What We Did
Worthington City School District reimagines the historic Thomas Worthington High School.
In November 2022, Worthington successfully passed a bond issue to fund the renovation and expansion of Thomas Worthington High School, which will serve 1,650 students. The project included multiple phases of demolition and construction, allowing the school to continue operations throughout the process. The existing athletic spaces are retained, while all other spaces were demolished and replaced with contemporary academic facilities including a new fieldhouse. Mike created a Program of Spaces (POR) and led programming, design and project management.
Designed in partnership with Schorr Architects, the new building features a Worthington-style exterior design with modern architectural elements. It includes 71 academic and science classrooms, a media center that overlooks a student dining area, which connects to an outdoor gathering space, a 900-seat auditorium, a competition gym, an auxiliary gym, and several fine arts spaces. The CDA interiors team developed a unified color scheme and aesthetic for this project as well as Kilbourne High School, with a special emphasis on school spirit for each student body. The furniture package included gaining an understanding of existing furniture to be reused and coordinating phased moving.
The project meets LEED Silver certification, reflecting the school district’s commitment to environmental sustainability.
