Jordan Meerdink
Guest Blogger
Jordan Meerdink, a former GSP blogger, is a graduate of the The Ohio State University. He holds a B.S. in Architecture with a minor in studio art. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Jordan inherited an early interest in mechanics and construction from his grandfather, a developer who was one of the early practitioners of prefabricated housing, and his father who is a retired store owner and highly capable D.I.Yer. Currently living in New York City, he continues to produce art and furniture with a focus on smart, ecologically responsible design. Jordan has a special concern for design that serves people outside the traditional clientele of architects, with an interest in architecture that deviates from the beaten path, ranging from Baroque churches to dismantled bomb shelters.
A Farewell from Jordan Meerdink
by Jordan Meerdink
From a simple submissions post on my college jobs board, I began my writing internship for Global Site Plans in May 2011. As an undergrad I had dipped my feet in creative writing, authoring several articles for student ... Read article
Kent State University's Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative: Creative Design In a Shrinking City
by Jordan Meerdink
It has been argued the cities in the Midwest are on the “decline.” Populations in urban centers like Detroit, Buffalo, and Cleveland are shrinking as old infrastructure decays. However, the newly relocated Cleveland U... Read article
Public Square Group: Integrating Skate Parks Into the Urban Fabric of Cleveland, Ohio
by Jordan Meerdink
Skateboarding is legally recognized as a “hazardous recreational activity.” While this categorization seems dour it is actually an interesting bit of legalese that enables cities to construct skate parks without fearing ... Read article
Experiments in Web Based Crowdsourcing and Open-Source for Urban Planning
by Jordan Meerdink
What is crowdsourcing? For those uninitiated, the term essentially means problems or queries are broadcast publicly and everyone is invited to respond with solutions or ideas. Crowdsourcing itself is not a new concep... Read article
West Side Market: The Historic Heart and Soul of Cleveland, Ohio
by Jordan Meerdink
As cities grow and change over time, cultural icons sometimes fall victim to the march of “progress.” However, one of Cleveland's most iconic structures, the West Side Market, has remained proudly on the corner of Lora... Read article
Coop Himmelblau's Art Museum in Akron, Ohio
by Jordan Meerdink
Where would GSP readers assume influential Austrian architecture firm Coop Himmelblau would execute its first American project? Not quite New York or Los Angeles, Akron, a rust belt city in Ohio, is the unlikely ho... Read article
Developing the Waterfront: Cleveland, Ohio Shoreline Development Plan
by Jordan Meerdink
A new urban planning and development scheme is being implemented in Cleveland, Ohio that will dramatically change the look and accessibility of the city's underutilized waterfront. Located on the shores of Lake Erie, ... Read article
Uniting A Fractured Campus: The Tinkham Veale University Center in Cleveland, Ohio
by Jordan Meerdink
Since its inception in 1967, out of the merger between Western Reserve University and Case Institute of Technology, Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio has struggled to pull together a unified campus... Read article
Modernism Stands Out In Cleveland, Ohio: The Peter B. Lewis Building
by Jordan Meerdink
In 1999, famed deconstructive architect Frank Gehry broke ground on the newest addition to the Case Western Reserve University campus in Cleveland, Ohio. The Peter B. Lewis Building for the Weatherhead School of Manageme... Read article
“Ghost” Subway Stations: From Berlin, Germany and New York City, New York
by Jordan Meerdink
In Germany, during the cold war, the concept of the “ghost” station developed as a solution to a curious urban planning quagmire. As travel with Berlin became more restricted, the combined Berlin subway lines, referred t... Read article
Pickards Mountain Eco-Institute: A Look Into Our Sustainable Future
by Jordan Meerdink
Pickards Mountain Eco-Institute (PMI) should spark the interest of Global Site Plans readers interested in all aspects of sustainable living. Essentially, PMI operates as a working laboratory where new theories and ide... Read article
Artisan Carpentry: The Timber Framers Guild Eastern Conference 2012
by Jordan Meerdink
This May 2012, craftsmen from across the United States and Canada will descend on Port Townsend, Washington to discuss a building tradition developed in the 12th century, timber frame construction. The first questio... Read article
Rust Belt Real Estate: Re-imagining Post Industrial Cities
by Jordan Meerdink
While at one time it was counted among the most productive manufacturing areas in the world, the area of former heavy manufacturing bordering the Great Lakes, known as The Rust Belt, has suffered from decaying industry ... Read article