Moreland RISING The Shaker Design Competition: When one door closes, another one opens Competition organizers and partners believe that the winning designs will be transferrable to neighborhoods throughout Shaker, the region, and the country. The Interactive Community Forum, which took place in October, was a unique component of the competition. The event In 2008, the Moreland neighborhood was hit hard by the housing crisis and economic downturn, and its stability was threatened by foreclosed and deteriorated homes. The City opted to proactively demolish these homes in order to preserve the neighborhood, and obtain tax abatement on the vacant lots in preparation for future development. With the announcement of the Shaker Design Competition in September, the future is now. Faced with dozens of vacant lots, the City could have chosen the easy option: enter into agreements with builders to construct standard suburban infill housing to fill the lots and increase the moderately priced housing inventory. Instead the City viewed these lots as a rare opportunity to reach higher and create a new vision for middle income infill housing, so it embarked on a different path: launch a design competition to challenge architect/builder teams to design super energy efficient, accessible housing for 21st century lifestyles. And invite winning teams to build the houses on designated lots in the Moreland district. And so, the Shaker Design Competition was launched in the fall. The competition is expected to diversify the housing stock and serve as a catalyst to attract a broad range of new residents to this well-established neighborhood. It will demonstrate that new housing at every price point can live up to the City’s proud history of innovation and craftsmanship. presented an unusual opportunity for interested architect/builder teams and realtors to engage in conversation with Moreland residents to better understand their vision for their neighborhood. What emerged through their voices were their deep connection and commitment to the community, their homes, and each other, and an openness and excitement about additional investment in the entire Moreland district. SHAKER DES I G N COMPETITION Residents expressed hope for designs that incorporate modern technology and materials, are flexible and responsive to today’s lifestyles (including multi-generational living), and fit comfortably within the existing neighborhood context. Architects and builders left with a clear understanding that this isn’t just a house-building project, it is a community-building project, and proposed designs should reflect that. With a design submission deadline in early January, the jury is in the process of evaluating proposals. The jury consists of five members, hand selected for their expertise in the fields of architecture, design, and sustainability, and their reputation as a leading-edge thinker or practitioner either regionally or nationally. Winning entries will be unveiled at a reception in mid February. Watch the City’s Facebook page for details. After the competition, the winners will enter into development and use agreements with the City to build these homes in the target southern Moreland neighborhood in spring/summer 2017. Partners in this competition are Ingenuity Cleveland, the Kent State University Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative, the County Department of Sustainability, and the Cleveland Design Competition. 6 SHAKERONLINE.COM | WINTER 2017
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