future home of ThenDesign Architecture.

The 24,000 sqft renovated building houses a 2 story architecture studio for designers working on school and other public buildings.

Currently, site work is being done to accommodate staff and visitor parking at the rear of the building. An effort was made to keep this area pedestrian friendly to better connect it to the downtown Willoughby environment.

New windows were installed to maximize light entering the building and restore the façade in its original design.

Interior structural elements and historic details are being left exposed, so the office can exist as a living museum, showcasing current and historic architectural trends. Gypsum walls only extend 8’ exposing the upper walls and ceiling. This allows occupants to make a visual connection to the systems that make up the building.

Iconic details were maintained throughout the school. New windows that replicate the original look were installed. Some lockers were left in the entryway to harken back to the original use and textured masonry will be left exposed in various places throughout the building.

New sidewalks were installed to beautify the site and allow for better pedestrian use. Future areas for landscaping are being planned that take into account views to Wes Point Park.

Site work includes clearing old sidewalks and debris so new stairs and paths can be installed.

TDA is excited work on the project to reimagine Memorial Junior High School as a place where the future of education can be shaped.

To learn more about us and our work, subscribe to our YouTube channel or TDA Insights.

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

Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Communications

Get our newsletter with insights, events and tips.

Facebook Linkedin Twitter Instagram

Recent Posts:

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.
See more Posts

ThenDesign wins NorthCoast99 2020 Award of Excellence

Written by

ThenDesign Architecture, Honored to Be Named a NorthCoast99 Award Winner and Receive a 2020 Award of Excellence
TDA is honored to receive NorthCoast 99's, 2020 Award of Excellence. We firmly believe as designers, we can positively impact the lives of generations to come through good design. Whether an architect, construction administrator or support staff, this core value informs our unique culture and drives us to be better each day.

ThenDesign Architecture is thrilled to receive NorthCoast 99’s, 2020 Award of Excellence in the small business category. Organized by ERC, they work to highlight companies making an impact in our region.

Northeast Ohio has faced many challenges in 2020. A volatile job market caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has caused major problems for companies operating in this part of our state.

The City of Cleveland, which was once a powerhouse in manufacturing has had its difficulties over the last century. Between 1950 and 1990, the population nearly halved, while simultaneously the city lost over half of the manufacturing jobs as this market constricted. In order to rise to these challenges, Cleveland laid groundwork to surge back and is now decades along in redeveloping its economy. A 13 year plan, which started in 2007, sought to put developmental measures in place for revitalization. The focus was on developing connections, between people, places and opportunities. This included buttressing the medical industry, universities and entertainment outlets. The city hoped this development would spread into the surrounding metro areas, ultimately benefiting all Northeast Ohio.

Before Covid-19 hit, Cleveland was ranked #5 in Glassdoor’s ranking of the 25 Best Cities for jobs. This online employment website, calculated the ranking from three factors: hiring opportunities, a median base salary vs. home prices and surveys of job satisfaction. Cleveland outranked all other cities in Ohio. This, along with being the 33rd largest metropolitan area in the US, makes it continue to be a major economic market. While times are still difficult during the pandemic, there continues to be hope and great working opportunities in Northeast Ohio.

One organization spotlighting employers offering these opportunities and making an impact in our region is ERC.

2020 Northcoast 99 Award Winners Video:

ERC organizes NorthCoast 99, which is an awards program that recognizes the top 99 employers in Northeast Ohio. The basis of the award is to promote organizations that prioritize positive organizational culture, HR policies that align with the company’s mission, good work-life balance, staff growth and employee satisfaction in the workplace.

During the application process, employees provide feedback on the workplace environment. This is calculated into the overall judging process. Since the applications are often completed by team members in different fields, (whether in human resources, leadership or production), collaboration on the submittal is encouraged.

This year, we are thrilled to receive the NorthCoast 99’s, 2020 Award of Excellence in the small business category. In order to honor the winners, a video production was assembled with select leaders talking about how their culture has fueled their success.

