Through careful preservation and bold reinvention, the re-imagined school bridges past and future—blending heritage with cutting-edge learning environments for 21st-century education.
Once the pride of Columbus’s University District, the historic Indianola Middle School, built in 1929 and designed by Howard Dwight Smith, has reemerged from decades of vacancy to become an inspiring, state-of-the-art STEM campus.
After serving as an educational model for its forward thinking curriculum and design, the Art Deco-style building fell into disrepair after it was abandoned in 2010. Through generous funding, the historic building is now the new home for the Metro Early College Middle School and High School.
The renovated space supports over 720 students in grades 6–12, offering flexible, high-tech classrooms throughout the building. The school has expanded its student population by about 40%, reflecting increased opportunity in STEM education for Central Ohio youth.
Inside, the design distributes 40 flexible classrooms across the wings; a community health clinic adds social support. Laboratories, learning studios, and mastery-based instruction spaces interconnect to enable collaborative instruction. The central hub inhabits the former auditorium for students to dine and socialize, while its overhead balconies are transformed into dynamic learning spaces that reinforce spatial connectivity.
