Posts Tagged ‘architecture’

Local boys make good!

Sunday, August 1st, 2010

My friends over at MOD {all} Studio, Jim Fish and his design partner Rob Donaldson have been working hard to get Cleveland noticed for something other than politics and the economy.  Their new design firm has been going like gangbusters trying to win competitions and get noticed for their innovative ideas.  To this end, they have, in just a single year managed to become a finalist in the Dwell/Inhabitat.com ‘Reburbia’ competition, noted as one of the top ten popular entries for Freegreen.com’s Chain of Eco-Homes, and participated in a design exhibition in Piraeus, Greece.

So I was thrilled to find out last week that Mr. Fish was announced as one of the winners in an international competition to renovate and restore a series of existing cottages in Red Hook, NY.  Red Hook is the southern most portion of the Brooklyn borough of New York City and overlooks the Statue of Liberty and Lower Manhatten.  By 2011, residents of the Conover Street will be able to enjoy these views from their newly renovated sustainable residences.

MOD{all}Studio’s proposal – entitled “ECo-ttage” – draws inspiration from the Red Hook neighborhood  with meticulous use of materials, careful articulation of the residential program, and the integration of several sustainable initiatives (a “UtilitySpine” that stacks mechanical items, and potential solar photo voltaic, rainwater harvesting, and greywater recycling system). The competition organizers, Realty Collective, cited the design’s simplicity of program, integration into the existing urban context, and inspiring progressive design as reasons for “ECo-ttage” being selected. ECo-ttage is one of four winning proposals for existing residences.

You can read the official Press Release of the winners here.

The windows allow dark floors to absorb heat during colder months to help warm the residences.  Rainwater is diverted and could be collected for use in grey water systems.  A central “spine” for all the systems of the home make upgrades and repairs easy to access-thus reducing labor costs and material use.  You can read more about the green aspects of the project at: MOD {all} Studios.  They are not new to innovative design ideas.  They have designed many residences which have an interesting design aesthetic and which make efforts to provide designs that make the best use of space.  One of my favorites is a simple garage designed with a solar panel roof to charge electric cars while not in use.  Even the simplest of their designs are interesting and different.  Watch the video below to see a simple shelter designed for overlooking the shores of Lake Erie:

Visit their website to see more of their work and be sure to send Jim a little note of congratulations on his winning design!

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Cleveland Playhouse to fall to the Clinic’s wrecking ball?

Monday, December 7th, 2009

I am a subscriber to Cleveland Area History’s blog. This is an interesting site. I am a firm believer in knowing what came before, especially when it can impact the plans we make as we move forward. I knew that the Cleveland Clinic had bought the property of the Cleveland Playhouse. I didn’t know their plans for the property. Over the last few years, the Clinic has torn down quite a few architecturally exciting buildings to make room for their expansion. Most recently, they torn down one of the most exciting Art Deco buildings left in Cleveland to make room for what may end up being a parking garage. Now we are likely to see the destruction of another building that could be reused. I thought I would reprint this article from the blog, and the contact information is below.

The Cleveland Play House, on Euclid at East 85th Street, is the only building in Clevelnd area designed Philip Johnson (1906-2005). A native of Cleveland, Johnson is best known for his 1949 Glass House, a National Historic Landmark, in New Canaan, Connecticut.

The Cleveland Clinic has purchased the Cleveland Play House and surrounding land for $13 million, as reported by the Plain Dealer. The Play House and MOCA Cleveland will be vacating the space in late 2011 or summer of 2012.

While the Cleveland Clinic has not yet stated its plans for the space, but it seems likely that they will demolish the building, including the 1983 addition designed by Johnson. They haven’t shown any interest in historic preservation in the past, and it seems unlikely that they will start now.

As Steven Litt pointed out, two thirds of the land involved in the purchase is not occupied by the Play House. This land could be used for whatever the Clinic plans for the site without obliterating this landmark building. Surely the Clinic could find some use for the Cleveland Play House buildings – perhaps as a conference center?

The Plain Dealer reported Clinic spokesman Eileen Sheil saying “Over the next several months, we’ll study the options and see what’s possible and make the best decision for the Cleveland Clinic, keeping in mind the interests of the community.”

I would like to believe that the Cleveland Clinic will actually consider the interests of the community, but their past performance hasn’t given me any reason to hope that this will actually happen. We need to let them know that this is an important part of the Cleveland landscape, and that we will not accept its destruction.

I encourage you to contact the president and CEO of the Cleveland Clinic, Delos Cosgrove, M.D., to let him know your feelings on this subject. He can be reached by phone at 216-444-2300 or by mail at:

Delos Cosgrove
Cleveland Clinic Main Campus
Mail Code H18
9500 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44195

There is more in the Plain Dealer and the Chicago Tribune. The Playhouse is not scheduled to leave until 2011 or later. There is still time to save this Cleveland Landmark!

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