Chris Smith and Angie Staedt Interviews:

This year, our firm president Chris Smith and Angie Staedt, our Human Resource Director spoke on what drives our culture and the core belief that we can enrich lives through good design.

Typically Northcoast 99 hosts a gala each year for the winning firms to celebrate and network with others in adjacent industries. This year due to social distancing guidelines, the event was held online with a live keynote and comments from several award winners.

For those dedicated to furthering their workplace environment, culture and the lives of their employees, it is an excellent opportunity and an honor to be selected for this award.

Online Event:

Starting over 30 years ago, TDA began prioritizing organizational culture long before it was common in business. Bob Fiala, who is a Founder and Executive Chair at TDA, along with others on the leadership team, often take time during the week to engage with employees on their work and provide updates through regular staff meetings which provide strategic insight into architectural design and furthering company culture.

A huge thanks to ERC for continuing to spotlight the various organizations who call Northeast Ohio home and are committed to developing their firms as a viable place to live, grow and work.

Also, a big thanks to Mark Wayner of Wayfinding Creative for putting together the video shown during the award ceremony.

To learn more about TDA’s efforts, read about our school projects and ways we continue to develop educational spaces in Northeast Ohio, visit TDA Insights and sign up for our mailing list.

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

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.
Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Communications

Get our newsletter with insights, events and tips.

Facebook Linkedin Twitter Instagram
Recent Posts:

Reimagining Memorial Junior High School – A New Chapter

Written by

Reimagining Memorial Junior High School – A New Chapter
At a time when historic buildings are sometimes not valued, a small piece of downtown Willoughby is being repurposed as an architecturally symbolic landmark in our city.

Across the nation, cities large and small are faced with the difficult decision of how to deal with structures dating from the turn of the century. In many cases these structures haven’t been maintained well, with damaged facades and interiors which are difficult to use in modern settings. When the costs to update it outweigh the building’s usefulness, it will either sit vacant or be demolished. However, as these beautiful old structures disappear, so does the history and collective story surrounding that structure. Entire neighborhoods can suffer when landmarks that define a particular “place” are erased.

One landmark in Willoughby Ohio, is Memorial Junior High School. Sitting between the converging roads of River and Center Street, this old school faces downtown Willoughby and can easily be seen from Wes Point Park and by pedestrians. The building which has been standing for 95 years, appears in many of Willoughby’s early photography and is known by almost everyone in the community.

Named “Memorial” after soldiers who died in battle since the Civil War, this brick structure was a school for junior high school students at its initial opening in 1925. As the population of Willoughby grew in the late 1950’s, a new high school was built on Shankland Road on the site of the former Chandler Farm. The former high school next door became the Junior High School and Memorial became its annex. It continued to serve as the Junior High School until 1972, when it transitioned to a vocational school and career center.

For the last several years, the building has fallen into disrepair and sat abandoned and vacant—until recently.

Exterior:
Previous
Next

ThenDesign Architecture (TDA) is reimagining Memorial Junior High School near downtown Willoughby to renovate the structure and move our offices to that location.

TDA, is an architectural, planning and design firm that has operated in Willoughby for almost 70 years. For the last 21 years, we were in the Carrel Building, another historic structure constructed in 1885. With the expansion of our 60 + staff and operations, we needed a new home.

Our two partners of the firm, Chris Smith and Bob Fiala, have led the firm’s growth and expansion. Chris Smith who serves as our president, joined the firm in 1998, and was named partner in 2004, as part of a well-crafted succession plan. Bob Fiala, who currently serves as the Mayor of Willoughby, is no longer involved in the day to day operations but provides strategic oversight and helps to maintain the culture. They both appreciate the historic character of downtown and sought to maintain that aesthetic with this new facility.

In fact, the project manager for the building’s renovation, Jeff Henderson is a longtime member of the community and former Memorial Junior High School Alumni. He never thought he would come back to school this way, but we feel we couldn’t have picked a better leader for the design team.

