CH names accessory dwelling unit design winners

Winners of the Cleveland Heights ADUs Design Competition are (from left) Tristan Ruffin-Williams, Cade McCue, Jamie List, Phillip Talley, Chuck Miller, Tommy Chesnes and Conner Deck. Not pictured: Jon Novak.

The city of Cleveland Heights recognized five winners in its Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) Design Competition at an Awards Showcase held at CH City Hall on Dec. 4.

The showcase featured original designs for ADUs—small, second homes that can be built on the same property as a primary residence—submitted by 28 professional and amateur designers.

The two People’s Choice award winners—Cade McCue of Kent State University, and Tristen Ruffin-Williams of Hawken School—were selected through an online vote.

The three winners in the juried competition, chosen by a panel of residents and design and planning professionals, were: Chuck Miller of C2, Charles C. Miller Architect LLC; Connor Deck, Jon Novak and Tommy Chesnes of Onyx Creative; Phillip Talley and Jamie List of City Architecture.

The People’s Choice winners each won a $1,200 stipend and will be paired with a professional designer who will help them develop their concept into a buildable plan. The five winners in the professional/juried competition received cash prizes of $3,200.

The competition, materials, program, and cash awards were funded by a $15,000 AARP grant.

The city’s goal is to develop the designs into buildable plans, and to make them available to Cleveland Heights residents at no cost.

The Awards Showcase was a lively event capped by a gallery of submissions. Attendees mingled and discussed with designers the future of affordable and sustainable housing, with a focus on seniors and accessibility, taking shape in Cleveland Heights.