BY LIZZIE DEADRICK

     They’ve been compared to teepees, wasps’ nests and Pizza Hut restaurants. Visitors are puzzled by their strange shape. Students complain about their confusing layout and windowless rooms. Every day, those who behold the unique pods of Mariemont High School are confounded by what they see.

     However, the architectural structures that comprise MHS are more than just a frequent conversation topic among bewildered students; they are the source of a great deal of school history.

     Until 1970, high school was held in the current Mariemont Elementary building. But as both architecture and education began to change, administrators found the need for a new school building. Thus, they employed the firm BHDP Architecture to design a brand new school in the “modular” style.

     According to Mr. Tom Crosby, who joined the district shortly after the big construction, the school’s layout coincided with a “philosophy of education that was in vogue in the late 1960s’ and early 1970s.’” This idea, which involved big group discussions and an open, flexible schedule with much free time, called for big circular “hubs” that allowed students to move freely throughout various subjects.

     While this concept worked for some, “the freedom was too enticing” for others, says Crosby. The school soon returned to a traditional schedule and quickly put up walls in the 1970s to create actual classrooms. This process was difficult due to the unique shape of the pods; it was essentially “an architect’s nightmare,” says Crosby.

     But finally, after the instillation of walls and a large renovation project in 2002, the school that exists today was created. When asked his opinion on the architecture, Mr. Crosby responded favorably.

     “I like it. It’s neat, it’s different,” he says. He notes that, while schools like Sycamore and Wyoming have similar styles, “not many schools really look like ours.”  The structure has even won national awards for its innovative architecture.

     Karyn Georgilis, a senior, agrees that the pods make Mariemont special. “At first I thought the pods were disorderly and poorly designed. But now, I like that our school is different.”

     So what is up next for the ever-changing edifice of Mariemont High School? “We do a lot of small renovations continually,” says Crosby, noting the recent changes to the pool and stadium. “But the language pod is probably up for rennovations next.”