Studio Space:

While there are significant challenges associated with renovating this beautiful 24,000 sqft structure for our use, the design team is working to maintain both the unique characteristics of the building, while updating and modernizing the facility for the 21st century. Our design philosophy on this site involves showcasing the many intricate details of construction that went into the building. As our team developed designs for both the interior and exterior of the space, we found many opportunities to highlight the historic construction materials, while modernizing it for a fast paced, technically progressive architecture firm. Instead of finishing the construction details, many of the old ceilings, walls and finishes throughout the structure are remaining exposed. This in effect makes our new headquarters a living museum, showcasing not only current architectural designs but historic ones as well.

The completed reimagining of Memorial Junior High School includes an open mezzanine studio space with high open ceilings, a multipurpose recording studio, an open and flexible gathering space and classroom along with boardrooms and offices. Technologically, the building is being retrofitted with high speed internet connections, audio, and video hookups, along with the electrical connections needed to support all the advanced tools in the creative design fields. This unique office environment is designed with modern workspaces in mind, while preserving and celebrating the character of the historic building. This is a complete reimagining of Memorial Junior High School.

Interior Spaces and Stairwells:

With TDA’s role in educational facilities’ design and our involvement in downtown Willoughby, this move has been both a symbolic and practical one for us. Having worked with over 120 school districts in Cleveland and the surrounding areas, educators and administrators rely on our expertise in architecture, master planning and educational visioning. We felt a strong connection to this beautiful historic school building when considering locations for our new facility. Not only can we renovate this piece of history, cementing its future in the community, but also celebrate the significance of using a historic school as our new headquarters to continue innovating in educational design.
 
In order to stay updated on construction and future plans, subscribe to our newsletter and social channels to see what is next for this beautiful structure and the ever-changing field of education.

Building Details:
Do you have memories of this historic building? We would love to hear them. Reach out and let us know.
ThenDesign Architecture

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

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.
Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Communications

Get our newsletter with insights, events and tips.

Facebook Linkedin Twitter Instagram
Recent Posts:

ThenDesign Architecture – Imagining Better Ways to Educate

Written by

ThenDesign Architecture: Imagining Better Ways to Educate
ThenDesign is an architecture firm located in downtown Willoughby. For over 30 years, we have been pioneering educational facilities in Northeast Ohio. Focusing on the evolving design of educational buildings and imagining better ways to educate, we specialize in architecture, planning and interior design. Get to know our team!

ThenDesign Architecture (TDA) is an architectural, planning and interior design firm that has been involved in cutting edge educational and municipal facility design, established 68 years ago. A firm with over 50 employees, it is comprised of licensed architects, architectural designers, construction managers, interior designers and communications specialists. Focused on the evolving design of educational buildings and imagining better ways to educate, TDA employees specialize in community master planning, architectural design, construction management, project financing, bond campaign assistance, as well as marketing, public relations and video production. Since the company’s inception, TDA has worked with over 120 school districts, along with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) in Northeast Ohio and established themselves as leaders in school design–pioneering this field by rethinking how educational spaces could be imagined.

The firm, headed by two partners, Bob Fiala and Chris Smith, have assembled a group of international creative professionals in the Cleveland area that come from 7 different countries, which employ skillsets that span the AEC industry. Their design philosophy is simple. “Think, Design, Act.” They are driven by an insatiable desire to learn and ask a series of “What if?” questions. They seek to deeply understand the needs of a project and doing so create a “tailor made solution.” This is woven into the fabric of the community, fostering a sense of “place” in its environmental context.

Some History

TDA was originally founded as Huston Associates in 1951 by the late architect, Bruce Huston. Based in Willoughby, Huston Associates was a recognized leader in educational facility design. In 1989, Huston retired and Robert (Bob) Fiala, a former employee of Huston Associates, became the managing partner and renamed the firm ThenDesign Architecture. In 1998, Chris Smith joined the firm. He was named partner in 2004 as part of a well-crafted succession plan.

