TOLEDO, Ohio, August 14, 2024 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an internationally ranked engineering firm and ENR Top 100 Architecture Firm, is excited to share that its Toledo Public Schools (TPS) Natural Science Technology Campus expansion / renovation project hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, August 13, 2024. Several SSOE team members involved with the project were in attendance, including Principal Architect Bob Siebenaller, AIA, LEED AP BD+C; Senior Architect / Project Manager Lance Mushung, AIA, NCARB; and Architectural Designer Bill Beauregard.
SSOE provided facility master planning, design, and engineering services for the 6,800 SF expansion and the 13,850 SF renovation which was focused on reconfiguring existing classrooms and support spaces to provide each classroom with flexible learning environments for enhanced 21st-century learning as well as the expansion of grade levels. In addition to the interior renovations within the existing building, two new additions were added to provide multi-purpose spaces, eight additional classrooms, and additional restroom facilities, among other infrastructure improvements.
As part of the overall design strategy, major enhancements to the exterior were also incorporated into the facility expansion / renovation. These improvements included the installation of new window systems, upgrades to the exterior envelope, a redesigned and reskinned building entry with an added canopy, and a completely new roofing system for the entire existing structure.
The interior enhancements feature upgraded finishes, advanced technology and Wi-Fi, improved lighting and power, modern casework, ADA-compliant door hardware, flexible furniture, and increased natural light in a previously windowless area. Notable elements include the hanging acoustical lily pads in the corridor, simulated wood-wrapped TV areas, and nature-inspired finishes and graphic panels.
Siebenaller, who served as the principal architect, shared, “Toledo Public Schools and SSOE have a partnership that spans decades and includes not just design work, but also hundreds of hours of volunteerism within the district. We’re proud to continue this collaborative relationship where we partner to expand TPS facilities for superior learning and, in doing so, elevate the Toledo community. In the case of the Natural Science Technology Campus, we’re working together to provide area middle and high school students the opportunity to obtain specialized agricultural science programming within the city limits, tuition-free, exposing students to careers in STEM that are environmentally and sustainably focused.”
Learn more about TPS’s Natural Science Technology Center here.
