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Location: Berea, Ohio
Project size: 2,560 square feet

Program: Architect Susan Secoy Jensen grew up in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, where a certain mid-century modern house, designed in the early 1960s by local architect Carl Droppers and situated amid more traditional neighbors, always piqued her curiosity. When the residence went on the market, Secoy jumped on the opportunity to purchase, meticulously restore, update, and use it as a seasonal retreat away from her present-day home in Southern California.

Although many character-defining features had remained intact, the house had suffered from decades of deferred maintenance, leading the architect to turn to original drawings—in pristine condition—to guide restoration efforts on the site, exterior, and interior.

Design Solution: 345 Glass House, as the project is now called, is located in Berea, Ohio, in the Cleveland Metroparks. In the 1830s and ’40s, thriving sandstone quarries became the town’s lifeblood and one such quarry, adjacent to the plot on which the house is located, was later abandoned, then filled, to become Wallace Lake.

Looking to the town’s history, 4-foot-by-4-foot Berea sandstone slabs replaced damaged concrete that previously surrounded the house. This grid of sandstone was continued throughout the lower level, replacing 12-inch-by-12-inch ceramic tile flooring, as well as in a newly installed sandstone patio.

Photo © James Haefner Photography

In the living room on the upper level, the architect added a sandstone hearth and fireplace, which was carefully inserted into a wall cavity by borrowing space from a preexisting, oversized bedroom closet. Damaged original Philippine mahogany panels were subsequently adjusted to accommodate this intervention. New wood-plank flooring took the place of tattered carpet as well.

In the kitchen, cabinets were removed, repaired, and reinstalled with new Formica countertops that match the originals. Even the appliances and hardware, dating back to initial construction, have been refurbished. Given the comprehensive work involved, and the house’s significance as an example of the International Style, Secoy authored the National Register of Historic Places report on the property.

Structure and Materials: The house’s structural system—based on a 4-foot grid—runs throughout both levels, including along the perimeter. The upper floor, which overhangs the lower one, is supported by two individual steel Vierendeel Trusses (one facing the street; the other facing the lake). These trusses are clearly expressed and, in addition to holding up 12-foot-long cantilevers on the north and south ends, maintain unobstructed openings between vertical posts. All exterior features have been repaired or replaced in-kind.

Additional Information
Completion date: November 2023
Site size: .419 acres
Total construction cost: $250,000 (construction)
Client/Owner: Susan Secoy Jensen and Daniel Jensen

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Photos © James Haefner Photography

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Images courtesy Secoy Architects; click to enlarge