By BBCO
We’re thrilled to share that BBCO has received an Honor Award - Large Project at the 2025 AIA Columbus Architecture Awards for the GSOH – AEP Foundation STEM Leadership Center.
Purposefully planned as a hub for learning, creativity, and connection, the STEM Leadership Center is a thoughtful legacy project nestled on the Girl Scouts’ 220-acre property.
At its heart, the main lobby offers a bright, welcoming space filled with natural light streaming through overhead skylights and expansive glazing at the entry. This double-height gathering area is an ideal spot for events and collaboration, with a central elevator shaft wrapped in a playful graphic inspired by the iconic Girl Scout cookie box—celebrating the organization’s heritage in a creative, memorable way.
Beyond the lobby, the Maker Studio was designed for flexibility and innovation. High ceilings, a large overhead door, and a dust collection and exhaust system allow for activities ranging from woodworking to welding, ensuring the space adapts easily to evolving programs. The Environmental Lab reinforces Girl Scouts’ national initiative to inspire girls to pursue STEM careers, creating spaces that foster curiosity, confidence, and exploration from an early age.
The Conference Center accommodates up to 300 guests for meetings, workshops, and special events, with an operable partition allowing the room to flex for smaller groups. Its availability for community use extends the building’s reach, creating a venue that generates both revenue and regional impact.
Balancing a bold vision with a firm budget was one of the project’s defining challenges. Through multiple design iterations, the team successfully reduced the building’s footprint without compromising the core program. The final design uses two Pre-Engineered Metal Buildings, housing the Maker Space and Conference Center, linked by a central two-story structure that provides connection and flow.
The second-story lounge opens to an outdoor observation deck ideal for stargazing, with a two-story fireplace rising through the deck as a central gathering point, symbolizing the Girl Scouts’ tradition of coming together around the campfire.
While created for the Girl Scouts, the Center is also shared with local schools and community organizations, broadening its reach and establishing it as a true community asset.
“Congratulations to BBCO on receiving the 2025 AIA Columbus Architecture Honor Award for the design of the AEP Ohio Foundation STEM Leadership Center. What started as an idea jotted on a napkin truly came to life, thanks to the incredible vision and talent of Bhakti Bania and the entire team at BBCO. I am personally so grateful for your partnership and creativity in transforming that early concept into a space where Girl Scouts and our community can explore, experiment, and be inspired by STEM every day. This center is already making a lasting impact.”
— Tammy Wharton, President & CEO, Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland
The AIA Columbus jury praised the project’s clarity, technical expression, and educational intent, noting its inventive use of pre-engineered systems to reveal the building’s inner workings as a teaching tool. “Distinguished by its coherence, precision, and purposeful execution,” the jury remarked, “the work fully embodies the Framework Principles while advancing the project’s educational narrative with clarity and rigor.”
We’re honored to be recognized among such outstanding work and proud to see this project continue to inspire future leaders in science, technology, engineering, and math. Take a closer look inside the STEM Leadership Center and discover how design and purpose come together to inspire the next generation.
(Left to Right: Christina Sabula, Bhakti Bania, Bharat Baste, Zac Romer-Jordan)