North Olmsted High School
North Olmsted, OH
North Olmsted High School
North Olmsted, OH
Situated along Butternut Ridge Road beside Great Northern Mall and near the Rocky River Reservation and I-480, the North Olmsted Learning Campus consolidates middle and high school communities into a single, walkable destination that anchors a car-centric district. Early planning repurposed former playing fields with strong street frontage to invite students and neighbors on foot, positioning the building as a civic beacon close to the sidewalk. A Jeffersonian-revival shell, expressed through classical proportioning and Doric cues, conveys stability and continuity with local public architecture, while modern materials and innovation hubs deliver a contemporary learning experience. Inside, two paired courtyards organize the middle school and high school into distinct yet connected halves, giving younger students a gradual, confidence-building transition to higher grades. Flexible furniture, from multi-tiered seating to group display tables, supports collaboration, and grade-specific color palettes in flooring and furnishings establish identity and wayfinding at every level. Breakout areas and classrooms open with overhead garage doors to dissolve rigid schedules and encourage spontaneous teamwork among students, staff, and teachers across the building. Shared amenities, including gyms, student dining, and a signature performing arts center that forms a welcoming front door, serve the entire campus and community. Site and construction logistics, coordinated through robust BIM workflows, addressed the closure of the former school and the opening of the new facility, while planned upgrades to athletic fields, turf, lighting, and landscape complete a campus that balances classic character with forward-looking optimism.
Size
315,000 SF
Budget
$75M
Timeline
2012 - 2018
Photography
Ryan Casewell