PROJECT DETAILS:

Our team partnered with Shelbyville Central Schools to transform the abandoned natatorium at Shelbyville Middle School into a dynamic performing arts and activity space through adaptive reuse. The former pool was reimagined as a flexible black box theater and multi-use gymnasium, revitalizing an underutilized area of the campus while expanding opportunities for student programs.

The theater features mobile bleachers, adjustable curtains and performance zones, professional lighting and rigging, a catwalk, mirrored interior walls, and acoustic treatments to support a variety of productions. An elevator was added to provide access to the catwalk and the existing upper gymnasium.

The adaptable black-box theater supports multiple seating and staging configurations, creating an intimate performance environment for theater, dance, and multimedia events. By repurposing the existing structure, the project provides Shelbyville students with modern performance and activity spaces while giving new life to a previously unused facility.

The project received a 2025 Outstanding Design award in the American School & University Educational Interiors Showcase.