Site Background

Located in the historic German Village, St. Mary Catholic School is an anchor to the community. The redesign of the elementary school aims to preserve that connection, while also updating the facility’s interior with modern concepts for the betterment of students’ education. This distinct project scheme will define a new edge of campus, while also unifying the character, vernacular, and landscape of St. Mary.

The project is a renovation of the existing elementary school along Third Street, with an addition extending the school into the rear parking lot. Elements from the primary face of the Heritage Hall addition stems from extensive research on the profiles of the surrounding vernacular. A singular primary entrance of the building is to be added at the northwest side of the building as a controlled access point to ensure safety of the students.

BUILDING ORGANIZATION

As a response to the constrained site, the addition expands the existing elementary school around the historic [150 year old] Rectory and into a rear parking lot. As part of MKC Architect’s design, the front yard is enlivened with a combination of passive and active play spaces for children, while still maintaining its historically open elevation along a primary viaduct leading into Downtown Columbus.

THE HUB

At the center of the school is a place MKC has endearingly named ‘The Hub.’ Located at the center of the school, and spanning both floors, The Hub is a collaborative and inspiring area where students read, learn and grow as St. Mary students. Shelving for library books, tables for collaboration, and technology for various types of media will be housed between dedicated circulation space on the second floor. Within this media center are myriad spaces that vary in size, configuration, and activity - however, their purpose is the same: to assembly large amounts of people for the dissemination of knowledge. These 21st-century gathering spaces have the ability to adapt into less formal gathering areas. These spaces also serve to display work, projects, and accomplishments of the student body. Moveable display cases, mounting boards, and track lights allow what has traditionally been a static [and often unused space] into a lively and transformation hub of activity. Rather than located along the periphery, these spaces are centrally located - students have to walk-thru them to access other spaces within the school.

Lacking in the existing school organization are appropriate spaces dedicated to the arts, science, and multi-disciplinary spaces for peer-to-peer learning. As such, scheme completely reorganizes the interior of the school to provide extended learning spaces such as The Hub. The subsequent result, however, are smaller classrooms. MKC Architects developed numerous test schemes of classrooms with distinct areas for multiple types of programming – optimized for use using versatile and adaptable furniture and equipment.