HOW DO YOU CONVERT A VACANT HOME INTO A

MINI-ECONOMIC UNIT THAT COMBINES ARCHITECTURE & BIOLOGY?

APRIL 26TH, 3-5PM

@ CUDC 1309 EUCLID AVE., SUITE 200
CLEVELAND, OH 44115

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Event Organizers
Kent State’s Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative,
in collaboration with various partners
Event Sponsors
The George Gund Foundation
& Regency Construction Services
PROJECT TEAM
Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative, Kent State University

In Collaboration with
Jean Loria, CW Waterworks
Adil Sharag-Eldin, Ph.D. LEED A.P., Hollee Becker & Rohini Srivastava,
College of Architecture and Environmental Design, Kent State University
Adam Smith, Urban Lumberjacks of Cleveland
Morgan Taggart, Ohio State University Extension

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FORECLOSED PROPERTIES AND HOUSES IN THE CITY OF CLEVELAND (2008)
Urban Lumberjacks of Cleveland

DECONSTRUCTION
 Floor joist system with the King Beam and Steel I-Beam

Floor joists
C-beam frame
Foundation/ plinth King beam
above ground

Foundation
below ground I-beam

structure stabilization
 Roof vents
Galvanized steel tubing for
roof structure

Double glazing

King beam Curtains for heat

I-beam central post retention

C-beam frame Reflective lining

on the North wall
Waterproofing around the
base of the BioCellar
Short shrubs along the South
wall

Central water tank

Section through a BioCellar

 orientation
BIOCELLAR PERFORMANCE STUDY
single and double glazed roofs
BIOCELLAR PERFORMANCE STUDY
Annual temperature profile in basic unconditioned space
BIOCELLAR PERFORMANCE STUDY
INDOOR temperatures
BIOCELLAR PERFORMANCE STUDY
air movement
BIOCELLAR PERFORMANCE STUDY
Cumulative INDOOR temperatures
BIOCELLAR PERFORMANCE STUDY
COOL SEASON CROPS
Leafy greens Vegetables Flowers
Arugula Beet Calendula
Chard Bok choi Johnny jump-up
Cilantro Broccoli Linaria (Toadflax)
Collards Broccoli raab Pansy
Cornsalad (Mache) Cabbage
Cress Carrot
Dandelion Kale
Endive Leek
Escarole Onion
Lettuce Pak choi
Mizuna Pea
Mustard
Purslane
Radicchio
Spinach

food production
BIOCELLAR USES
Compost bucket

provided to residents

provided to community
brought to local BioCellar trench boxes
collected by compostal worker

composting
systems

worms

produces nutrient rich soil

produces heat and CO2

root cellar

soil & compost production

energy production
BIOCELLAR USES
community sauna
& herb garden
BIOCELLAR USES
 Livestock
Education

Farming, canning, drying & preservation

Fish hatchery, stormwater management BIOCELLAR USES

Building orientation
• External obstruction to solar gain
• Southern exposure
• Tree canopy
Water table
Accessibility
Community gardens and/or urban farms;
Adjacency to vacant land
Local champions

BIOCELLAR SITE SELECTION

Building orientation
• External obstruction to solar gain
• Southern exposure
• Tree canopy
Water table
Accessibility
Community gardens and/or urban farms
Adjacency to vacant land
Local champions

BIOCELLAR SITE SELECTION

Era Growth Issue Infrastructure Solutions
Mid-Late 1800s Public health and welfare Sanitation, hospitals, parks, schools
Industrialization Planned communities, company towns
Energy Coal, oil, gas, electricity
Early 1900s Automobiles Roads
Food Production (Dust Bowl) Crop rotation, agricultural practices
Communication Radio, telephone
Mid-1900s Energy Hydro and nuclear power
Pollution Air/water/sewage treatment
Mass Communication Television
Late 1900s Garbage Recycling
Flooding Storm water management, detention
Information Management Computers/internet
2000+ Sprawl, globalization Sound land use, smart growth
Vacant housing Adaptive reuse/land reutilization
Urban food deserts Local greenhouse network
Housing monoculture Diversity through infrastructure

Items shown in red are added to the History of American

Infrastructure chart by Karen S. Williamson, Growing with Green
Infrastructure, Heritage Conservancy, 2003.

BIOCELLAR AS INFRASTRUCTURE
DISTRIBUTED INFRASTRUCTURE
permaculture
distributed infrastructure
FEASIBILITY
structure
scale
management & ownership model
cost (prototype & mass production)

next steps
 site details
• Site located adjacent to Chateau Hough vineyards
at the intersection of Hough Avenue and E. 66th St.
• Soil type is sand, which is excellent for drainage.
• Easy access from Chester Avenue, and E. 55th exit 1650 E 66 St.
off the freeway
• Site located in close proximity to League Park,
which is slated for renovation of roughly $5 million
for the first-phase plan, including a ticket building
and a grandstand wall.

Chateau Hough
Vineyards

building details 1650 E 66 St.

• Foundation walls: stone, in good condition

• Longer wall is South facing with no obstructions
in immediate vicinity
• The house has a larger footprint. Typical of the
homes in Hough neighborhood. However, a large
portion is crawl space, leaving the basement to be
much smaller, closer to the 22x40’ dimensions for
the BioCellar prototype study
exterior photos
thank you!