Mr. Fiala, the firm’s founding partner, now is also the recently elected Mayor of the City of Willoughby. He feels a deep responsibility to build an economically strong and vibrant city and give back by to the community through his tireless service, civic leadership and the promotion of education and the arts. Even though he no longer works directly, in the day to day operations of TDA, he continues to provide strategic leadership and enhance the firm’s culture. He brings a deep belief that by designing the best education and municipal buildings possible, we can impact the lives of people in our community for years to come.

Good Design Matters

We believe that good design begins with intentional thinking and this mindset transcends architecture to touch everything we do. We can find good design anywhere, whether it is “rocking out” to an inspiring guitar ballad, enjoying challenging park trail or holding our favorite coffee mug. Good design enriches lives. We recognize our responsibility to enhance the environment through our architectural efforts. From schools and hotels to sports parks and retirement centers, we have fun in the collaborative, creative process. We love challenging educators, stakeholders and the public to be a part of our projects, by collaborating and imagining better ways to educate. By using this approach, we strengthen the fabric of each community, ensuring a useful structure for many decades to come.

A common question we get from clients and the public is: “Who designs your building?” While, many architectural firms have one “primary designer,” this often results in every building looking the same, despite the fact it’s grounded in a completely different place. TDA is different in design approach. Each building we produce is a collaborative effort among our designers, consultants, and many in the community.

We recognize our responsibility to enhance the environment through our architectural efforts. From schools and hotels to sports parks and retirement centers, we have fun in the collaborative, creative process.
ThenDesign Architecture

"Educational Visioning Sessions"

Early phases of design include “Educational Visioning Sessions.” These unique events bring together teachers, students, administrators, board members, local safety forces and local clergy to discuss the project, imagine possibilities and ultimately serve as the genesis of the design. Ideas and concerns generated by these participants are captured as they are shared in round-table discussions and other activities. Grassroots ideas from those who will actually be using the new structure are distilled and ultimately presented to decision-makers (whether that is a school superintendent, mayor or other administrative representative). We encourage all parties involved to begin imagining better ways to educate. This is why TDA is different. This is why districts return to us again and again to provide architectural services–because we listen to our client’s needs. We empower them to drive the initial designs which results in a product that best meets their needs and produces a completely unique building.

This diversity of input is a hallmark of our design strategy and one element that strengthens our portfolio.

Imagining Better Ways to Educate

Design doesn’t stop at the built world, it continues throughout the education process. During the planning and construction phases of design, TDA engages educators who ultimately will use the new building in training sessions in anticipation of the project’s completion. At these events, a team of project designers, along with future occupants, attend a series of meetings dedicated to coaching and professional development. These sessions include, brainstorming activities and interactive projects, all geared towards training educators and administrators on the best ways to engage students in these new spaces. They are invaluable for collaboratively rethinking the way educational spaces can be used to promote student learning. This crucial component is a link between the early “Educational Visioning Sessions” and a fully occupied building. Then, through exit interviews and teacher surveys, we measure how these architectural designs impact the education experience. We have found significant benefits such as reduced behavioral issues in the classroom, increased teaching time, and additional opportunities for student engagement. All of these ensure that each student receives the best education possible.

In short, we intentionally emphasize the people and their experience as much as the building itself.

Virtual Staff Meeting
TDA, as a group of creative professionals, work to design and build the "next generation" educational and municipal facilities that are environmentally friendly, contextually rooted and inspiring to inhabit.
Chris Smith

At the core of our practice, we believe people are the most important aspect of every project. Whether it is satisfying our clients, or celebrating and empowering our diverse staff, a “people first design” permeates our culture and designs.

Our staff constantly pushes boundaries in design, acquiring new techniques, implementing technology and building support for your long-term plans.

We are not only designers, but educators and want to help every client understand the process and how it affects them for years to come.

Driving Architecture, Education and Community

TDA, as a group of creative professionals, work to design and build the “next generation” educational and municipal facilities that are environmentally friendly, contextually rooted and inspiring to inhabit.

We continue to address the challenges facing school districts, educators, and communities of the future and are committed to imagining better ways to educate.

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

Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Communications

Get our newsletter with insights, events and tips.

Facebook Linkedin Twitter Instagram

Recent Posts:

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.