Lillian C. Schmitt Elementary School

Lillian C. Schmitt Elementary School
2675 California Street Columbus, IN 47201
(812) 376-4307
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Harry Weese, 1957

Addition, Leers & Weinzapfel, 1991

Schmitt Elementary was the first school built under the Cummins Foundation Architecture Program. The school honored beloved teacher Lillian C. Schmitt, who taught in Columbus for 43 years. Its low brick, glass, and wood form features peaked roofs that resemble small houses, scaled to be inviting for children. A central hexagonal multipurpose room anchored the design, setting a precedent for many more architect-designed schools in Columbus.

The addition to Schmitt Elementary used red steel framing to echo design elements of other community projects, including Mill Race Park and Columbus’s gateway bridges. The firm, later awarded the 2007 AIA Architecture Firm of the Year, created an expansion that both complemented and modernized the original school.

Meet the Architects