Herron Preparatory Academy

Herron Classical Schools, a charter school in Indianapolis, expanded their facilities to include the Herron Preparatory Academy, serving students in Kindergarten through 8th grade. The original building fronting Meridian Street was designed by notable Indianapolis architecture firm, Lennox, Matthews, Simmons & Ford, and was built as an office in the late 1960s. In its new phase of life, the building is the home for the elementary school, serving grades K-4.

ARCHtrio provided architectural design services including the interior reconfiguration of the building into classrooms, common learning spaces, full cafeteria, and support spaces. The introduction of innovative interior design solutions to facilitate enhanced learning, along with an updated exterior color palette, multi-functional outdoor learning spaces, and a new playground, help to promote the classical, liberal arts learning program of the school with a mission to serve an intentionally diverse population. The renovation was completed in summer of 2022.

Immediately after the completion of the renovation, construction commenced on the new addition which serves as the intermediate school for Herron Preparatory Academy. Working within the confines of a very limited urban site, ARCHtrio and its consultants were able to maximize the site to create an addition that provides state-of-the-art facilities, including science labs, a gymnasium, and art and music classrooms.

For the exterior of the addition, ARCHtrio took cues from not just the original building, but also from the neighboring Children's Museum and Sports Legends Experience, as well as the materiality and scale of other buildings in this stretch of the Meridian Street corridor. The result is a dynamic, contextually-designed addition which speaks to the surrounding neighborhood.