Timber-Led Design for Cleveland Foundation HQ

S9 Architecture has completed a striking new headquarters for The Cleveland Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio — a timber-framed building that sets the tone for a new innovation district in the historically significant Hough neighbourhood.

Once home to major civil unrest in the 1960s, Hough is now the focus of regeneration efforts aimed at healing, equity and economic growth.

GALLERY  

As the district’s first completed structure, the foundation building plays a pivotal civic role. Equal parts office and community hub, it was designed to feel welcoming, transparent and connected to its surroundings.

The 4,645-square-metre building sits at the intersection of three distinct conditions- park, city and residential neighbourhood – and directly beside Cleveland’s oldest surviving building, the 19th-century Dunham Tavern. In response to this layered context, S9 Architecture developed a mass timber structure that is both contemporary and grounded. The post-and-beam system comprises larch columns and spruce beams, supporting concrete floor slabs over metal decking.

Western red cedar clads the exterior, offering a warm, tactile counterpoint to the robust structure beneath. This timber envelope is broken up with recesses, cutouts and expansive glazing — creating a sense of permeability and transparency while connecting the interiors with the neighbourhood outside.

The layout reflects the dual civic and professional role of the building. The ground floor hosts community-facing spaces including a café, lounge, conference rooms and a multipurpose hall. Above, flexible office spaces and a terrace café encourage collaboration, while the top floor features a boardroom and event space opening onto a green roof.

A central timber staircase acts as the social heart of the project; a place to gather, rest and connect beneath a generous skylight that brings daylight deep into the building. Interior finishes blend industrial and natural materials, including concrete flooring and stained maple, while the exposed timber structure provides visual warmth and rhythm throughout.

Certified LEED Gold, the building integrates a 250-kilowatt solar canopy, high-performance envelope and rainwater harvesting. More than just a new workplace, the project is a material expression of transparency, resilience and trust that’s grounded in timber and built for community.

Images by Peio Erroteta via Dezeen

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